Information Technology

Discovery Core ePortfolio Resources

Office of Digital Learning & Innovation (DLI)

Table of Contents

  1. Overview
  2. Creating and Managing an ePortfolio in Canvas, including:
  1. Discovery Core I – Fall Quarter
  2. Discovery Core II – Winter Quarter
  3. Discovery Core III – Spring Quarter

Overview

As part of your first-year experience in the Discovery Core (DC) sequence, you will create an ePortfolio that tells a story about your first-year journey at UW Bothell. Think of your portfolio as a “workspace” and a “record” of academic learning, relevant on- and off-campus experiences, and developing skills. Specifically, you will reflect on how the “artifacts” of your first-year work (essays, reports, projects, presentations, performances, art work, etc.) helped you achieve the First Year Learning Goals. Below are resources explaining essential steps in the DC Portfolio creation, sharing and submission processes.

Sample ePortfolios

Past Discovery Core students graciously agreed to shared their ePortfolios and showcase their work.

Creating and Managing an ePortfolio in Canvas

Video Tutorial

To get a short introduction to Canvas ePortfolios and the creation process, please watch ePortfolios in Canvas video tutorial.

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Creating a Canvas ePortfolio

To create a new ePortfolio in Canvas

  1. Click on Account in the Global Navigation menu, then select ePortfolios in the Account menu.
  2. Now click on the Create an ePortfolio button.
  3. Name your portfolio DC Portfolio Firstname Lastname.
    Do NOT check the Make it Public box.
  4. Click on the Make ePortfolio button.
  5. You will be taken to the ePortfolio Dashboard Page. Click on the Go to the Actual Portfolio link to start editing.

    If you need assistance with eportfolios, go to the Open Learning Lab (OLL) located in UW2-140.

    Tutors are available Monday-Thursday, 9am-4pm.

Edit Welcome Page and Sections

Once you are in the ePortfolio, you will see Section options on the left and Page options on the right.

The Canvas ePortfolio hierarchy is as follows:

– Top level: ePortfolios contain sections
– Second level: Sections contain pages
– Third level: Pages contain modules

The Home section by default contains the Welcome page. This is what you first see when you access the eportfolio. The Welcome page already has a Rich Text Module installed, an area you see where you can enter text or add an image.

When you first access you new eportfolio, there is going to be a lot of empty space. Let’s start adding some content!

Welcome Page

We will start with the Welcome page in the Home section.

  1. To edit the Welcome page, let’s add an “About Me” header and other content, click Edit This Page on the page menu located on the right.
  2. In the text box area of the Rich Text Editor, type “About Me” and then select Header 2 from the font style drop-down.

    Press the Enter key to go to the next line. The content you type there will appear as Paragraph text.

    Be sure to check on the Allow Comments on this Page box. Then select the Save Page button. You can always come back to this page to add more.

About Heading Styles

You should always use the heading levels when writing content (Header 2, Header 3, Header 4 and Paragraph) in the Rich Editor content instead of manually increasing the size or emphasizing the titles/subtitles.

The top level available in Canvas inside the Rich Text editor is Header 2. Heading 1 is already being used for the page title.

Why use heading styles?

Heading styles add formal structure and consistency to the text. They also make your content universally accessible to everyone, including people who use screen readers and navigate with a keyboard. For more information on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) go to the National Center on Universal Design For Learning website.

Saving Work

Work should be saved often to avoid losing content. You can always go back into editing mode by clicking on the corresponding Edit this page link.

Add Discovery Core Sections

Next, you need to add your Discovery Core navigation sections to the left side bar.

  1. Click on Organize Sections in the sections menu.
  2. Next click on Add Section.
  3. Name your section “Discovery Core I”. Repeat to add Discovery Core II and Discovery Core III sections. When finished, click on Done Editing.
  4. If you need to rename, delete or move a section, click on the gear next to the section name and then on the menu option.

Re-naming Pages in New Sections

Even though you titled the section correctly, the page within that section has the title of “New Page.” So, you need to go into each of the default pages inside each section and change the page title.

  1. Click on the Discovery Core I section.
  2. Click on the Edit This Page button. Change page name to “Discovery Core I”
  3. Save your changes after each one by clicking on the Save Page button.

To edit the other two default pages, click on each of the next sections Discovery Core II and Discovery Core III and name the pages respectively.

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Create New Pages

You will need to add new pages to each section as you progress through the Discovery Core program. Each of these pages should have a typed reflection and some of them will also have an artifact attached in the form of an image, video, presentation file or document.

