Introduction
Introduction
I am Kathryn Louise Levenson, a graduate student, completing my requirements for the Masters in Library and Information Sciences at San Jose State University, San Jose, California. This electronic portfolio of my work and accompanying essays are my culminating project. The e-portfolio was a good way to review my major research papers and other projects from my two years of course work.
I will explain how my website is organized and my process constructing it, writing the competency essays and choosing the artifacts. A short discussion on classes and my internships follow. I will conclude with a brief introduction to my library experience and my teaching experience. I conclude the section with my long term goals.
E-Portfolio
I chose to display my e-portfolio on a website using the D2L (Desire to Learn) platform provided for the e-portfolio. When one opens the presentation, they will see the Introduction page. Down the left side of the page is a list of links for the Statement of Philosophy, the Competencies from A through N, the Conclusion and the Affirmation that this is my work and compiled by me.
When one clicks on a Competency, they will see the Explication at the top of the page. This is followed by an Artifacts section where I provide links to my artifacts or evidence. For each artifact, I describe it and provide an argument as to how it proves my competency. A Conclusion and list of References appears in the next sections. The artifacts or evidence appear at the bottom of the page. By clicking on the box of a piece of evidence, you will open the artifact or evidence and may view it. For longer pieces, I specify which section pertains to the competency.
As I progressed through my classes I tried to keep all my work and to obtain permission to show group projects. About a year ago, I set up an e-portfolio folder on my computer with a file for each of the Competencies from A to N. As I got ideas for the competencies or for evidence, I popped it into the appropriate folder. I joined the e-portfolio Facebook group last spring and have been picking up tips from them and from a friend who finished her portfolio in May 2012.
I put together an Excel spreadsheet on which I listed each competency and noted the evidence I planned to use for each. This was to ensure that I had enough evidence for each competency and did not use one piece too many times. I started to upload artifacts to D2L in spring semester and to put together my evidence in Collections folders.
When fall semester began, I discovered that some of the competencies had been reworded. I went back and changed the wording in all my electronic folders. My general process was to reflect on each competency, outline it, place possible piece of evidence into the Presentation and then begin writing. I have the paper folders from all my classes under my desk. My computer burned up last year so some of my evidence was photographed on my son’s I-phone and emailed to me.
Coursework
I chose my classes based on the coursework necessary for the California Credential as a Teacher Librarian. My electives were Basic Cataloguing and
Storytelling. I could not image completing a MLIS without at least a basic knowledge of cataloging. As a Teacher Librarian, one is most often the only librarian on site so I would need those cataloging skills. A fellow student suggested I take the Storytelling class with her. It was more fun than I could have imagined. We each put together three cycles of three stories, wrote some of our own material, videotaped it, and presented it to our classmates. I have already used my skills for a storytelling night at the local elementary school.
Internships
I was an intern at two schools for 135 hours total in my second to last semester. I enjoyed interning at Berkeley High School, a large, diverse urban
school with about 3000 students, and at Ocean View Elementary, a medium sized elementary school with a large ESL population thanks to the University of California, Berkeley’s University Village adjacent. I would like to thank my mentor teachers Ellie Goldstein-Erickson, Alexandra Provence and Jeff Vogt for all their advice and support.
The SLIS program at SJSU was unique for me in that I learned in a virtual atmosphere. My teachers lived in Washington, Texas, and back East. Students on my project teams lived as far away as Germany. I learned with students from Bermuda and Japan. My trip to San Jose for Convocation will be my first visit to the SJSU campus.
Experience
I have volunteered in at least six libraries in northern California, including preparing an elementary and a middle school library for reopening in
the Oakland Unified School District, two schools in Berkeley Unified School District, Ocean View Elementary in Albany, Walter Hayes Elementary in Palo Alto (when I was in elementary school), Berkeley Public Library and El Cerrito Public Library. I worked in a paid position at the Psychology Library at Harvard University making room on the shelves for several more years of periodicals.
Education
I completed my B.A. magna cum laude in Anthropology as a Regents’ Scholar at University of California, Santa Barbara. I spent my third year studying Archaeology at University of Birmingham in the British Midlands. I completed my Masters in Archaeology in a year at Harvard University. I continued there for another five years while I taught Anthropology sections as Teaching Fellow, was a Resident Tutor, and taught Lifesaving and swimming at their Aquatic Center. I moved to Sheffield, England, for a year as a Visiting Scholar at the University of Sheffield. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to study medieval manuscripts at the British Museum Library.
Goals
I think of myself as a life-long learner and a generalist. I have been a science teacher and health educator, an archaeologist, a tour operator and
leader, ran my own tour company, co-founded a non-profit to promote sustainable ecotourism, and now work for the federal government. In my spare time, I ski, teach kayaking for CAL Adventures, and volunteer my time in Emergency Communications and Search and Rescue for the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office. I love to travel. My favorite explorations thus far have been to Antarctica, Pakistan, Bhutan, and Viet Nam.
My long-term goal is to direct a high school library in northern California. I look forward to collaboration with teachers who match my enthusiasm for learning and students with active minds and ambitions to succeed in this world.
