Nursing Portfolio Resources and Help

If you want the creation of your portfolio to go smoothly, it is best to follow the directions you will find below, and to review the videos and resources you will find using the menu to the left of this page.

Don't let all the text on this site scare you. If you take it one step at a time, you will be successful.

IMPORTANT: If you haven't already done so, be sure to start saving your artifacts (docs, spreadsheets, videos, slide presentations, etc.) from your classes as you move through each semester. You can go ahead and create your folder as directed below to save your artifacts in rather than wait until you are ready to start your portfolio. Review the "Portfolio Guidelines" on the Resources tab to help you know what artifacts you can use for your portfolio.

What to understand before you start:

• Google Drive is a place where you store files (Google files as well as Microsoft Office files, PDFs, images, etc.). It is where you must store your artifacts to place in your portfolio.

• Google Drive is also where Google Sites are stored (Google Sites is Google's application to create websites and what you use to create your portfolio)

• Once created, you can access your portfolio either from your Google Drive or the Google Sites app, and both apps are in your portal's launch pad.

1. Creating and Sharing a Folder in Google Drive:

1. Make sure you are in your @maine.edu account before you begin
2. Create a folder in your Google Drive labeled in such a way that you recognize it as where your store your portfolio and your artifacts. It can be something like "Nursing portfolio and artifacts" if you like. (quick view) (CC view)
3. After you create your folder, either right-mouse-click (Mac: Ctrl-click) to open the menu, or if you are already in the folder, click on the down arrow to the right of the folder name at the top. 
4. Once you have opened the folder's menu, click on "Share."
5. In the Share window, look to the bottom where you will find the "General access," and under the "Restricted" option, click on the down arrow next to "Restricted" to open the menu. Choose "University of Maine System." This will allow anyone with the link to view your site. (You can change this anytime, but make sure this is set up properly before submitting).
6. Steps 3-5 (quick view) (CC view)

2. Creating and Moving Your Portfolio

1. Be sure to be in your @maine.edu account before you begin
2. Using the template provided and following the instructions in the document provided, make a copy of the portfolio template. (quick view) (CC view) (If you have to ask for permission to make a copy, you need to change your account to the @maine.edu account).
3. The copy you create is stored in your Google Drive. Once it's created, move it to the folder you first made to store your portfolio and artifacts.(quick view) (CC view)
4. At this point, you can open your portfolio either from your Google Drive, Google Sites, or using the "waffle" menu, from other Google applications. (quick view) (CC view)

Right mouse click hint: for IOS users (e.g. Mac) you can use Ctrl-click.

For a complete video on "First Steps" go to the Videos tab.

Organizing

As mentioned above, make sure you have saved your artifacts from your classes as you move through each semester. 

When you are ready to start inserting your artifacts into your portfolio, your artifacts will first need to be uploaded into the Google Drive folder you created in the very first step. 

1. If your artifacts are already in Google Drive but are not in the folder, you can drag them into the folder or use the "Move" function in the drop-down menu of the artifact to move it to the correct folder (similar to how you moved your portfolio). (CC view)
2. If your artifacts are on your computer, you will upload them into Google Drive by
   • being in the folder you created
   • then clicking on "New" button at the top left of your screen, and then choosing file upload.
   • (CC view)
3. See quick view for steps 1-2

Once your artifacts are in your Google Drive folder, they are ready to be inserted into your portfolio.

(Please note: if you previously uploaded artifacts into various locations of your Google Drive and don't want to move them into the folder you created, you can instead change the restricted access to each. You do this in the same way you do for the portfolio) See the Troubleshooting page if you are running into problems.

For a complete video on "Organizing Artifacts" go to the Videos tab in the left-hand menu.

Navigating:

When you first open your portfolio (from your portal, your Google Drive, or any Google app waffle menu - quick view) (CC view), you will see a number of elements to it.

