Jon opened with a nostalgic reflection on the history of portfolios, from Lewis and Clark’s pocket diaries to the Trapper Keeper craze of the 1980s. While the tools have changed, the goal remains the same: capturing growth, reflection, and learning.

Book Creator takes this concept to the next level by offering students and teachers tools to create dynamic portfolios that integrate multimedia, interactivity, and accessibility.

Organization made simple

Janet showcased how Book Creator’s dynamic Table of Contents streamlines organization. With over 800 pre-made page templates, teachers can align designs with content standards while giving students the freedom to customize.

Catherine highlighted how simple it is to link pages within books, ensuring students can easily navigate their portfolios, even as they grow and evolve.

The power of multimedia

Book Creator encourages students to include videos, images, and audio recordings to showcase their learning. From documenting a science experiment to recording a reading fluency exercise, the possibilities are endless.

Janet shared a touching example of how students can use templates to create journals and interact with content in ways that go beyond static pages—integrating videos, reflections, and creativity at every turn.

Making portfolios interactive

Jon highlighted one of Book Creator’s standout features: interactivity. From drag-and-drop activities to clickable links and embedded videos, interactive portfolios engage students in ways that traditional tools cannot.

He shared a personal story about how his own daughter, struggling with reading fluency, used Book Creator to document and reflect on her progress. The colorful and engaging design sparked her enthusiasm, transforming learning into an exciting journey.

Feedback and accessibility

The team emphasized the importance of feedback, demonstrating how teachers can leave comments using text, audio, video, or even GIFs. Janet reminded us how this feature saves time, especially for teachers managing large classes, while ensuring every student receives meaningful input.

Catherine also introduced the translation tool, which supports over 138 languages. This feature ensures that multilingual learners and their families can fully engage with the content, making learning inclusive for all.

Connecting learning to families

One of the most powerful aspects of Book Creator portfolios is how they connect classrooms to families. Catherine shared a heartwarming example of a summer LEGO camp where students created science journals documenting their projects. Parents were thrilled to receive live updates and links to their children’s work, and many reported that their kids wanted to continue working on their journals at home.