1. What is it?
An e-portfolio is a web-based information management system using electronic media. It should consist of well organized information that provides a means to continually evaluate talents, abilities, projects, and goals. This can be either on a business, academic, or personal level. The creator builds and maintains a digital repository of artifacts which can be displayed via the internet.
2. What are the implications for the Landscape Contracting industry?
Some impacts of the e-portfolio on the landscape contracting industry are:
1. Allows businesses to narrow the potential employee field. An e-portfolio is an easily accessible tool that allows the employer to check an individuals qualifications.
2. Simplify searches for job opportunities. Potential employees can access a company's goals and past performance to decide if they are interested in applying.
3. Allows individuals and companies to promote their abilities and experience.
4. Provides an easily accessible communication tool with a high degree of design flexibility.
3. What are the downsides?
To create an effective e-portfolio you must have the necessary skills. This includes possessing plentiful information as well as artistic ability. Periodic maintenance and updates are required to keep the site current and affective. E-portfolios that are not user friendly will reduce the overall effectiveness and will likely deter people from visiting your site. The connection speed and bandwidth requirements may also be a downfall; if your site loads slowly, clients may decide to look elsewhere.
4. What are the technologies involved? - Hardware, Software, and Services
The hardware involved with creating an e-portfolio includes a computer, camera and or a scanner. The camera is used to take photos of field work that was created by a landscape designer. The scanner could be used to scan paper designs into the computer for web publishing. Also, the scanner can be used to scan photos taken by a film camera if a digital camera is not available. Software that can be used to publish include Ace HTML Pro, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe Flash, Microsoft FrontPage, Evrsoft First Page, Open Source Nvu, Microsoft Text Editor, Microsoft Note Pad, and Microsoft Word. If the designer has a basic knowledge of HTML coding any text editing program can be used to build an e-portfolio. The e-portfolio can also be made using page design programs for print. The “e” in e-portfolio does mean electronic, but this does not mean that it can only be viewed electronically. Some of the software that can be used to create an e-portfolio for print are: Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Publisher, Microsoft Word, and QuarkXpress. For Mac users, iWeb is a great and easy to use software that comes loaded onto the computer ready to use. If the owner of an e-portfolio wishes to have a copy available whenever they visit a client, it can be burned to a CD or placed on a flash drive to show to potential clients or employers. Along with the software one can either buy or download there are services available to host and or create web based e-portfolios. There are many free hosting and site builders on the internet that can be used for an e-portfolio. Many of these sites will provide design templates, as well as “What you see is what you get” editors, for easy construction of your e-portfolio. Some of these services are:
Google Page Creator
Google Sites
Epsilen
Efoliomn
Yahoo Geocities
Lycos Tripod
Homestead QuickSites
5. What technologies are you going to use? Why?
One type of technology that can be used to create an e-portfolio is Microsoft PowerPoint. This is a particularly desirable format because PowerPoint is an extremely popular software that most people tend to be familiar with. Other possible software that could be used to create an e-portfolio may be foreign to typical users. Another advantage to creating a website in PowerPoint is that a portfolio can be easily transferred to the webpage or printed in a hardcopy format.
Adobe software such as Dreamweaver and InDesign are industry leading tools that can be used to create your e-portfolio. Although these products are very in depth and complicated to use at times, basic websites and page layouts can be created using the software. These products are very flexible and can be used to create almost anything that the mind can think up. Dreamweaver allows the user to integrate photos, images, and text to create websites. InDesign is much like Dreamweaver, but used for page layout for print materials. InDesign allows the user to create a desirable page layout with all the information and images, and then take that computer file to print, whether it be your basic desktop printer a wide format printer or to a plate burner to create separations for a full color reproduction.
