English 111 Lectures and More

As you read in your Achievement Requirements and as we talked about throughout the semester, ENG 111 is a portfolio class.

This means that all the writing you’ve done this semester is collected into one document that will serve as your portfolio. It will showcase your writing over the course of the semester to demonstrate how you have improved as writer and critical thinker.

Before reading this lecture, you should have watched the GSW Portfolio Video that fully explains the portfolio process. After watching it you can see that our ONLINE portfolio submission is going to be much different.

Under the Portfolio Button on the sidebar of our Blackboard site, you will find some important portfolio documents under the link “Important Portfolio Documents.”

Portfolio Assessment: First Evaluator is the form the portfolio reader will fill out responding to your portfolio and the grade he/she sees it deserves. As your instructor, I am the one responsible for informing you that fulfill the criteria for going to portfolio and what your grade in the class is thus far. Think of the portfolio reader as quality control. If you’ve passed 2 or more essays, fulfilled the other criteria for passing this class, and have gotten word from me that you are going to portfolio and are ready for ENG 112, then you should not worry about the portfolio process. 9.5 times out of 10 the portfolio reader agrees with the instructor’s assessment. What you need to know, though, is that I will fill out the heading on this form. You don’t need to worry about it.

Portfolio Assessment: Instructor is the form that I will use to make my comment on your portfolio. Think of it as my argument for why your portfolio should pass and how you are ready for the challenge of ENG 112. Again, I’m responsible for filling out this form; you don’t need to worry about it.

Copy Permission for Student Portfolio is the form I must collect in order to be able to use your essays as samples in my future classes. Also, the department may choose to use your portfolio or essays to help train future instructors. You are NOT required by any means to fill out this permission slip. However, it would be very beneificial to myself and my department if you chose to do so. If you have already given me permission to use your essay in class or if I have asked you for a copy of your essay, you will need to fill out this slip.

Student’s Narrative Self Reflection Form is the one form you MUST fill out. The narrative is the last piece of writing you will do in ENG 111, and it’s a important piece of writing. It tells the portfolio reader what you learned and allows you round out your entire portfolio with some final thoughts about your essays and your writing process. The Narrative is due Wednesday of Week 16 by 11:59 p.m. Remember, without a Narrative, I cannot submit your portfolio. And if I don’t submit your portfolio, that means you will NOT pass the class and you must take it again.

There is a Sample Narrative for you to read and follow its layout. Usually Narratives are one page, single-spaced documents that answer the questions proved on the Narrative Self Reflection Form in short answer or essay form. The choice is up to you as a writer. It’s important that you complete this assignment; that’s what matters. I’m not commenting on these; I’m just collecting them for your portfolios. Therefore, you MUST be sure to proofread, edit, and revise your Narratives on your own–good practice for future writing, right?

By the Friday of the last day of the last week of the semester, I will upload your portfolios into the Digital Drop Box. The portfolio reader will access them from there.

Throughout this semester I have created and maintained an electronic folder for each of you. In that folder are all five essays including the rubric with the grade, the Student Process Analysis, the assignment sheet, the final draft, the rough with my comments, and the Values Exploration Sheet. I will add the necessary forms to each student’s folder, so that everything is in place for portfolio.

Once I get the portfolio reader’s comments I will let you know via email and Facebook, and I will email you your portfolio and make your portfolio available the Digital Dropbox.

Also, at that time I will post necessary information regarding grade appeals, but that information can also be found in your Achievement Requirements that you read at the beginning of the semester.

Please don’t hesitate to ask me any questions! I’m here to help you complete this last part of the semester.

It’s been a joy to have you all in our ONLINE class!

Best wishes for a great portfolio and finals week!