Web Portfolios, Knowledge Workers, and Andragogy
Evaluating professional credentials requires evidence, which can be effectively presented in a Web portfolio. Professionals and educators are being required to provide such evidence for hiring, promotion, tenure, compliance, and in the case of students, a portfolio may be required for graduation. Creating a Web portfolio is a technical task that needs to be learned. It is not intuitive, especially when professional software or coding is required such as Adobe Dreamweaver or Flash. Getting people to create Web portfolios and Websites requires two aspects: tools and motivation. Technology leaders simply do not have the background, resources, or budget to teach Web portfolio and Website development. Free, robust, Web-based tools such as PortfolioVillage.com can help. Further, a basic knowledge of andragogy can assist technology leaders in successfully implementing or upgrading existing Website development platforms used by the masses within an organization, K-12 school, college, career center, or library.
Knowles (1980) put forth the idea that teaching adults, a term called andragogy, set out four key assumptions, which included: (1) move learners toward self directedness, (2) adults have high levels of experience that drives learning, (3) people want to learn in the context of real life tasks or problems, and (4) learners see education benefit competence. Two additional assumptions were added in 1998 by Knowles, Holton, and Swanson (St. Clair 2002), which posited that adults need to know the reason for learning and that self-esteem is the most potent motivator.