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| Assignment 6 requires that you compile an inventory of significant academic and co-curricular work to
date, including but not restricted to term papers, semester projects, class
presentations, case analyses, student leadership positions and
internship/work experience. You will need to develop some sort of log to
keep track of everything. An Excel spreadsheet or a table in MS Word will do.
You'll want to track a variety of characteristics for each item: the course (or
activity) with which the work is associated, the particular knowledge and/or
skills that are demonstrated, when the work was done, and particular insights
that you gained from the assignment are some of the attributes that come to
mind.
As you work through your inventory of work to date, think about the School of Business knowledge areas and competencies and the PLU ILOs. (Refer back to the Portfolio Handbook as necessary.) How do you measure up? Differentiate between weaknesses (maybe you really aren't very good at oral communication) and lack of evidence (limited opportunities to demonstrate what oral communication skills you have). This is important because the "solutions" to the two problems are potentially different. A genuine weakness requires both the opportunity to practice public speaking and the assistance of people who can help you improve your skills. However, if the problem is insufficient evidence, you may find that, given enough opportunities, oral communication is something you really are comfortable with. Your inventory should be thorough enough so that you have a comprehensive picture of your academic experience to date. However, remember that the portfolio is neither (1) an exhaustive compendium of everything you have ever done since your arrival on campus, nor (2) a compilation of "excellent" work. Ideally, your portfolio should show progress and development. It is unlikely that the first case analysis that you ever wrote was as good as the most recent one. A series of several case analyses might be used to document increased ability in critical thinking. As you review your work, what does your analysis reveal about your capabilities? Is there a fit with the strengths and weaknesses identified in the SWOT analysis? (Note that at each stage of this process there is an element of triangulation. Is the latest evidence or analysis consistent with what I did in the previous assignment?) If the analysis of your work is consistent with the SWOT results, well and good. However, if there are inconsistencies, you may want to rethink the SWOT analysis. Are you really as good at math as you thought? Again, the problem of balancing hope and reality rears it ugly head. Where are you "short" on evidence? Need more written work? Make a note of that, because your action plan (assignment 9) will enable you to identify opportunities for strengthening those areas that need attention, whether simply for more evidence, or because you need to enhance your skills. Some other matters to consider at this point:
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Copyright © 2008 Gerald M. Myers
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