Introduction to Template-Based Portfolio Projects

In OSP, a "portfolio" can have a lot of meanings. One of the features of the tool suite is the ability to guide students through the process of selecting content for use in a presentation that has a particular format or layout. The final output of the portfolio tool is typically one or web pages and is produced by combining all of the student-authored content (the selected matrices, wizards, forms and uploaded files) and "transforming" it (via XSL).

One challenge for a team new to OSP that is interested in building a template based portfolio is whether to approach the project by first building the data structures (forms, matrices and wizards) that will store student authored content or by creating the end product first (a completed portfolio) and working their way backwards to gather the necessary information. Both approaches probably have their merit, but this document will approach the project with the end in mind. We will consider it as a web development project first and work our way backwards to the supporting data structures.

While the matrix and wizard tools have functionality that allows for review and evaluation of parts of a completed portfolio, there is no functionality built into the portfolio tool itself. A team considering a template-based portfolio should keep in mind that there is no provision in the software to require a student to "turn in" a portfolio for such an evaluation.