The Journey of Building My ePortfolio for Surgical Technology Educators

Embarking on the journey of creating an ePortfolio has been a fascinating blend of challenges and rewards. I started this journey three years ago when I first began the EDL program. Life took me on a detour, but I returned this past fall to finish what I had started. Using Wix as my platform, my long-term goal is to craft a site tailored for surgical technology educators, utilizing my limited experience in designing a small business website has helped me to navigate the process more smoothly.

This post reflects on the steps I took, the lessons I’ve learned, and the joys and frustrations that accompanied building this professional space.

Building an ePortfolio, as explained by Tech Easy with Dr. Nantana, serves multiple purposes. It allows professionals to showcase their skills, reflect on their growth, and provide a curated space for collaboration and engagement (Tech Easy with Dr. Nantana, n.d.). Similarly, Carol S. Dweck’s insights in Mindset: The New Psychology of Success resonate deeply with this process. Developing an ePortfolio is an opportunity to embrace a growth mindset—focusing on learning, improvement, and perseverance rather than aiming for instant perfection (Dweck, 2006). This mindset became a cornerstone of my journey, enabling me to reframe challenges as opportunities for growth and see mistakes as vital learning moments.

In the video What is an ePortfolio and why should you create one?, Dr. Nantana highlights the transformative potential of ePortfolios as tools for personal and professional development. According to Dr. Nantana, an ePortfolio is not merely a collection of artifacts but a dynamic platform that reflects an individual's growth, skills, and achievements over time (Tech Easy with Dr. Nantana, n.d.). She emphasizes that ePortfolios foster reflection, a crucial practice for both educators and students, by encouraging users to think critically about their learning experiences and how they apply their knowledge. “An ePortfolio is your story,” Dr. Nantana asserts, underscoring its role as a personalized narrative that showcases one’s journey and aspirations. This insight resonates with the purpose of my own ePortfolio, which aims to demonstrate my development as a surgical technology educator while also serving as a resource for collaboration and engagement within the community. Additionally, Dr. Nantana points out the accessibility and versatility of ePortfolios, which can incorporate various media forms, such as images, videos, and documents, to create a comprehensive and engaging representation of professional identity. These features make ePortfolios particularly powerful for professionals like educators, as they allow for the integration of diverse teaching materials and reflective practices into a single, cohesive platform.

Steps to Building My ePortfolio

The first step in my journey was identifying the purpose of my ePortfolio. I envisioned it as a professional hub where educators in surgical technology could access resources, learn about my teaching philosophy, and connect with me. With this goal in mind, I sketched out a site structure: an introduction to my work, an eventual repository of teaching tools, and a blog section to share insights and experiences. Breaking the project into smaller, manageable pieces was vital in making progress, and it became clear early on that this iterative approach would be my guide throughout the process.

Choosing Wix as my platform was a deliberate decision. Its user-friendly interface and customizable templates made it ideal for someone with prior experience in web design. However, even with that experience, I found Greg Gottfried’s video tutorial How to Create a Website with Wix invaluable. It guided me through the technical setup and showed me how to make the most of Wix’s features (Gottfried, n.d.). Picking a template was both exciting and overwhelming; the abundance of options made it hard to commit. Eventually, I selected a sleek, professional design that complemented the educational focus of my site and reflected my personality.

Customizing the template was an intensive process. I adjusted fonts, colors, and layouts to align with my professional identity while ensuring accessibility and visual appeal. Carol Dweck’s concept of embracing challenges proved instrumental here. When I encountered design roadblocks or struggled to maintain consistency across pages, I reminded myself that effort and persistence would lead to improvement. Instead of getting stuck on mistakes, I viewed them as learning opportunities, echoing Dweck’s (2006) assertion that a growth mindset fosters resilience.

Testing was a critical step before publishing. I previewed the site on desktops and mobile devices to ensure it was responsive and user-friendly. Seeing the site come together gave me a sense of accomplishment, even as I acknowledged that there was still work to be done.

Professional Development and the Growth Mindset

Building an ePortfolio is not just a technical project; it’s a deeply reflective process. As educators, we are constantly striving to improve our practices, adapt to new technologies, and meet the needs of our students. Tony Bates, in his book Teaching in a Digital Age, explains how digital tools like ePortfolios enable educators to not only document their work but also critically assess their teaching practices (Bates, 2015). This reflection is crucial for growth, as it helps us identify areas of strength and opportunities for development.

