ETEC 590 - ePortfolio Proposal 

MET Learning Journey: An Adventure Story 

Meghan McMillen  

University of British Columbia 

 
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Introduction 

Stories have long been a central theme in my teaching practice, personal 

life and a main focus through my MET journey as well. I love that stories have the 

ability to draw us in, connect us with other worlds, and transform our 

perspectives. In doing so, students are able to enhance their reflective skills, 

further develop literacy, and acquire 21st century skills (Thompson Long & Hall, 

2018). My favourite part of being a teacher-librarian is sharing books and stories 

with students and helping them to find joy in the pages of a good book. During 

the MET program, I have used stories and digital storytelling as anchors for 

several assignments. This has helped me engage more deeply with course 

content and hone my own reflective skills. My ePortfolio will be a story of learning 

that I own, create, and tell in my own voice (Barrett & Carney, 2005).   

Stories are powerful teaching tools that bring us together across subject, 

culture, and location. As such, the presentation of my ePortfolio will weave 

together story elements among the website pages. It is my goal to show how our 

events and experiences in our lives add to our personal library of “books”.   

Purpose 

The purpose of my ePortfolio is to document my learning journey through 

the Masters of Educational Technology (MET) program at the University of British 

Columbia (UBC). My ePortfolio will serve as a place to showcase my skill set, my 

continued professional growth and future goals. It is a deeply reflective 

summation of my learning over the last two years. According to Moon (2001) the 

ePortfolio will provide evidence of my learning, understanding and synthesis of 

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the theory, research, and pedagogical change through a series of thoughtfully 

selected artifacts.   

Audience 

The audience for my ePortfolio includes members from the following 

groups: 

● Instructors from the MET program, 

● Administrative body of the Teacher Qualification Service (TQS), 

● Other educators, 

● Potential future employers, 

● Family and friends. 

Objectives 

I created three goals for the MET program and they align with my 

objectives for the ePortfolio.   

● Goal 1: ​To be leader in the school using the Learning Commons (LC) as a 

space for students and educators to take risks in their learning and 

exploration. I will support my school in the LC with the seamless 

integration of technology, active learning, first peoples of learning and 

connectedness to our community​. 

● Goal 2:​ To participate in a community of practice with other educators to 

align my teaching practices with sound pedagogy and educational 

practices, through an evidence-based approach. 

● Goal 3: ​To further develop my understanding in ways to encourage 

students’ creation of content as learning opportunities for students with 

diverse learning needs. I will do this by creating design challenges. T​his will 
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enable me to support students and other staff members to develop their 

technology proficiency, critical thinking and problem solving skills. 

My main objectives and importance of the ePortfolio include:  

● To integrate theory, learning, and artifacts into a portfolio that is easy to 

navigate while demonstrating clear connections between theory and 

practice.  

● To critically evaluate and review my past work, discussions, and artifacts 

from the courses in the MET program. 

● To examine and reflect deeply on how my teaching philosophy and 

pedagogy have evolved over the last two years. 

● To propose areas for future professional development, growth and 

potential additional research opportunities. 

Theme/Metaphor 

To create structure in my ePortfolio, I decided my metaphor for learning is, 

learning is an adventure, embedded in a story. My love for books is woven 

throughout all areas of my life and I think most life events are captured through 

the retelling and sharing of stories. Enrolling in and taking courses in the MET 

program was definitely a challenging story in my life, and I was excited for the 

adventure it would bring. One of my favourite read alouds with students is 

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library​ by Chris Grabenstein. In the book the 

characters embark on a treasure hunt in a newly built library to win a grand 

prize. The book resonates with me because the setting is a 21st century library or 

learning commons and it has many of the elements I would love to see in my own 

library.   
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This book helped me to find context and connect a metaphor with the MET 

program. Each course I enrolled in provided me with clues along my adventure 

which helped to lead me to the ultimate treasure (culmination of learning and 

completion of program). I faced challenges, obstacles, and twists along the way, 

​ r. Lemoncello’s Library​. Some challenges I met alone 

much like the characters in M

(individual assignments) and others required a team effort (group assignments). 

I will organize my portfolio with story elements from the book (Call to Adventure, 

Finding Clues, Challenges, Treasure). I also plan on having a section for future 

expeditions because even though my journey with the MET program is coming to 

a close, it does not mean that my adventures in learning are over.  

