MMMMMM MAHARA E-Portfolio- The way of the future

Mahara is an e-portfolio which can be used in a variety of ways. As a student teacher it has become a place for me to store resources, files, lesson plans and communicate with other students. As my portfolio progresses, it will also become my resume, when I apply for teaching positions after completion of the course. I will be able to provide a specific link to a potential employer who will be able to view many of my achievements over the past two years. Another student use is in the primary school setting. Students could again use it in the ways already mentioned. Another aspect is that it could have examples of student work made available, to be viewed anywhere anytime. This would allow parents, friends grandparents etc, to see what students are achieving in the classroom. Students would be proud to show others their work, as it is " their portfolio". As opposed to booklets which can get lost and broken, this is a fantastic tool that will never get lost! Students could use their creative abilities to design their own portfolio, adding pictures and files. If a student transfers to another school, it is a tool that could be used to view student achievement, enabling the school to assess students prior learning and create an individual learning journey. Another use for mahara is in collaborative communication amongst students. Mahara has the ability to create groups of interest, which allows for student communication to occur outside school hours. This makes students responsible for their own learning and lets them take the lead in developing/pursuing activities which are of interest to them.