Carol Dweck’s Mindset: The New Psychology of Success provided me with a framework to approach this project with confidence. A growth mindset emphasizes the value of effort, resilience, and learning from setbacks. These principles became especially important when I faced technical challenges, like integrating multimedia elements or navigating Wix’s SEO tools. Instead of viewing these obstacles as failures, I reframed them as opportunities to acquire new skills.

One powerful example of this occurred when I was designing my site’s blog section. I wanted it to be visually engaging and user-friendly but achieving this required experimenting with various layouts and features. My initial attempts were far from perfect, but each iteration brought me closer to my goal. Dweck’s TED Talk, The Power of Believing You Can Improve, reinforced the idea that growth stems from sustained effort and curiosity (Dweck, 2014). This mindset not only shaped my approach to ePortfolio creation but also deepened my understanding of how I can inspire my students to adopt similar attitudes toward learning.

Reflections on Teaching and Learning

The lessons I’ve learned from this project extend beyond the technical aspects of building an ePortfolio. They have reshaped how I approach teaching and professional development. In the classroom, fostering a growth mindset among students means creating an environment where mistakes are seen as stepping stones to success. I have adopted the use of “Yet” starting the first day of class. By modeling this mindset in my own work, I hope to encourage my students to embrace challenges, take risks, and view setbacks as opportunities to grow.

Digital tools like ePortfolios are particularly effective in promoting this mindset. By providing a platform for reflection, documentation, and collaboration, ePortfolios enable students to take ownership of their learning and track their progress over time. As an educator, integrating ePortfolios into my teaching practice will allow me to better support my students’ growth while also enhancing my own skills and understanding.

Lessons for Beginners

Throughout this journey, I’ve gathered insights that I hope will benefit others considering creating their own ePortfolio.

First, it’s essential to start simple. Overcomplicating your site with too many features can detract from its effectiveness. A clean, focused design communicates professionalism and ensures visitors can easily navigate your content.

Second, prioritize accessibility. Ensure your site is user-friendly and responsive on all devices. Many visitors, especially students, will likely access the site on their phones, so it’s critical that your ePortfolio looks polished and functions seamlessly on mobile devices.

Third, high-quality visuals can make a significant difference. Using professional images and videos enhances engagement and credibility. These elements not only capture attention but also convey professionalism and care.

Fourth, leverage resources. Tutorials like those from Greg Gottfried:  How to Create a Website with Wix - Tutorial for Beginners: and Tech Easy with Dr. Nantana simplify the process and provide practical guidance. Even as someone with prior experience, I found these resources invaluable for navigating Wix’s features (Gottfried, n.d.; Tech Easy with Dr. Nantana, n.d.).

Finally, embrace a growth mindset. As Dweck (2006) emphasizes, view your ePortfolio as a dynamic project. Focus on continuous learning and improvement rather than aiming for immediate perfection. By approaching the process with curiosity and persistence, you’ll find opportunities to grow and refine your work.

Joys and Frustrations

Creating my ePortfolio has been immensely fulfilling. Seeing my vision come to life was the most rewarding part, especially knowing it supports the surgical technology education community. The process reinforced my belief in the value of hard work and persistence, concepts central to Dweck’s growth mindset.

That said, there were frustrations along the way. Deciding on a cohesive design was challenging due to the vast options Wix provides, and mastering SEO optimization felt daunting at first. Yet, these obstacles became opportunities to learn and grow. The more I leaned into the process, the more confident I became.

Pride and Progress

Looking back, I’m proud of how the ePortfolio reflects my dedication to education and professional growth. It’s more than just a website it’s a testament to my journey as an educator and a tool to inspire and support others.

Building an ePortfolio is a process of creativity, problem-solving, and self-reflection. It’s about embracing challenges, learning from mistakes, and staying open to growth. To anyone considering creating their own, my advice is simple: take it one step at a time, seek out resources, and remember that your ePortfolio is an evolving representation of your identity and goals. Like teaching, it’s not about perfection, it’s about progress.

References

Bates, T. (2015). Teaching in a digital age: Guidelines for designing teaching and learning. BCcampus Open Education. Retrieved from https://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/

Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House.

Dweck, C. S. (2014). The power of believing you can improve [Video]. TED. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/carol_dweck_the_power_of_believing_that_you_can_improve

Gottfried, G. (n.d.). How to create a website with Wix – Tutorial for beginners [YouTube video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TulXGQydVIo

Tech Easy with Dr. Nantana. (n.d.). What is an ePortfolio and why should you create one? [YouTube video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cgRBoE-Ejc&t=12s