Page 54 - Learning to Learn

READING EXPERIENCE 3: YOUR PAST DOESN’T DEFINE YOUR FUTURE
54 L EARNING TO LEARN: BECOMING A SELF-GROWER
What is a Life Vision Portfolio?
In general, a portfolio is a collection of representative works. Perhaps you have seen artists carrying their
portfolios—large flat cases that contain a collection of their works. Nowadays portfolios are being used
in a variety of different contexts. Also, what is in a person’s portfolio is more than just a collection of his
or her work products. A portfolio is an excellent tool to document growth and highlight the development
of skills.
Higher education is an area where portfolios are being used more and more frequently. Many college
faculty use portfolios as a key resource during the tenure and promotion processes. It is becoming more
common for students to use portfolios when presenting themselves to potential employers. Student
portfolios can include grades and transcripts, past employment, a list of skills, areas of strength and
expertise, and important credentials.
A Life Vision Portfolio (LVP) is a special type of portfolio that combines a life vision with the concept
of a portfolio. In its entirety, an LVP is a comprehensive collection of items that intimately describes a
person and tells his or her life story. As you move through this course, you are completing a kind of Life
Vision Portfolio through completing the My Life Vision worksheets.
Why is it Important to Develop a Life Vision Portfolio?
While anyone can create and benefit from having a Life Vision Portfolio, it is an especially appropriate
tool for students. Because an LVP goes beyond recording or documenting to include reflective thoughts
and narrative, it is an excellent means to gain insights about learning and the development of learning
skills. This is true for both the student who creates the portfolio as well as any person who reads the
portfolio.
A Life Vision Portfolio documents growth over time. For this reason, an LVP should contain many
examples of assessment items, including self-assessments. These assessment items focus on providing
feedback to improve future performance and aid in the development of learning skills. While your grades
are a permanent entry on your college transcript and could be included in a Life Vision Portfolio, they are
an example of an evaluative item.
By developing a Life Vision Portfolio, you are afforded the opportunity to assess yourself continually
and have others assess you. Assessment is a process that represents a positive, win-win situation. You
receive feedback that identifies and promotes your strengths while identifying your areas for improvement
and providing suggestions on how to implement those improvements. This can be especially beneficial
because many students find it difficult to determine or appreciate their progress in areas such as reading,
writing, critical thinking, and problem solving. This text contains many opportunities for you to improve
your skills in these areas and document your growth.
An LVP serves many purposes including:
• encouraging you and your instructors to regularly reflect on your work in a positive and constructive
manner
• encouraging you to take on greater responsibility by actively planning your education and your
life
• encouraging you to produce quality work and communicate with a high level of proficiency
• allowing you to see growth in a wide range of learning skills and contexts through the use of
assessment and self-assessment