Google Sites makes creating a website easy. Google Site allows you to host your web site at http://sites.google.com/site/yoursitename. It is a free online application that anyone can use. Google Site allows you to quickly gather all information into one place, such as videos, presentations, attachments and more. Features that come with Google Sites included: managing permissions settings which keep your site as private or widely editable and viewable as you'd like. Customize your site's interface to resemble your group or project's look and feel. Google Sites consisted centralize shared information which allows you to embed rich content into any page. For more information on Google Sites please visit http://www.google.com/sites/help/intl/en/overview.html. If you already have an account with Google Pages you can still access it but it is not possible to start a new one.
6. What are the resources for learning it?
Resources for learning PowerPoint are common and easily obtainable. The most effective and comprehensive are tutorials designed especially for PowerPoint. These tutorials can be accessed online or through PowerPoint software. However, after the design changes Microsoft made on Office products, you cannot access to the Help menu as you did before. Now you simply have to press F1 button on your keyboard which would bring up the Help tool. They offer simple and specific directions to operate every feature of the program. Step by step instructions leave little room for operational error, while allowing the user to become accustomed to every feature. After studying any number of these available resources, a typical user could easily gain the information to create a webpage or portfolio in PowerPoint with confidence.
Mac users who want to use iWeb to create an ePortfolio can obtain online tutorials at the following websites: http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/iweb_stone.html and http://www.apple.com/ilife/tutorials/. They are both free to the public and can be very helpful in making your iWeb ePortfolio.
There are a number of online tutorials available that will provide step by step instructions for learning Yahoo Geocities. Searching the internet on yahoo.com is the easiest way to find these tutorials. One such online set of instructions can be found at http://us.geocities.yahoo.com/v/p/t/a.html.
Other types of software that can be used to create an e-portfolio are Adobe Dreamweaver and InDesign. Resources to learn the programs are available online at www.adobe.com. Within that website there are online tours of the programs, which show all the new features of the products, and the most basic ways to use the products all the way up to the most advanced features. If you need help with a design problem this is the place to look for your answer. On the Adobe website there are opportunities to attend two different types of seminars: eSeminar and Podcast seminars, both of which are free. However, you need to have a Micromedia or Adobe ID to sign in and see the seminars. In addition to the online seminars there are also live training sessions to attend on any of the Adobe Creative Suite 3 programs. For all your needs and questions you can find answers on the Adobe products website. Also you can go on the Adobe forums (- http://www.adobe.com/support/forums/) and look up your questions there. Many people use the forums to post their problems and get help. The help feature within the program is a very useful tool to access when you are looking for assistance. The feature has all kinds of helps from “What’s New” to all the very in depth features such as Spry Framework and Cold Fusion. Also, in the help feature there are training and discussion forums where you can access helps, and talk with other people using the programs. There is a user manual available for all the Adobe products that can be purchased at a local bookstore or ordered online and shipped to your home. These manuals support both the Windows and Mac platforms. There are also various websites with tips and tricks accessible through the internet such as http://websitetips.com/development/dreamweaver for Dreamweaver, and http://www.adobeevangelists.com/indesign/06_indesign.html for InDesign. These websites, although not affiliated with Adobe, are good tools to use when learning the features of the software. Also if you have money and would spare it on products to help yourself, you can purchase online training programs through the Adobe online store. These programs help you to learn how to use the products with your own speed.
The main resource for learning Google Page Creator: Searching the internet on Google.com is the main resource for learning how to use it. Google.com has a few pages of general and frequently asked questions that can help you navigate out of trouble. Another place to look is the Google help center located at google.com listed under help.
In the fall of 2007, the Hort 120 class used Google Page Creator to create an ePortfolio. Since then, Google Page Creator is no longer accepting new sign ups, but has instead focused on a new site called Google Sites. For users who want to use the new Google Sites to create an online portfolio, one resource that is available can be found at the following link: http://www.google.com/sites/help/intl/en/overview.html . When you go on Google Pages, it can redirect you to Google Sites. And if you need any help using it, just click on the Help link on the upper right corner of the screen. You can also go to Google.com to find additional tutorials if you need further help.
7. How does it work?
-iWeb