Portfolio Requirement
College of Education
Department of Leadership
M.S. Leadership and Policy Studies Leadership & Student Personnel Concentrations
The portfolio is to be based on the compilation of objectives in the student's program of studies and the program competencies delineated in the Portfolio Matrix.
In planning the portfolio, students should
a. Meet with program advisor to review portfolio contents
b. Meet with program advisor to review portfolio in progress
c. Submit completed portfolio to advisor: Prior to the committee receiving the link to your portfolio, your committee chair must review and approve the content. Please give your chair adequate time for this review process. Once approved, the portfolio must be submitted to the committee at least two weeks prior to your defense date.
d. Meet with program advisor to select one of the scheduled dates for your defense. The program advisor will put you on the schedule.
e. Portfolio dates will be posted each semester on the HIAD web site. You should be prepared to defend your portfolio around mid-term of the semester you plan to graduate. (fall or spring semesters)
f. Email announcement of portfolio defense to all HIAD faculty members.
g. Defend approved portfolio at meeting of faculty committee. Students outside Memphis may conduct their portfolio defense via UMmeet Web Conferencing.
Examples of items that could be included in the portfolio are:
papers
projects
summaries of activities
annotated bibliography
curriculum/ training materials
workshops planned and/or attended
programs planned
committee work
These items must appear in every portfolio:
1. An up-to-date resume
2. An approved program of studies
3. Table (matrix) that indicates the courses and competencies
4. An artifact (paper, project report, video, photograph) documenting each competency. If possible, use the graded paper (including faculty comments). If you have a revised or updated version, you may include both.
In addition:
- Each item included in your portfolio must be dated
- If the item submitted as evidence is course-related, the course number must be included and the graded version must be submitted
- The time, place, and nature of the activity from which the artifact derives must be clear
- Submit the artifact that is the best evidence. For example, a committee report listing you as a member is better than an internship log page claiming participation
- A written reflection should be prepared to accompany each artifact.
- The student must show in the reflection the relationship that exists between the artifact and the competency.
- In the reflection, you may give examples from up to three courses to demonstrate you have met the competency.
- In the reflection, compare and contrast your experience with theories you studied in your masters classes.
At your portfolio defense, prepare to talk about the following:
1. Look back across the materials in your portfolio and reflect on the process and progress you have made towards becoming a competent educational leader. Take a holistic look at your growth.
- What successes can you describe?
- Where did you miss the mark?
- What did you learn?
- How has your experience resulted in the improvement of your leadership skills?
2. During the final presentation of your portfolio to the faculty, you will be asked to reflect on your professional growth. Focus on what you have accomplished and how you know you have expanded your abilities in these areas. Develop a strategy for your future to continue to hone your leadership skills.
Electronic Portfolio Guide/Tutorial
The portfolio must be submitted in an electronic format. We recommend a program called Weebly. This is a free website builder that can be accessed with your browser at http://www.weebly.com/. Additionally, the links below provide a tutorial to assist in developing your portfolio. Within the tutorial you will find a sample portfolio from a former student who used Weebly.