To add pages:

  • Select the section on the left where you will be adding pages
  • Click on the Organize/Manage Pages link
  • Click on the +New Page link
  • Enter the new page name, then the Done Editing button
  • Select the newly created page, then the Edit This Page button
  • Make sure you have a Rich Text Content module added. If it is not present, add it from the options on the right.
  • Select the Save Page button.

If you need assistance with eportfolios, go to the Open Learning Lab (OLL) located in UW2-140.

Tutors are available Monday-Thursday, 9am-4pm.

Editing Page Content

To edit the content found on each page, click on the Edit This Page button on the right side of the page.

You can add new content (modules) to your page by clicking on the links listed on the right side of the page.

Choose one of the following:

  • Rich Text Content module for another text area

OR

  • Image/File Upload module to attach an image, document or video file. This method will attach the file on a separate module. Images will show as images, documents and videos will show as links to the file that the viewer can download.


Please do not use the HTML/Embedded Content or Course Submission modules.

All artifacts MUST be uploaded to the Discovery Core ePortfolio.


Each time you add a new module, the new content will appear at the bottom of the page.

Reorder Modules

You can reorder any added modules by selecting the double-headed arrow listed beside each title and dragging it around the page or delete unwanted modules by selecting the garbage can icon.

Embed Images in Rich Text Module

  1. To embed an image with the text, you can use a link of a publicly available image or search for a public domain image in Flicker. Click on the Embed Image icon.
  2. The Edit/Embed Image window will now be open. Select whether you want to insert the URL of a public image or search for a copyright-free image in Flicker. Do not use images you have uploaded to Canvas.

    Enter a short description of the image in the ALT text field. By default, the image name and extension (.jpg, .png, etc.) is added in this area. By adding Alternative text, the image information can be accessed by someone using a voice-to-text tool, graphic browser or a screen reader.

    Remember to give credit for media used that you do not own.

Organize/Manage Pages

If you need to add new pages, rename or move pages, click on the Organize/Manage Pages in the pages menu.

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Media Files

For Discovery Core ePortfolios, all artifacts files must be uploaded to the eportfolio.

Images

Please note that when uploading image files directly to Canvas, images should be less than 5 MB to avoid upload issues.

If you need assistance with eportfolios, go to the Open Learning Lab (OLL) located in UW2-140.

Tutors are available Monday-Thursday, 9am-4pm.

You can also share images that a) you have uploaded and are publicly available in the Web or b) are linked in online repositories such as Flicker. When using images you do not own, make sure you provide the source of the image and give credit.

As resource, you can go to the Office of Digital Learning & Innovation (DLI) page, Creative Commons, to find copyright-free media resources. Remember to give credit for media used that you do not own.

Videos

Videos should be under 499 MB to upload. Avoid 4K or high resolution video so you can meet the size requirements. Do not embed videos from another site such as YouTube, Vimeo, etc. Upload the actual video file to your eportfolio.

WikiHow posted some great instructions using free apps to reduce the size of large video files.

ePortfolio Support

If you need assistance, you can stop by the Open Learning Lab, located in UW2-140, Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, for one- assistance with ePortfolios and use any of the tools the lab provides.

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Submitting an ePortfolio for a Class Assignment

To submit your eportfolio for an assignment, you need to copy and paste the private URL for your portfolio. To do this:

  1. Click on the name of your Portfolio at the top of the page in the breadcrumbs area.
  2. On your ePortfolio Dashboard, copy the link listed.
  3. Go to your Canvas course assignment, paste the link you copied in the previous step and submit your assignment.

    If you instead submit the link from the web address of your browser, your instructor WILL NOT be able to access and grade your work.

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Discovery Core I – Fall Quarter

The DCI focuses on Discovery and student transition to the university by connecting students to campus resources and services. Students collectively establish first-year and cross-campus learning communities; develop college-level academic skills in reading, note-taking, study skills, and time management; engage in interdisciplinary dialogue and investigation; and begin an ePortfolio that supports first-year learning.

Create a Home Page

This will be the first page your audience sees when they open your portfolio. Use this space to welcome the viewer and introduce them to the contents. You might think of the homepage as a roadmap to your portfolio, highlighting important milestones along the route. Students can also arrange this as a table of contents, indicating what is in each chapter of your portfolio.

Please note: although your portfolios may primarily be viewed by the UW community (students, staff, and faculty), you are always writing for a “public” audience, so think about what viewers may value and find worthwhile in your portfolio.

