Ch 2

Strengthening Identity

Concepts

Processes

Tools

Context

Way of Being

Setting Goals

Life Vision Portfolio—Planning Worksheet

John’s Story

Self-grower

Writing to Learn

Criteria lists—life vision, life vision portfolio, education plan, career plan

Campus community—physical and virtual

Documenter

Learning Skills

Planning a Portfolio

Journal writing forms

Tips for college success

This activity helps students create their Life Vision Portfolios by walking them through the planning and concrete decision-making required to actually begin the work. Creation of the LVP is critical in the context of the FOL course.

1. What software will you use to create, update, and store your LVP? Why did you choose this software?
   Students should feel free to use software that allows them to create and store different documents, or append to the same document. Some students may be comfortable creating an online portfolio.

2. If you are asked to submit your LVP, how will you do so?
   Students must plan how they will make an electronic document accessible to their instructor. You should feel free to impose any submission or formatting requirements you have on students before they begin this activity.

3. Assume that you will have approximately 12 entries in your LVP as a result of the prompts in this book. How do you plan to name those files and keep them in order?
   Again, students are thinking through how they will manage electronic documents and information.

1. Will you use a binder or a portfolio for your LVP? Explain your decision.
   Students are tasked with thinking through the implications of different formats for their LVP. Feel free to impose requirements upon students, if you desire.

2. Where will you keep or store your binder so that it is readily available when you need to add content?
   If students have a plan for using and adding to their LVP, the chances of them actually doing so increase.

3. Assume that you will have approximately 12 entries in your LVP as a result of the prompts in this book. How will you add and organize that content in your binder or portfolio?
   Students are asked to think through how they will manage and organize documents and information.

This activity involves a fun competition to find and gather information from various places around campus. The activity requires students to use both teamwork and information processing skills. Student teams are given search lists and must document the information they collect and the processes used by the team.

Notes on the Critical Thinking Questions

1. What campus resources did your team use to obtain the requested information?
   Students are identifying resources. Any discussion about alternative resources or allowing students to compare resources used could be helpful for students.

2. What two answers were the easiest to obtain and why?
   Students are essentially working with the idea of resource identification. If you are interested in helping students further explore resources available to them, you could lead a brief discussion of alternate resources for finding this same information.

3. What two answers were the most difficult to obtain and why?
   This question could be used to trigger a discussion about identifying alternate resources. Often students give up if the information they need is not found in the first place they look. Helping them to appreciate the availability of alternate resources encourages students to practice persistence, a valuable learning skill.

4. How did your team approach this activity in terms of teamwork and dividing up the tasks?
   It would be appropriate to ask students to assess their performance, if you would like them to do so.

5. How did your team approach this activity from an information gathering perspective?
   It would be appropriate to ask students to assess their performance, if you would like them to do so.