Information Technology

Google Sites ePortfolios

Overview

Google released the New Sites interface in November 2016. This new interface is more intuitive, modern, with new themes and better interoperability with other Google products. Although the New Sites is still missing a comment feature, in June of 2018, the option to convert the Old Sites to the New Sites format became available. For more information, go to the Convert your site to new Sites Google Help page.

Contents

A primer on Google accounts usage

Google accounts allow you to log in to more than one Google account in the same browser. This handy feature is great may save you time when accessing content linked to more than one account, but it can also cause issues.

One of the most common issues is that you lose access to certain Google tools because the permission was given to another account. To avoid losing access or end up creating/editing content in the wrong account when working on your ePortfolio, we recommend the following steps:

Sample ePortfolio

This sample ePortfolio submitted by a former student has the main elements of a BIS 499 Capstone ePortfolio using New Google Sites. You can view some possibilities, but let your imagination be the limit!

Video Tutorial

Getting started

New Google Sites offers a sleek interface with drag and drop options and more responsive design. To start your new ePortfolio, make sure you are using a personal Gmail account so the site you create leaves with you when you graduate. UW Bothell ePortfolios are built using New Google Site or a web platform of your choice.

This page provides instructions and links to tutorials to the New Google Sites interface to build an ePortfolio.

Steps to get started:

  • Navigate to the New Google Sites homepage in Google Chrome or Firefox and log in using your personal Gmail.
    If you are already logged in to Gmail, you can access Google Sites from the Google Apps icon next to your Google account icon on the top right of the page.

Create an artifact folder in Google Drive

These instructions are for general ePortfolio creation using New Google Sites.
Check with your instructor or program for specific requirements.

To get started, watch this Google Drive Video Tutorial. Once you are ready to proceed, follow these instructions to create your artifacts folder.

  1. Create folder in Google Drive, name [Course] [LastName] Artifacts, depending on your course (e.g., “CSS499 Smith Artifacts”).
  2. Share the [Course] [LastName] Artifacts, folder by giving viewing access by selecting “On – Anyone with the link can view”.
    Creating and sharing the folder as outlined makes anything you put in the folder viewable by your instructor or peers when you add the artifacts to the ePortfolio. It also keeps them organized in one place.

You MUST put all your artifacts in your Artifacts folder
BEFORE embedding any them into the ePortfolio,
ENSURING that your instructor can ACCESS the artifacts.

More Google Drive tutorials:

Create, name, and share your ePortfolio

Enter “[School or Program] ePortfolio [LastName] , [FirstName] [Major Code]” (e.g., “IAS Portfolio Doe, Jane MCS”) in the Site Document name field at the top of the page and press the Enter key. All changes save in real time, similarly to Google Docs. See Name your ePortfolio for more information.

You can always add a new page with subpages for the capstone eportfolio or other topics.

More tutorials to continue setting up your ePortfolio:

ABOUT ARTIFACTS: Before you add any of your artifacts to the site, make sure you have created the Artifacts folder and put your artifacts there. See the ePortfolio requirements section.

Update and Personalize your ePortfolio

As part of your program requirements, each page and sub-page should have the following:

  • Main text area with copied/pasted text content (use Text Box from the Insert menu)
  • Embedded artifacts from your artifacts folder in Google Drive (use From Drive from the Insert menu)
  • Once My Drive opens, make sure you are in list view. You can tell because instead of folder tiles you’ll be able to see the last modified date of each item.
  • Optional: You can also insert Divider lines to better organize your content on a page. Usual elements on a page: Text box, headings (formatted form the options in the text box), divider lines, buttons, collapsible elements, embedded artifacts.

For more tutorials, see the following links from the G Suite Learning Center:

Share and publish your ePortfolio

Share your ePortfolio

You must publish and share your final eportfolio with your instructor(s) as an editor in order to allow them to provide direct feedback via comments. Also, change the general access from “Private” to “On – Anyone with the link can view”.

And remember, every time you make any changes to your ePortfolio, re-publish it so new content is available.

(tutorials from the G Suite Learning Center)