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Publication Outline

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Enhancing Blended Learning in Elementary Education Through ePortfolios

My innovation plan focuses on transitioning from traditional physical notebooks to digital portfolios for our school's Leadership notebooks. These Leadership notebooks serve as a platform for students to establish and monitor their goals, develop a personal mission statement, and highlight their accomplishments in core subjects, as well as in fields like art, music, and physical education. By switching to ePortfolios, we can enhance the capabilities and benefits of our Leadership notebooks for our students. We use these notebooks as a way to document learning but by making the switch to digital portfolios we can also generate students’ learning. 

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“ePortfolios are effective learning tools because they support students’ own knowledge construction, make otherwise invisible aspects of the learning process visible, and place agency in the hands of students, which fosters learners’ motivation” (University of Waterloo, n.d.).

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This article will emphasize and elaborate on the significant advantages of ePortfolios in enhancing and facilitating blended learning.

Publication Outline

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Title:  Enhancing Blended Learning in Elementary Education Through ePortfolios

 

Focus: An examination of how ePortfolios can facilitate and enrich blended learning environments for elementary students, promoting engagement, reflection, and personalized learning.

Audience: Elementary educators in grades 1-5 

 

Submission Options

  • Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education: Focuses on the integration of technology in teaching and learning.

  • Edutopia: Free resource focusing on a wide range of topics reaching out to professionals in the educational field.

  • The Elementary School Journal: A reputable source for research and practices in elementary education.

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How will this connect to my Innovation Plan or Initiative

  • This article connects to my initiative to move beyond physical LIM notebooks to enhance classroom technology integration and student-centered learning. By implementing ePortfolios, the plan aims to create a more interactive and reflective blended learning environment for elementary students while still being able to document their learning.

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This Information Can Help Others

  • Educators can gain insights into effective strategies for implementing ePortfolios within a blended learning framework, improving student engagement and ownership of learning.

  • The article can serve as a resource for schools looking to adopt blended learning practices, providing practical examples and case studies.

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Lessons Learned or Hoped to Learn

  • Lessons Learned: Understanding the positive impacts of ePortfolios on student motivation and engagement in blended learning contexts.

  • Hoped to Learn: Gathering feedback from educators about the challenges and successes of using ePortfolios in their blended classrooms, fostering a community of shared learning experiences.

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Digital Resources to Include

  • ePortfolio Platforms: Descriptions of user-friendly platforms (e.g., Seesaw, Google Sites) that are suitable for elementary students.

  • Tutorials and Guides: Links to resources that offer step-by-step instructions for creating and maintaining ePortfolios.

  • Sample ePortfolios: Examples of elementary student ePortfolios that demonstrate how students can showcase their learning in both online and in-person formats, highlighting diverse skills and projects.

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Guidelines for submitting to Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education:

A typical paper for this journal should be between 4,000 and 6,000 words, inclusive of:

  • Abstract

  • Font: Use Times New Roman font in size 12 with double-line spacing.

  • Margins should be at least 2.5cm (1 inch).

  • Title: Use bold for your article title, with an initial capital letter for any proper nouns.

  • Indicate the abstract paragraph with a heading or by reducing the font size.

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Structure: Your paper should be compiled in the following order: title page; abstract; keywords; main text introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion; acknowledgments; declaration of interest statement; references; appendices (as appropriate); table(s) with caption(s) (on individual pages); figures; figure captions (as a list).

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Guidelines for submitting to edutopia:

  • Sentences outlining the target audience for the article

  • Sentences that detail the concept of the proposed article

  • A comprehensive outline or description consisting of approximately 850 – 1,000 words

  • An 80-word detailed biography highlighting your role in education

  • 3-5 links to academic publications you’ve authored (if applicable)

  • Links to multimedia or additional resources utilized

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Guidelines for submitting to the Elementary School Journal:

  • Use the Editorial Manager site: Submit your manuscript through the journal's Editorial Manager site. 

  • Include an abstract: The abstract should be no more than 150 words. 

  • Include a cover page: The cover page should only include the title, and no authors' names or institutional affiliations. 

  • Submit a blinded version: The manuscript should be completely blinded. 

  • Meet the page limit: The manuscript should be no more than 45 pages long, including the text, reference list, appendices, tables, and figures. 

  • Prepare tables according to University of Chicago Press guidelines: Follow the journal's guidelines for building and formatting tables. 

  • Prepare artwork according to University of Chicago Press guidelines: Follow the journal's guidelines for preparing artwork, including bar graphs, line art, photographs, halftones, and color art. 

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Transitioning to digital portfolios for our school's Leadership notebooks represents a transformative step in enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes. By leveraging the capabilities of ePortfolios, we not only streamline documentation but also empower students to take ownership of their educational journeys. The ability to track progress, set personalized goals, and showcase achievements across various subjects fosters a more holistic and meaningful learning experience. As we embrace this shift towards digital solutions, we align with contemporary educational practices that prioritize student agency and motivation. The adoption of ePortfolios will not only enrich our Leadership notebooks but also cultivate a culture of continuous growth and self-reflection among our students, ultimately preparing them for success in an increasingly digital world.

References:

Edutopia. (n.d.). Edutopia: Home. https://www.edutopia.org/.

Harapnuik, D. (2018, July). COV A. https://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=6991.

Journal of digital learning in teacher education. (n.d). https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/ujdl20/current.

The elementary school journal (n.d.). https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/toc/esj/current

University of Waterloo. (n.d).  ePortfolios Explained: Theory and Practice. Centre for Teaching Excellence. eportfolios-explained-theory-and-practice.

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