The San Fernando Valley Community of Practice and Expertise (SFV-CPE) has developed two major objectives for the Microsoft Innovative Teachers Grant. First, program faculty will develop curricula to assist pre-service teachers in our Accelerated Collaborative Teacher Preparation Program (ACT) in the development of electronic portfolios. These electronic professional portfolios will demonstrate competence in teaching, particularly in the use of instructional technology, and will ultimately help prepare teachers for National Board Certification. Secondly, university faculty, together with pre-service and in-service secondary school science teachers, will develop and implement computer-based curricula to improve the teaching and learning process in science.
Electronic Portfolios: The preparation of electronic portfolios encourages reflective practice. Teachers will document their teaching practices using appropriate technologies. In so doing, they will become better prepared to apply for certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. California State University Northridge has been instrumental in preparing teachers for National Board Certification, and the use of electronic portfolios will enhance our teacher preparation program in this important area.