“About Me” section

Create an “About Me” section to briefly introduce yourself. Write a biography in 100-200 words that includes pertinent information for a college-level reader (e.g. where you are from, your interests, and your personal, academic and professional goals)

Reflective Statement on Goals and Campus Resources

Please see the Current Students section of the UWB website, and carefully look through those listed under “Campus Life” and “Academic Success.” Then post a short reflective statement in your ePortfolio. The nature of this assignment is up to each DC instructor, but some ideas may include one or more of the following:

Idea 1

Carefully review information and resources under “Campus Life” and “Academic Success” at UW Bothell. Then write a short statement (about 500 words) on why you came to college and what you hope to do while here. In order to strengthen this statement and provide concrete steps that you will take by the end of the first year, please identify some of the Student Success Resources you just reviewed that might help you advance your academic, personal and professional goals. Also be sure your statement indicates that you have learned something detailed and concrete about these resources. For example, if you struggle with math or need help writing a paper, you might seek help from the Quantitative Skills Center or Writing and Communication Center. Or perhaps you want to study abroad at some point (get connected to our Study Abroad office now!) or get involved with community service (check out the Community Based Learning section!) Whatever you choose to focus on, your statement should reflect the fact that you have carefully read through the web pages in the Student Success Resources section, learned something specific and concrete about the different services, and put some thought into which ones will help you advance your personal and academic goals while in college. Final note: keep in mind that the point of this activity is to help you identify some of the accomplishments and activities you’d like to display in your ePortfolio by the end of this year, and help plan your strategy accordingly. You should be consistent in following up on this plan and regularly posting artifacts and updates on your accomplishments in during the year.

Idea 2

Take one or more assignment to the Writing & Communication Center, Quantitative Skills Center or to a Campus Librarian; at the quarter’s end, post a reflection on what you learned from your interactions with the WACC, QSC or Campus Library. Students should also attach artifacts and feedback from those collaborations.

Idea 3

Our DC assessments have shown that some of the strongest portfolios include mini-reflections (no more than a paragraph) on 2 or 3 specific artifacts from specific moments across the student’s first year. These mini-reflections might, for example, discuss how an artifact represents a specific Learning Goal, or represents a turning point or “aha moment” for the student. The mini-reflection may demonstrate academic or personal growth, but should be specific to the exact artifact under discussion.
Student assignment: At the end of the quarter, chose a sample of your work and write a short reflective statement on how your learning and experience in the DCI helped you develop certain skills and capacities identified in the First Year Learning Goals, or in the Course Objectives for your particular DC section. You might also choose an artifact that represent a turning point or “aha moment” in your learning.
This statement should reference specific artifacts, learning experiences, assignments and/or campus collaborations. Please attach (or provide links to) all relevant artifacts with your post.

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Discovery Core II – Winter Quarter

The DCII focuses on Research and Campus Engagement. During winter quarter students explore diverse topics and deepen their learning through undergraduate research in which the skills of analysis, creativity, and collaboration are essential. Students also participate in the Pathways for Academic Engagement fair, which support their future aspirations by encouraging engagement with various services, programs, professional development, curricular and co-curricular activities. Specifically, this event allows participants to explore experiences and opportunities related to career development, interdisciplinary education, academic success, community involvement, and campus engagement. Students will also continue to develop their ePortfolios to reflect the connections they build out of this Pathways Event.

**For students who are new to UW Bothell in Winter quarter, follow the steps linked here: Create an ePortfolio in Canvas Tutorial (Link)

Post Work to your Portfolio on DCII Research and Campus Engagements

Your DCII instructor will also ask students to complete and post a reflective assignment in your ePortfolio that is related to participation in the Pathways to Academic Engagement Fair. The nature of this assignment is up to each DC instructor, but some ideas may include one or more of the following:

Idea 1

Before attending the Pathways to Engagement fair, familiarize yourself with the campus partners you will encounter there. After participating in this event, write a short reflection (300-500 words) or complete an activity discussing interests and plans for your engagement with particular opportunities (Service Learning, Study Abroad, Internships, Undergraduate Research, campus organizations and clubs, etc.) Please note that you will be re-visiting these statements in the DCIII to reflect on your ongoing progress with that particular engagement.