I am Kathryn Louise Levenson, a graduate student, completing my requirements for the Masters in Library and Information Sciences at San Jose State University, San Jose, California. This electronic portfolio of my work and accompanying essays are my culminating project. The e-portfolio was a good way to review my major research papers and other projects from my two years of course work.
I will explain how my website is organized and my process constructing it, writing the competency essays and choosing the artifacts. A short discussion on classes and my internships follow. I will conclude with a brief introduction to my library experience and my teaching experience. I conclude the section with my long term goals.
E-Portfolio
I chose to display my e-portfolio on a website using the D2L (Desire to Learn) platform provided for the e-portfolio. When one opens the presentation, they will see the Introduction page. Down the left side of the page is a list of links for the Statement of Philosophy, the Competencies from A through N, the Conclusion and the Affirmation that this is my work and compiled by me.
When one clicks on a Competency, they will see the Explication at the top of the page. This is followed by an Artifacts section where I provide links to my artifacts or evidence. For each artifact, I describe it and provide an argument as to how it proves my competency. A Conclusion and list of References appears in the next sections. The artifacts or evidence appear at the bottom of the page. By clicking on the box of a piece of evidence, you will open the artifact or evidence and may view it. For longer pieces, I specify which section pertains to the competency.
As I progressed through my classes I tried to keep all my work and to obtain permission to show group projects. About a year ago, I set up an e-portfolio folder on my computer with a file for each of the Competencies from A to N. As I got ideas for the competencies or for evidence, I popped it into the appropriate folder. I joined the e-portfolio Facebook group last spring and have been picking up tips from them and from a friend who finished her portfolio in May 2012.
I put together an Excel spreadsheet on which I listed each competency and noted the evidence I planned to use for each. This was to ensure that I had enough evidence for each competency and did not use one piece too many times. I started to upload artifacts to D2L in spring semester and to put together my evidence in Collections folders.
When fall semester began, I discovered that some of the competencies had been reworded. I went back and changed the wording in all my electronic folders. My general process was to reflect on each competency, outline it, place possible piece of evidence into the Presentation and then begin writing. I have the paper folders from all my classes under my desk. My computer burned up last year so some of my evidence was photographed on my son’s I-phone and emailed to me.
Coursework
I chose my classes based on the coursework necessary for the California Credential as a Teacher Librarian. My electives were Basic Cataloguing and
Storytelling. I could not image completing a MLIS without at least a basic knowledge of cataloging. As a Teacher Librarian, one is most often the only librarian on site so I would need those cataloging skills. A fellow student suggested I take the Storytelling class with her. It was more fun than I could have imagined. We each put together three cycles of three stories, wrote some of our own material, videotaped it, and presented it to our classmates. I have already used my skills for a storytelling night at the local elementary school.
Internships
I was an intern at two schools for 135 hours total in my second to last semester. I enjoyed interning at Berkeley High School, a large, diverse urban
school with about 3000 students, and at Ocean View Elementary, a medium sized elementary school with a large ESL population thanks to the University of California, Berkeley’s University Village adjacent. I would like to thank my mentor teachers Ellie Goldstein-Erickson, Alexandra Provence and Jeff Vogt for all their advice and support.
The SLIS program at SJSU was unique for me in that I learned in a virtual atmosphere. My teachers lived in Washington, Texas, and back East. Students on my project teams lived as far away as Germany. I learned with students from Bermuda and Japan. My trip to San Jose for Convocation will be my first visit to the SJSU campus.
Experience
I have volunteered in at least six libraries in northern California, including preparing an elementary and a middle school library for reopening in
the Oakland Unified School District, two schools in Berkeley Unified School District, Ocean View Elementary in Albany, Walter Hayes Elementary in Palo Alto (when I was in elementary school), Berkeley Public Library and El Cerrito Public Library. I worked in a paid position at the Psychology Library at Harvard University making room on the shelves for several more years of periodicals.
Education
I completed my B.A. magna cum laude in Anthropology as a Regents’ Scholar at University of California, Santa Barbara. I spent my third year studying Archaeology at University of Birmingham in the British Midlands. I completed my Masters in Archaeology in a year at Harvard University. I continued there for another five years while I taught Anthropology sections as Teaching Fellow, was a Resident Tutor, and taught Lifesaving and swimming at their Aquatic Center. I moved to Sheffield, England, for a year as a Visiting Scholar at the University of Sheffield. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to study medieval manuscripts at the British Museum Library.
Goals
I think of myself as a life-long learner and a generalist. I have been a science teacher and health educator, an archaeologist, a tour operator and
leader, ran my own tour company, co-founded a non-profit to promote sustainable ecotourism, and now work for the federal government. In my spare time, I ski, teach kayaking for CAL Adventures, and volunteer my time in Emergency Communications and Search and Rescue for the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office. I love to travel. My favorite explorations thus far have been to Antarctica, Pakistan, Bhutan, and Viet Nam.
My long-term goal is to direct a high school library in northern California. I look forward to collaboration with teachers who match my enthusiasm for learning and students with active minds and ambitions to succeed in this world.