 
Resources:   

● Weebly, Google Suite, Canva, Camtasia, Adobe Spark, Padlet, Mentimeter, 

Book Creator 

Theoretical Frameworks:  

● Constructivism, Constructionism, Multiliteracies, Online learning 

Artifacts 

My artifacts will all connect to my theme as clues in my MET adventure. I 

have organized the courses as elements of the story rather than in a linear 

fashion. I think learning is interconnected and does not always happen in a 

straight line. This mirrors a treasure hunt in which there are missteps, obstacles, 

and changes of direction. In finding the treasure, you draw on all the previous 

clues and steps along the way, even those that took you slightly off course. 

The artifacts are carefully chosen to represent the variety of tools, topics, 

and subject areas covered throughout the MET program. Over the course of my 
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adventure I learned to create websites, multimedia presentations, infographics, 

videos, and online lessons. The artifacts act as clues throughout my learning 

adventure. 

Course   Potential Artifacts  Goals  Sub-metaphor 

ETEC 500 -  ● Research proposal -  #1,#2, #3  Call to 

Research  importance of digital  adventure 
Methodologies  media literacy at the 
in Education   elementary level  

ETEC 510 -  ● Website : technologies  #1,#2, #3  Call to 

Design of  for teachers  adventure 
Technology  ○ Assist teachers 
Supported  with digital 
Learning  literacy tools 
Environments  ○ https://techforallt
eachers.weebly.co
m/  

ETEC 511 -  ● Group case study - fake  #1,#2, #3  Challenges 

Foundations of  news - audience Gr. 8-12 
Educational  ○ https://metfakene
Technology  ws.weebly.com/  
● Scholarly Essay review: 
Technology integration 
for place-based learning 
in light of FPPL 

ETEC 512 -  ● Virtual Conference:  #1,#2, #3  Call to 

E-learning  Online Learning  Adventure 
Theories  ● Lesson plan critique: 
Write a photograph  
○ Gr. 3 LA - story 
elements - 
incorporation of 
learning theories 

ETEC 524 -  ● Unit of Learning:  #1,#2, #3  Finding Clues 

Learning  Ecosystems - Grade 3 
Technologies:S Science 
election, 
Design, & 
Application  

ETEC 530 -  ● Research Cafe: Inquiry  #1,#2, #3  Finding Clues 

Constructivist  Based Learning 
e-Learning  ● Lesson plan: Animal 
Adaptations - Gr. 1 
Science - recreate for 
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constructivist learning 

ETEC 531 -  ● Media curriculum guide  #1,#2, #3  Challenges 

Cultural and  - Harry Potter 
Media Studies  ● Digital Storytelling - 
Curriculum  video  

ETEC 532 -  ● Digital storytelling  #1,#2, #3  Finding Clues 

Technology in  project - book creator 
the Arts & 
Humanities 
Classroom 

ETEC 565A -  ● Choose your own  #1,#2, #3  Challenges 

Understanding  Adventure: LA and 
Learning  course design paper 
Analytics  and book creator 

ETEC 590 -  ● Portfolio Proposal  #1,#2, #3  Treasure 

Graduating  ● Introduction video to the 
Project -  portfolio 
ePortfolio   
 

Platform, Media & Tools 

Over the course of the MET program I have been able to interact with and 

use a variety of technological tools. It was difficult for me to decide which tool I 

would like to use for my portfolio and I finally settled on Weebly as my platform of 

choice. I also considered Google Sites, but I like the greater flexibility Weebly 

offered. Another choice was WordPress, but I stuck with Weebly as I found it 

easiest to interact with. I like that Weebly is fairly user friendly and makes it easy 

to add a variety of elements to each page on the site.   

Timeline 

Week 5​ - ​Peer review of proposals, feedback to peers, make adjustments to my 

own proposal from peer reviews. Begin planning and organizing my own portfolio. 

Week 6 ​- ​Start construction -of ePortfolio - begin with a synopsis of each course 

and weave metaphor throughout. 

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Week 7​ - ​Construction of ePortfolio, add artifacts, link learning, work on 

reflections. 

Week 8​ - ​Construction of ePortfolio - bring content together, add design 

elements, consider cohesiveness of overall project. 

Week 9 ​- ​Review and receive feedback from peers on development of ePortfolios - 

reflect on feedback, make adjustments.  

Week 10 -​ ​Make adjustments, check connection of metaphor with big ideas from 

MET program, connection with pedagogy, philosophy and practice. 

Week 11 -​ ​Seek more feedback, check interactive elements, are all hyperlinks 

working? 

