Google Sites: Student Portfolio

Following up on a previous tip about Google Sites, one effective use of Google Sites is to have students create an online portfolio throughout a semester.  An online portfolio can be an effective way for students to curate their work and allow them to retain agency over it as it is not tied to the course Canvas site. Students create the work, share the site with the instructor, and are free to reference the site and/or add to it long after the course is finished, as well as grant access to other people whenever they choose. 

For example, during my Practicum course in my M.A. program, the instructor had each student compile a portfolio with a Google Site that included: 

• Cover Letter 
• Teaching Philosophy 
• Selected Journal Entries 
• Observation Reports 
• Time Log 
• Revised Lesson Plans 
• Materials from Recorded Lessons 
• Reflective Statement 

As the semester progressed, students added materials (typically PDFs in my case) as they were completed. Being able to access everything from a single home page made everything very easy to organize and reference throughout the semester. After all of the components were in place, each student granted our instructor access to the site so they could provide assessment and feedback. 

If an instructor has a specific structure or format in mind, they can experiment with the various layout settings found on the right side of the home page, possibly make some adjustments, and then share the site with the students. Students can duplicate the site template the instructor has created, and contribute their own materials. 

To duplicate the site click  on the three dots in the upper right and select “Duplicate site”. Now they have their own copy which they can populate with their own materials. They then allow the instructor access by sharing the link to the new site. 

As mentioned earlier, a great feature of Google Sites is that I continue to have access to the site. The materials are not stored only in the instructor’s Canvas archives.