Curating a Writing Portfolio

Learning Session Overview
In this learning session, we’ll cover the rhetorics, practices, and habits of mind that make for effective curation and presentation of writing portfolios. Writing portfolios provide crucial opportunities for you to capture and reflect on processes of learning, writing, and personal growth. Moreover, understanding how to curate portfolios will prepare you for presenting your identity and your work in personal or professional portfolios.
Preparation and Instructions

This learning session is designed to take about 50 minutes. It includes 3 short videos and 5 informal writing activities. Your activity writing in this learning session is private and ungraded—you won't need to submit it on Canvas. Instead, you will choose your own writing space. You can handwrite your responses in a personal notebook, type them into a notes application or word processor, or use whatever mode makes sense to you as a writer in this class. Keep your writing space easily accessible, as you'll use it throughout the session and be asked to revisit some of your responses multiple times across activities.
After you have viewed the videos and completed the writing activities, you will participate in this discussion thread as your final deliverable, submitting entries in accordance with your instructor's course policies and requirements for discussions, including number and type of posts or replies.  
Learning Outcomes

Upon completing this session, you should be able to do the following:
Practice the four processes of curating a writing portfolio
Choose artifacts that support your portfolio’s rhetorical purpose
Initiate good habits for managing artifacts, folders, and drives
Contents

Warmup (5 minutes)
Part One: How to Curate a Writing Portfolio (10 minutes)
Part Two: Portfolios for Self-Discovery vs. Self-Presentation (10 minutes)
Part Three: Keeping Track of Portfolio Artifacts (10 minutes)
Cool-Down (5 minutes)
Discussion
Curating a Writing Portfolio
Warm-Up (5 minutes)
Warmup activities like stretching and low-rate cardio are critical for preparing your body for exercise; similarly, reflection and writing prepare your mind for learning, priming your cognitive resources and activating prior knowledge and experience.

Activity #1: Warmup Writing
To start, spend about 5 minutes writing a response to the following prompt:
Have you ever looked back on something you’ve written a long time ago? How did you feel when reading it? Were you proud of how you’ve grown as a writer since then? Or were you embarrassed by the quality of writing? Why do you think you felt the way you did? 
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Part One: How to Curate a Writing Portfolio (10 Minutes)
This section covers four steps to curating a writing portfolio: collect, select, connect, and reflect.
Video: "How to Curate a Writing Portfolio"

Activity #2: Thinking Ahead

After watching the video, access your writing space. Spend about 5 minutes writing a response to the following prompt: 
Imagine yourself at the end of the semester (or finishing a major writing project). If you were to showcase the processes and products of your work, what kinds of artifacts might your writing portfolio include? How do they connect to each other? What could you hope to learn by looking back on what you've created and how you created it?
Part Two: Writing Portfolios for Self Discovery vs. Self Presentation (10 Minutes)
This section covers two different types of portfolios: those for self discovery and those for self presentation. 
Video: "Writing Portfolios for Self Discovery vs. Self Presentation”
Activity #3: Exploring the Writing Portfolio Genre

After watching the video, access your writing space. Spend some time exploring the following portfolios developed by undergraduate students:
          Communication Portfolio (Devangi Vivrekar, Standford University)
          Science Writing Portfolio (Jennifer Siekiel, McMaster University)
          Undergraduate Accomplishments ePortfolio (Elena Fulton, University of Puget Sound)
As you explore, spend about 10 minutes reflecting on and responding to the prompts below.
For each of the three samples linked above, choose whether you think it is a learning portfolio (created for the purpose of learning and reflection) or a showcase portfolio (created for the purpose of professional development and employment). What makes you think so?
What examples can you find of the curation steps discussed in the first video (collect, select, connect, and reflect).
Consider your experience as a reader. Do you think this portfolio is effective, interesting, or well-organized? What would you have done differently? ​​​​​​​
Part Three: Keeping Track of Portfolio Artifacts (10 Minutes)
This section covers practical tips for keeping track of your portfolio artifacts using good file management habits at the file, folder, and drive level.
Video: “Keeping Track of Portfolio Artifacts"

Virginia Tech Odyssey Link:
Youtube Link
https://youtu.be/Fn4q3M-_cyc
Download Link
https://odyssey.lib.vt.edu/files/original/037d00094e25427d08b65adce144aa051ead986b.mp4
Activity #4: Taking Stock of Your File Management Habits
After watching the video, access your writing space. Look at your own file management habits on your computer or drive. How are your artifacts named? How are your folders organized? Do you have copies in different geographical locations? How many steps (and how much time) would it take you to retrieve your most recent assignment later in the semester? Spend about 5 minutes responding to the prompt below.
Describe what steps you can take to improve your management at each of the three levels: artifacts, folders, and drives.​​​​​​​
Cool-Down (5 minutes)
Cooling down after exercise is equally as important as warming up beforehand; similarly, taking a moment to reflect in writing at the end of classes and study sessions helps solidify your learning, shifting key information into long-term memory and improving your outcomes.

Activity #5: Takeaways

After completing the entire learning session up to this point (activities #1–3), spend about 5 minutes writing a response the following prompt in your writing space:
Reflect on your learning in this session. What are your biggest takeaways from the material? After learning about portfolio curation and file management, what is the next step you’ll take regarding your own portfolio?
Discussion
For the final deliverable of this learning session, participate in this discussion thread. This post will be seen by your instructor and others in your course as a final reflection on what you have learned about curating a writing portfolio from these videos and activities. Remember to consider your instructor's course policies for discussion participation when completing this activity, including expectations regarding the number and type of posts or replies. 
Discussion post prompt:

Reflect on the rhetorical knowledge and writing strategies you've previously used to write individual texts (essays, stories, public posts, etc.). How can you apply this prior learning to the processes of creating a writing portfolio?
To post your reply, choose the "Reply" button. Once you post, you will be able to read and respond others' posts in the class.