• The home page will simply say "Title" until you change it
• Under "Your Name" you will see instructions. THIS IS IMPORTANT!
  • The reason why, is there are instructions on other pages that you need to read and follow
• At the top of the page, there are icons: left arrow (undo), right arrow (redo), computer/smartphone (preview), link (get link), person+ (share), and gear (settings)
• To the right of those icons is a Kebab (three vertical dots) and then the Publish box
• Under the Publish box are three workspaces: Insert, Pages, and Themes. The first two are the most important
• (quick view) (CC view)

Workspaces

1. Insert
   • This is where you will go to add additional content blocks if you need them
   • You also go here to insert your artifacts into your portfolio, though if you have content blocks already in your template, you can use their functioning to insert artifacts
   • (quick view) (CC view)
2. Pages
   • In the template, the pages/outcomes you need are already created. You will find them here.
   • You will insert artifacts on each page.
   • Your Program Outcomes pages will have additional information and instructions you need to read. THIS IS IMPORTANT!
   • (quick view) (CC view)

For other elements of your portfolio that may be important to know, refer to the "Other Elements of Your Portfolio" on the Tips and Tricks; Dos and Don'ts tab.

For a complete video on "Portfolio Preparation" go to the Videos tab.

Publishing

At any time, you can publish your portfolio, and you can unpublish it without hurting your portfolio or changing the URL of your site. For students in NUR312, please use the instructions further down.

• When you click on the Publish box, a window pops up for you to complete your web address (URL) for your site
  • The first part of the URL will always be https://sites.google.com/maine.edu/ (this is automatically included)
  • The rest of the URL will be what you want it to be. We usually recommend your name, and if you have more than one portfolio, something to identify this portfolio for what it is, e.g., sofia-birden-nursing (https://sites.google.com/maine.edu/sofia-birden-nursing)
  • (quick view) (CC view)
• If you ever add, edit, or delete content, you will need to "Review changes and publish" your site. You find this in the drop-down menu of the "Publish" box.
• If you ever want to unpublish your site, you go to the same drop-down and click on UnPublish. Unpublishing will not affect your URL. It only keeps people from seeing it publicly (even if they have the link).
• (quick view - last two bullets) (CC view)

Finally, when you publish your site, you may be informed that there are artifacts in your portfolio that "people with access to the site...won't have access..." to specified files, then prompts you to choose the people or choose the "Allow anyone with the link to access" options. Choose the "Allow anyone..." option. If you want to change it back later, you can always go back into Google Drive and the artifacts (or folder with them in it) later and do so.

If people you've share the link with are unable to see the updates to your portfolio, checkout the Troubleshooting page for solutions.

Submitting your Portfolio

1. Once you believe you are done, first submit it to one of the following people:
   1. Sofia Birden at sbirden@maine.edu 
   2. Leslie Kelly at lesliek@maine.edu
   3. Whoever you submitted your portfolio to will let you know if it is ready to submit to your instructor or if there is additional technical work that needs to be done. (Please note: we only look for visible artifacts, empty boxes, and other technical or formatting issues, etc. We are not looking at, for example, if the artifacts meet the outcomes. That will be up to your instructor).
2. Once Sofia or Leslie gives you the go-ahead:
   1. You will submit your portfolio to: 
      1. Prelicensure students - Instructor for preceptorship
      2. NUR456 students - Instructor of NUR456 
      3. If you ever have doubt as to who to turn your portfolio into, please talk to your advisor

For a complete video on "Final Steps" go to the Videos tab.

NUR 312 Students

Publishing

From within your portfolio:

• Click the large blue Publish button found in the top right of your portfolio.
• Next, you will see a window pop up to create your URL for your portfolio.
• Enter your firstnamelastname (no capitals, no spaces). Once you do this, the "link" icon to the left of the publish button will be available to click on.
• Click the "link" icon then copy the link.

Submitting

In Brightspace:

• Go to Assessments
• Then Assignments
• Then choose "Framework" and paste your link in the Assignment textbox.
• Submit