Idea 2

Since the DCII also focuses on research (use of evidence, analysis of artifacts, etc.), prior to attending the Pathways to Engagement event students might identify which major and/or campus activity they are MOST interested in and want to be involved with, and which they are LEAST interested in engaging. During the event itself, students can collect at least one piece of “evidence” to support both positions (a fact they learned, a conversation they had, a flyer they picked up, etc.) Following the event students can reflect on ways this new evidence either supports or challenges their original positions.

Idea 3

Review the Career Action Guide and enter notes to identify any steps from this guide that you have already taken, and any opportunities encountered at the Pathways to Engagement fair that might further advance those goals. If you have not yet taken any steps specified on this guide, sketch out a plan to complete as many as possible during winter and spring quarter.

Idea 4

Our DC assessments have shown that some of the strongest portfolios include mini-reflections (no more than a paragraph) on 2 or 3 specific artifacts from specific moments across the student’s first year. These mini-reflections might, for example, discuss how an artifact represents a specific Learning Goal, or represents a turning point or “aha moment” for the student. The mini-reflection may demonstrate academic or personal growth, but should be specific to the exact artifact under discussion.

Student assignment: At the end of the quarter, chose a sample of your work and write a short reflective statement on how your learning and experience in the DCI helped you develop certain skills and capacities identified in the First Year Learning Goals, or in the Course Objectives for your particular DC section. You might also choose an artifact that represent a turning point or “aha moment” in your learning.
This statement should reference specific artifacts, learning experiences, assignments and/or campus collaborations. Please attach (or provide links to) all relevant artifacts with your post.

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Discovery Core III – Spring Quarter

DCIII students focus on Reflection and interpretation of artifacts demonstrating their first-year learning experiences and campus engagement, while also projecting toward the second year of college and beyond. During spring quarter students will workshop, revise, and finalize portfolios and prepare for a public Portfolio Showcase presentation.

**For students who are new to UW Bothell in Spring quarter, follow the steps linked in: Creating and Managing an ePortfolio in Canvas

First Year Reflection Essay

In this section of the ePortfolio students focus on what they’ve accomplished in their first year at UW Bothell by writing a 1000-1500 word, evidence-based narrative that responds to one or more of the prompts below. The essay should reflect on curricular and extracurricular experiences that were particularly meaningful to you over the year, providing specific evidence to support that narrative about yourself and your experience. The evidence supporting your narrative should be drawn from “artifacts” completed within and/or beyond your first-year courses (this may include essays, peer reviews, presentations, lab reports, posters & brochures, videos, creative work, evidence of service work or other collaborations with community partners, etc). Your essay will clearly describe, analyze, and connect your artifacts to your narrative, so be sure to attach those artifacts to your essay. Also remember to be specific and both “show” your evidence and “tell” about your evidence to present a more convincing narrative.


When you discuss your artifacts, please briefly identify and describe your First Year courses, assignments, and activities (you can use artifacts from any class taken during your first year, or relevant work on or beyond the UWB campus that supports your narrative). Students are encouraged to use their final reflections as a moment to reflect on the entire first year of college, as opposed to just the DC sequence. This final reflection is a moment to holistically reflect on and integrate your development as a learner, member of the campus community, and human being.

Reflective Essay Prompts

The guidelines for this reflective essay are up to individual DCIII instructors, but prompts may include one or more of the following:

  • How do your first-year experiences and artifacts specifically relate to the First Year Learning Goals?
  • How do your first-year experiences and artifacts specifically relate to your goals for UW Bothell and your career path?
  • Of the things you’ve learned during your first year, which two or three do you most want to carry forward into next year, and how do these specifically relate to your artifacts?
  • What knowledge, skills and strengths are you developing in extracurricular and community experiences, and how can you connect these specifically to your artifacts and to what happens in the classroom?
  • Are you are considering changing direction in your intended course of study? If so, what artifacts or learning experiences help tell the story of your change in interest and where you’re headed next? (Or, what is your “Plan B” if you don’t get into your preferred major? What artifacts/experiences might have some influence on that new plan of action?)
  • In what ways have academic services or resources enriched your first year at UW Bothell (the WaCC or CBLR Office, QSC, Campus Library, Digital Media Lab, Career Services, etc.)? How did these resources specifically influence your artifacts?

Attaching Assignments/Artifacts

Any assignments or artifacts featured in your discussion must be re-uploaded directly to your portfolio. Linking to assignments in other Canvas courses or sections may prevent instructors or assessors from accessing those artifacts. We also encourage students to archive prompts, assignment instructions, and course syllabi together with completed work.

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