Some further specifications to the instructions on making your portfolio
If you want to reflect things in peace, you can return the portfolio at the end of the fourth period. Some students have come up with great ideas: you can discuss the questions also with other people, some students discuss the questions with their spouses, some organize theme discussions in the coffee pauses of their offices. The results of these discussions are then added to the portfolio. Of course, the subject must also be studied on the basis of the philosophic sources. Discussion has an important role in philosophy. Therefore these ideas are a fine way to make up elements missing in distant learning.
The portfolio should be a formally whole and clean copy. It must contain some kind of a heading page, presentation of the contents, use of headings and a list of sources goes to this formula, your own creative variations are allowed, however. The size of the portfolio shoud be at least 12 net text pages plus other pages. A portfolio does not mean just answers to questions, but it needs to show your own thinking and learning in one way or another.
Instructions for making a portfolio
Making your Philosophy portfolio:
- You need to make an arrangement with me on the portfolio. Please contact me by phone, by email or by an appointment at the school. A phone message is no good for this purpose.
- Of all the twelve themes handled during the course there are 4-5 alternative questions. You will find them in the mimeographed copy (classified paper, not the one that was distributed to everybody for making the course exercise) OR you will find the questions by subjects in the web pages of the course. At all lessons there are some explanations and questions at the end (where I have not had time to write the explanations, there are the questions anyway). You choose one question, with which you study the subject. You should give the answer in your own way, but in a way that includes something that describes your knowledge, independent thinking and your learning. The format of your answer may be creative, but the contents are important.
- Acquaint yourself with the general instructions of the portfolio. You can add pictures, your notes or some other reference to the subject of the portfolio. The form of presentation may be paper or digital.
- Ask me immediately, if there is something you do not understand. Generally, email is the quickest way to reach me.
- In addition to the text book you are invited to use other sources. On course pages you will find a good list of sources and additional material in the web.
- Return the portfolio at the latest in the last test day or other day agreed upon with me.
- If you wish to pass the exam by making your own portfolio, there will be an additional oral test. The oral test is agreed after you have returned your work. You will get your total score after the oral test. You will find additional information on the composition of your score mark in the general instructions of the portfolio.
A student who chose to make a portfolio, justified his choice in his email: ”Making a portfolio seems to be a challenging, but also reasonable task. You come to ponder your view of the world and exercise in addition to the writing of essays, also presenting your own thoughts on paper. Hopefully I succeeded satisfactorily.” This is the way you should put the idea and motivate yourself to learning from your own starting points. It is important to believe that you can actually make it. Read more in
Instructions for making a portfolio.
