“This semester, the university’s College of Education is implementing a method for education students to keep their required portfolios online, Tk20. So what’s so great about this new online portfolio? So far, not much. Those attending the College of Education will be excited to know that this mandatory portfolio is going to cost them.”
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This semester, the university’s College of Education is implementing a method for education students to keep their required portfolios online, Tk20. So what’s so great about this new online portfolio? So far, not much.

Those attending the College of Education will be excited to know that this mandatory portfolio is going to cost them. Most undergraduate students will be shelling out $100 for this service.

The exceptions are undergraduate students who begin student teaching this spring, who will be happy to know that they only have to pay $50 for their subscription to Tk20. Sounds great, right?

Wrong. Judging by the e-mail that went out to students on Sept. 7, there really isn’t anything that outstanding about Tk20. Aside from students having to pay money for the subscription, the entire concept of having to keep a portfolio online is ridiculous.

It seems like the College of Education is trying to keep students organized with Tk20, but everything about it seems unnecessary.

At this stage in their academic careers, students should be able to keep track of themselves.

Especially as an education major, considering how the classes required for that field of study are all about management and keeping things organized.

Giving them the benefit of the doubt, students should easily be able to keep track of their work, and maintain their own copies of their assignments to create a portfolio to submit to the College of Education.

If they aren’t smart enough to do that for themselves, then they don’t deserve to graduate with a license to teach at all.

Students do not need to be forced to pay for an online portfolio to back up assignments that they could otherwise keep track of themselves.

If the cost isn’t enough of a deterrent to use Tk20, then maybe the two-hour orientation will be. Orientations are being held Friday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., or 2 to 4 p.m. Sounds like a good time, right?

And if students aren’t available during those two time slots on Friday, then there’s always the make-up session on Oct. 20.

There’s nothing better than hanging out on a Friday or Saturday at Zook Hall for an orientation.

Just guessing by the headache some students experience trying to schedule their classes online, this orientation is bound to leave students in a state of confusion if Tk20 is something students only have to use once a semester. For $100, it better not be.

Tk20 could actually turn out to be a good idea though, but right now it’s too hard to judge. However, since there isn’t really much known about it other than its cost and purpose, it could be just another stupid idea that costs students money.

Right now it just appears to be nothing more than a fancy online flashdrive to store portfolio-related work in. Hopefully the orientations will shed some light on the matter and prove that Tk20 actually has a beneficial use.

Otherwise, it’s going to be a needless money-wasting bust.

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