Preparing Your Portfolio for Distance Learning Programs

Posted by w3Education on September 13th, 2016

If you are enrolled in one of the distance learning programs of an online college or university, you may be required to prepare a portfolio of your work and life experiences. Your portfolio will likely be used to determine the suitability of applying your accumulated experiences as education credits that, in turn, will reduce the time spent in your online studies.

Reasons for the Requirement

Keep in mind that students enrolled in online schools and universities, such as yourself, are typically working adults who hold either part-time or full-time jobs while also fulfilling their responsibilities to their families. You are not exactly looking for the typical coed experience but instead to hone your knowledge and skills in your profession, back up your work experience with theory, and push your career to new heights with a diploma in higher education, among others.

For this reason, your portfolio will be useful in applying your work and life experiences as part of your college credit, as previously mentioned. You can also use your portfolio in showcasing your achievements, such as completed projects and assignments, during the program. You will then have a benchmark for your progress, not to mention that you can use it as part of your career advancement portfolio after graduation.

Yet another reason for portfolio is for the professors to have a practical reference for student evaluation. You may have more practical experience than your professors in certain area and, for this reason, innovative evaluation methods must be used with your portfolio being a valuable tool in this matter.

Contents of the Portfolio

You have leeway in making your portfolio for submission to online colleges and universities. You must, of course, be honest in stating your work and life experiences since your dishonesty can easily backfire upon cross-checking with third parties, especially among prospective employers.  You should also strike a balance between highlighting your achievements and adopting a humble attitude, which can be achieved by letting a disinterested third party give inputs about your statements.

Your portfolio should include these important aspects:

Prior work experience

You may include details about special projects that were completed as part of your job duties. For example, if you’re applying for a graphic arts degree program, you can highlight your portfolio of completed graphic designs, preferably the ones that have been formally recognized by your employers, peers, and clients.

Completed assignments

You may be assigned by the college professors with projects that must be completed before admission. Your assignments may include essays on your reasons for joining the program, recommendations including evaluations from your employers, and mandatory exams, among others.

You are well-advised to make your own portfolio whether it’s required or not for admission into one of the distance learning programs in an online school of your choice. You will find plenty of non-academic uses for it, such as in your resume drafting.

Contact:

W3Education
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