Week 12 - ​Create and post introduction video to home page of portfolio - 

continue to review and tweek portfolio elements.   

Week 13 ​-​ Be happy with ePortfolio - submit final version. 

Expected Outcomes & Significance 

I expect to develop a comprehensive, professional and reflective portfolio 

which represents my growth, development and transformation through the MET 

program. As Moon (2001) surmises, transformative learning presents 

opportunities for the learner to restructure existing ideas along with the ability to 

evaluate their own process of learning (p.5). The portfolio serves as a capstone 

project for my MET journey and meets the requirements set out by the TQS for a 

category 6 designation. I expect my ePortfolio to be and remain a significant 

foundation for my continued learning and professional growth. I see this 

portfolio as an opportunity to show my skills and abilities with a variety of 

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educational technologies and helping me to be a technology leader within my 

school.  

Assessment Rubric 

 
  Emerging   Developing   Proficient   Extending 

  Portfolio does  Portfolio  Portfolio  Demonstrates 

Theoretical  not  demonstrates  demonstrates a  excellent 
Frameworks  demonstrate  limited  clear  understanding 
an  understanding  understanding  of the 
understanding  of educational  of the  connectections 
of the  technology,  connections  between 
connections  theory and  between  educational 
between  research.  educational  technology, 
educational    technology,  theory and 
technology,  Connections to  theory and  research. 
theory, and  own practice  research.   
research.  potentially    Multiple, 
  evident but not  Some  diverse 
No evidence of  clear.  connections to  connections 
connections to  educational  and examples 
practice.  practice made.   to educational 
practice. 

  No clearly  Purpose and  Overall  Purpose and 

Purpose &  identified  theme not  purpose and  metaphor unify 
Metaphor  purpose and  clearly woven  metaphor serve  project and 
metaphor for  throughout the  to unify the  engages the 
learning  portfolio.  project.  audience in the 
identified   project content 
and delivery. 

  Artifacts are  Limited  Good variety of  Excellent 

Selection of  missing  number of  artifacts (8-10)  variety of 
Artifacts  artifacts  that  artifacts (10-15) 
present.   demonstrate  that 
  knowledge,  demonstrate 
Artifacts  understanding  knowledge, 
present lack  and skills  understanding 
variety and  acquisition.  and skills 
demonstration  acquisition. 
of skills 
acquisition.  

  Reflective  Limited  Reflections are  Reflective 

Reflective  commentary  reflective  thoughtful and  commentary 
Commentary  missing.  commentary  linked to  throughout 
present. No  artifacts, and  project are 
direct links to  clearly  deeply 
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artifacts made.  demonstrate  thoughtful, and 

understanding   directly linked 
to artifacts. 
Reflections, 
demonstrate 
understanding, 
and provide 
evidence and / 
or suggestions 
for further 
growth and 
development 

  Little or no  Design of  Design of  Design of 

Design &  evidence of  portfolio shows  portfolio has a  portfolio shows 
Navigation   thought in  some  good mix of  consistent 
design and  continuity in  text and media  theme 
layout, lacking  layout.  on each page.  throughout.  
images and       
multimedia  Some images,  Consistent  High level of 
content  media and  theme present  care, all the 
  hypertexts are  throughout  links work, easy 
used but do  project.   to navigate, 
not add to the  very creative 
content.   and 
aesthetically 
pleasing 

  Many spelling,  Some spelling  Minimal  Free of spelling 

Mechanics &  punctuation,  and  spelling and  and 
Citations  and grammar  punctuation  punctuation  punctuation 
errors.  errors.  errors.  errors. 
       
Research is not  Some  Most resources  All resources 
cited following  resources are  are cited  are cited 
APA  cited correctly  correctly using  correctly using 
referencing  using APA  APA  APA 
guidelines.​  referencing  referencing  referencing 
guidelines.  guidelines.  guidelines. 

Technical Skills  Effective use of  Some  Clear effective  Effective and 
selected  demonstrated  use of selected  successful use 
platform not  use of selected  platform is  of selected 
clearly  platform is  demonstrated.  platform 
demonstrated.  evident.    clearly 
    Very few errors,  demonstrated.  
Many errors,  Some errors,  broken links.   
broken links  broken links,  Several  No errors, 
and lack of  and sparse  categories of  evident use of 
multimedia  multimedia  multimedia  external links, 
content    content.  used  and varied 
multimedia 
content 
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