E-Portfolios and Exploring One’s Identity in Teacher Education

The University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) is a small research university situated in the central interior of British Columbia at Prince George. The university facilitates a 2-year teacher education program composed of two cohorts: elementary and secondary. In 2018, the program initiated three changes to the practicum learning experience by including peer-oriented triads, single point rubrics, and the e-Portfolio. In this presentation, we will discuss how the e-Portfolio helps the Teacher Candidate to witness their learning journey, define who they are (and will be) as an educator, and tell their story using technology and social media. “Good teaching cannot be reduced to technique; good teaching comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher” (Palmer, 1999, p. 10). With the implementation of BC’s New Curriculum (2016), inclusion of the First Peoples Principles of Learning (FNESC, 2008) across the curriculum, and living up to the expectations of the Professional Standards for BC Teachers (2019), Teacher Candidates can personalize their learning, engage in ongoing formative assessment, and develop their digital literacy and digital citizenship using e-Portfolios. “Learning requires the exploration of one’s identity” and “learning is embedded in memory, history and story” (FNESC, 2008).