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While much of the research literature focuses on the traditional paper and pencil format of teaching portfolios, the increased integration of electronic technology into teacher preparation curricula has propelled the use of electronic portfolios for a range of evaluative purposes. Electronic portfolios, or e-portfolios as they are commonly labeled, are similar in many respects to paper and pencil format portfolios in terms of content and alignment with a pre-designated purpose, and the artifacts included in the portfolio usually represent a variety of experiences over time. However, characteristics specific to e-portfolios are many and important to address when considering their effective implementation. This article discusses the benefits and challenges specific to implementing electronic portfolios within a teacher education program. Suggestions for navigating key aspects of planning, implementation, and assessment are also included. Electronic Portfolios Teaching portfolios have become commonplace in many teacher preparation programs as a means to measure teacher candidates' readiness to teach. Borrowed from other professions such as art, photography, fashion, advertising, and architecture, portfolios historically have comprised 'best practice' samples of professional work organized into various storage vessels including folders, containers, and attaché cases (Bird, 1990). The teaching portfolio, while building upon such previous uses, expands the boundaries of the best practice focus when incorporated as a tool with which to capture the complexity of learning to teach. While much of the research literature focuses on the more traditional paper and pencil format of teaching portfolios, the increased integration of technology into the teacher preparation curriculum has influenced the rise of the electronic portfolio format (Barrett, 1998). Electronic portfolios, or e-portfolios as they are commonly labeled, are similar in many respects to paper and pencil format portfolios in that the contents are similar (e.g. lesson plans, student work samples, assessment tools), they are aligned with a purpose (e.g. growth and development, standards driven, certification), and the artifacts included in the portfolio represent a variety of experiences over time (e.g. fieldwork, coursework, workshops). However, characteristics specific to e-portfolios are many and are important to address when considering their implementation with pre-service teachers. This article discusses the benefits and challenges specific to implementing electronic portfolios within a teacher education program. Suggestions for navigating key aspects of planning, implementation, and assessment are also included. Research to date documents a variety of outcomes attributed to using portfolios in pre-service teacher preparation programs. Portfolios can promote reflective practice and thereby become reflective in nature (Lyons, 1998), facilitate self-directed inquiry (Grant & Huebner, 1998), document student learning, growth, and development over time (Barton...

In recent years, there has been a movement in the USA towards performance-based evaluation of teachers. As a result, many schools, colleges, and departments of education have moved towards integrating performance-based approaches into their programs. This has involved many promising practices, but none have caught on more than the use of teaching portfolios, and especially electronic or digital teaching portfolios. As a follow-up to an earlier article in E-Learning on portfolio implementation issues, this article will address the logical next step when considering using electronic portfolios with teacher candidates: supporting students during the development of their electronic teaching portfolios. An overview of issues to consider specific to the implementation and support of electronic portfolios is discussed. Methods of supporting the portfolio development process represented in the research literature are addressed and critiqued as to their effectiveness specific to various purposes attributed to teaching portfolios in general. The article concludes with a call to integrate technological needs and conceptual issues into any effective support plan so that the complex and critical attributes of teaching portfolios are realized.

The complexity of urban contexts is often subsumed into generalizations and deficit assumptions of urban communities and its members by those unfamiliar with urban culture. This is especially true for teachers seeking work in urban schools. This article addresses the complex interpretations of urban through the lens of a White male graduate student teacher, Nathan, as he contemplates his experiences in urban school settings. The trajectory of his understanding of the complex nature of urban realities that influence the work of urban teachers and the lives of their students is discussed. The article concludes with implications for urban teacher education programs and teacher educators.