First of all I have to say that searching for a particular ePortfolio is not a fast task. Among the billions results related to the topic you asked for on google.com there aren't only true Portfolios out there. Most of the time I will end up on a random newspaper article or a pdf page rather than a web page.Anyways I have selected a couple of ePortfolios that were maybe worth looking at it:
This web page has been designed by Dr. Alan Cann. The ePortfolio is designed to give the latest news about microbiology topics. The ePortfolio is easy to navigate through and really pleasant to look at: each posting has a illustration or picture, there are some videos, link to related content web pages. The page has a side menu where you can access directly to a particular topic of microbiology such as bioterrorism, emerging disease...According to Cann, "MicrobiologyBytes brings you the latest news about microbiology, in a form that everyone can understand". If it is true that Dr. Cann uses a language that is non formal overall, there is a lot of biological vocabulary that I doubt "everyone can understand". By this I mean that I can go and read the posts ans still know what "proteins", "antibodies", "apoptotic" and "mitochondria" are because I have been studying them. But it is not everybody's case and this ePortfolio does not always explain what those words mean. What would have been great is that on each biology related vocabulary word there was a link that brings you to a glossary page with some kind of definition. If Dr. Cann didn't bother doing that, my guess is that his ePortfolio was dedicated more to an audience of science related interest that has the basic knowledge to understand his posts than a general audience. To be honest even with a full year of general cell biology there was some posts in Dr. Cann's ePortfolio that I had a hard time to understand. (But because it is interesting to me, I will bother to go look for some definitions myself.)
This ePortfolio has been designed as a sort of online library to help doctors, researchers, or teachers to find other ePortfolios or web resources on topics related to dermatology and ophthalmology. The web page design is simple, the purpose is listed on the top right corner, on the main page you can find the latest posts added and on the right side menu you find a list of quick links that directs you to the posts with the links you need: aging, cancer, eye...For me it is not an exciting ePortfolio but I acknowledge that it can be really useful. Finding resources while writing a paper can be time consuming and having a ready-to-click web page with a list of links is just really powerful and saves you a good amount of time.I don't even have suggestions or critics for this ePortfolio since there is almost nothing in it expect links... It is just a formal kind of web page I guess... Boring but oh well it is useful. At least it looks professional.
I typed "cancer + ePortfolio" on the google search page amd I found this guy's ePortfolio that was actually an art ePortfolio. I was really surprised at first and I thought: this searching thing just brings you a lot of useless web page and now even unrelated ones!But on a second look, I realized that one of his painting job was actually dedicated to the theme of cancer. Manusharow had a representation of a blood vessel at a microscopic scale. So it was a good surprise I guess. Manusharow's ePortfolio is designated to show and present his art work. The design of the web page is pretty simple, links to his different projects, a gallery and a short home page. Even simple, it is still interesting to look at just like an art exhibition will be.
4 comments:
That's a really helpful analysis of MicrobiologyBytes, thanks. It's difficult to get the balance right since the site has such a wide readership. Please keep reading and making suggestions, they are much appreciated!
25 points. I agree it's frustrating to find "real" eportfolios by just googling. A lot of the best ones seem to have privacy/access controls these days.
Did you notice you received a thoughtful comment on this post from someone "outside" our class??? It seems to be what's called a "trackback" from the author of one of the sites you visited. Welcome to the wide world of blogging...maybe you'll want to continue the conversation with this person? Your choice!
Sorry if I scared you ;-)
Based on your helpful comments, I have modified the MicrobiologyBytes strapline - thanks.
In fact, I don't regard MicrobiologyBytes as an ePortfolio. This is an ePortfolio: http://joannahughes.wordpress.com/
If happy to dicsuss ePortfolios with you or any of you classmates if you want.
I was google'n my name and i came across this site ...Greetings all, I'm Manusharow The Cancer Artist/ Speaker / Designer that you commented about. That E=portfolio is really old,as in 3 years old. I dedicated that painting to the death of my dad. sucks! But hey, i have a new site up , Please check it out..
www.Manusharow.com
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