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ePortfolio Help

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Your ePortfolio is owned by you, the student. Not by your instructor, not by NCC, but by you. This is important because you get to make the final decisions as to what goes in your ePortfolio and how it looks. Some instructors may give you guidelines, or create templates as a starting point for your ePortfolio, but you have the final say as to the organization of and information contained in your ePortfolio.

The platform we are using for ePortfolio at NCC is called Digication. Digication is a great product; it is easy to use, you can create multiple portfolios in it, and you can link work from your portfolio to specific courses you are taking.

GETTING STARTED

First, you need to log in to Digication. Go to the following website, click on the NCC logo and you will be brought to the log in page. Enter your NetID and password (the same ID and password you use to log in to my.commnet.edu):

https://norwalk.digication.com/

The first time you log in, you will have to “Agree” to Terms and Conditions. Digication will also run some checks to make sure you have a compatible browser and Flash software.  If your software is not current you will be sent to a page with links to download the correct versions.

You will then be brought to your Digication home page

Creating a new ePortfolio

  • 1. Log in to Digication.
  • 2. On the right hand side of your home page, you will see a “My ePortfolios” section where all the ePortfolios you create will be displayed. Click the “Create” button.
  • 3. You must name your ePortfolio.  You can name it whatever you choose, but we recommend using your own name in the title.  This will make it easier for people to search for your ePortfolio in the directory.
  • 4. Next, create a web address for your ePortfolio.  This is the URL address you give to people to view your ePortfolio.
  • 5. The Visual styles section allows you to upload an icon to serve as a thumbnail image in the directory.  You can also upload an image to serve as a header in your ePortfolio.  If you do not upload a header image, the default NCC Logo will appear.
  • 6. The Permissions section allows you to control who can view and edit your ePortfolio.  By default, your ePortfolio will be visible in the directory.  If you wish to keep it private, you must alter the permission settings.
  • 7. There are a few templates created that will give you a starting point for your ePortfolio.  You can choose a template from the list, or design your ePortfolio from scratch.
  • 8. Hit Save when you are done; you are now ready to begin designing your ePortfolio.

CREATING SECTIONS AND PAGES

ePortfolios are organized by sections, which appear across the top of your portfolio.  Information within sections are organized by pages, which appear down the left hand side of an ePortfolio section.  If you created your ePortfolio from scratch (without using any template) you are given one section, called “Home.” If you chose a template when you created your ePortfolio, you will have already created all the sections and pages you will need. However, you can still create, rename, or delete other sections and pages as needed.

To add sections, click the Add/Edit Sections tab and click the Add Section button, type the name of your new section into the textbox and click Save.  To add pages to a section, click the section you watn to create the page on, and then click Add/Edit Pages tab, and type the name of your new page and click Save.  To edit a section or page name, click the pencil/notepad icon next to the section name.  To change the order of sections or pages, click and drag a name to its new location.

Your Welcome Page

This page introduces you to your viewers, so you want to make it interesting and representative of who you are in your academic life. You should return to this page and modify it as your academic career evolves.

Remember that you’re writing for an audience, so consider who will be viewing your ePortfolio and what they want or need to know. 1-2 paragraphs should be enough for an introduction and welcome.

Here are some ideas to consider as you create this page:

  • Who are you? Let viewers know your name, what you are studying or your major, and other interesting things that make you unique.
  • Add one or more images. The image might be a personal photograph or other type of image. Sometimes people put in a gallery of photographs to highlight their interests and personality. If you do so, please choose images and media carefully, and explain why you are including them so they say something important about who you are and who you want to be. Cite these images if they come from the internet, and if you use original photography, note that as well!)
  • Consider a favorite quotation. If you include a quote that says something important to you, explain why it is important. Be sure to include who said or wrote it, and where it comes from.

ADDING CONTENT: MODULES

Modules are the building blocks of your ePortfolio. To add a module to a page or section, click on that page or section, and then click Add Module.  Select the module type you want to add.  You can add more than one module to a page.  When you are done, click I’m done.

There are four basic types of modules:

The Rich Text Module allows you to add and format text, add images, and add links to files or web pages. It might be used for example, if you want to upload and create a link to a piece of work from a class and add a few sentences to introduce the work to the viewer.

The Gallery module allows you to add a series of photos.  It might be used to showcase some art or photography work, or just to add some images you want to share.  Keep in mind when uploading images that we like to think of this as your student, or professional portfolio.

The Image/Audio/Video module allows you to upload an image, an audio clip, such as an mp3 file, or a video.  The video can be one you created, or one you find on sites such as YouTube.

The Contact Form module allows other people to contact you regarding your ePortfolio.  The Contact Form allows someone to email you, but keeps your email address hidden from the user.

CREATING HEADER IMAGES

There are a few ways you can create a header image for your ePortfolio. Here we show three:

GLOSSARY

  • ePortfolio –  electronic portfolio, a tool for students and faculty to collect, reflect, select, and present their work
  • Dashboard – the home page in Digication
  • Portfolio Settings – the place to go to set the permissions, visual styles, email address, and URL for an ePortfolio
  • Permissions – determine who can view and edit an ePortfolio
  • Directory – the public area for viewing student and faculty ePortfolios. The directory is found at https://norwalk.digication.com/portfolio/directory.digi
  • Header – the image that appears across the top of an ePortfolio
  • Directory Icon – the image that appears in the directory for an ePortfolio
  • Section – the primary organizational unit for an ePortfolio. Sections appear across the “top” of the ePortfolio
  • Page – the secondary organizational unit for an ePortfolio. A section can have multiple pages within it. Pages appear down the “side” of an ePortfolio section
  • Module – a unit added to an ePortfolio page or section in order to add information to it. There are four main module types; image, gallery, rich text, and contact form
  • Image Module – allows the user to add a single image, video, or audio file to a page
  • Gallery Module – allows the user to add multiple images, videos, or audio files to a page
  • Rich Text Module– allows the user to add text, images, and links to files and URLs on a page
  • Contact Form Module – allows someone who is viewing an ePortfolio to email a comment to the owner of the ePortfolio. The viewer does not see or have access to the ePortfolio owner’s email address.