An electronic portfolio (also known as a digital portfolio, online portfolio, e-portfolio, e-folio, or eFolio) is a collection of electronic
evidence
Evidence for a proposition is what supports this proposition. It is usually understood as an indication that the supported proposition is true. What role evidence plays and how it is conceived varies from field to field.
In epistemology, evidenc ...
assembled and managed by a user, usually on
the Web
The World Wide Web (WWW), commonly known as the Web, is an information system enabling documents and other web resources to be accessed over the Internet.
Documents and downloadable media are made available to the network through web se ...
. Such electronic evidence may include input text, electronic files, images,
multimedia
Multimedia is a form of communication that uses a combination of different content forms such as text, audio, images, animations, or video into a single interactive presentation, in contrast to tradition ...
,
blog
A blog (a truncation of "weblog") is a discussion or informational website published on the World Wide Web consisting of discrete, often informal diary-style text entries (posts). Posts are typically displayed in reverse chronological order ...
entries, and
hyperlink
In computing, a hyperlink, or simply a link, is a digital reference to data that the user can follow or be guided by clicking or tapping. A hyperlink points to a whole document or to a specific element within a document. Hypertext is text wit ...
s. E-portfolios are both demonstrations of the user's abilities and platforms for self-expression. If they are online, users can maintain them dynamically over time.
One can regard an e-portfolio as a type of learning record that provides actual evidence of achievement. Learning records are closely related to the
learning plan, an emerging tool which individuals, teams,
communities of interest, and organizations use to manage learning. To the extent that a
personal learning environment
Personalized learning, individualized instruction, personal learning environment and direct instruction all refer to efforts to tailor education to meet the different needs of students.
Overview
The use of the term "personalized learning" dates ba ...
captures and displays a learning record, it may also operate as an electronic portfolio.
E-portfolios, like traditional
portfolios, can facilitate students' reflection on their own learning, leading to more awareness of learning strategies and needs.
Types
There are three main types of e-portfolios, although they may be referred to using different terms:
*developmental (e.g., working)
*assessment
*showcase
A developmental e-portfolio can show the advancement of skill over a period of time
rubric
A rubric is a word or section of text that is traditionally written or printed in red ink for emphasis. The word derives from the la, rubrica, meaning red ochre or red chalk, and originates in Medieval illuminated manuscripts from the 13th cent ...
s. The main purpose is to provide an avenue for communication between student and instructor. An assessment portfolio will demonstrate skill and competence in a particular domain or area. A showcase portfolio highlights stellar work in a specific area, it is typically shown to potential employers to gain employment. When it is used for job application it is sometimes called
career portfolio
Career portfolios help document education, work samples and skills. People use career portfolios to apply for jobs, apply to college or training programs. They are more in-depth than a resume, which is used to summarize the above in one or two pa ...
. Most e-portfolios are a mix of the three main types to create a hybrid portfolio.
Usage
Electronic portfolios have been used in:
*
School
A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compuls ...
s (''see also''
Technology integration
editing technology is the use of technology tools in general content areas in education in order to allow students to apply computer skills, computer and technology skills to learning and problem-solving. Generally speaking, the curriculum drives ...
)
*
Higher education
Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after completi ...
*
Continuing professional development
Professional development is learning to earn or maintain professional credentials such as academic degrees to formal coursework, attending conferences, and informal learning opportunities situated in practice. It has been described as intensive ...
* Job applications/professional advertisements
*
Therapy group
In a support group, members provide each other with various types of help, usually nonprofessional and nonmaterial, for a particular shared, usually burdensome, characteristic. Members with the same issues can come together for sharing coping str ...
s
* Assessment
* Accreditation
*
Recognition of prior learning (RPL)
In education
In education, the electronic portfolio is a collection of a students' work that can advance learning by providing a way for them to organize, archive, and display work. The electronic format allows an instructor to evaluate student portfolios as an alternative to paper-based portfolios because they provide the opportunity to review, communicate, and give feedback in an asynchronous manner. In addition, students are able to reflect on their work, which makes the experience of creating the e-portfolio meaningful. A student e-portfolio may be shared with a prospective employer or used to record the achievement of program or course specific learning outcomes.
The uses of e-portfolios are most common in the courses with departments of education. Most preservice teachers are asked to compile an e-portfolio to demonstrate competencies needed to gain teaching certification or licensure. Student e-portfolios are increasingly being used in other disciplines such as communications, math, business, nursing, engineering and architecture. In education e-portfolios have six major functions:
* Document skills and learning;
* Record and track development within a program;
* Plan educational programs;
* Evaluate and monitor performance;
* Evaluate a course;
* Find a job
In general e-portfolios promote critical thinking and support the development of technology literacy skills. Faculty now use e-portfolios to record course or discipline designs that may be shared with colleagues to promote teaching and learning. A teaching e-portfolio is used to showcase career accomplishments.
Different sorts of files can be added here which the marking and other work is easier for the student as well as tutor.
E-portfolios also help to foster an independent and autonomous way of thinking, according to Strivens. This is in large part because people must focus on their collective work, think about how it will be portrayed, and what the work says about them as an individual. The individual is then in charge of their learning and the choice of where to demonstrate their proficiency. People are also forced to reflect on what they have learned and how they plan to build and improve in the future. This helps people to become better critical thinkers and helps them to develop their writing and multimedia skills. Today, many students are using multimedia such as Facebook, Twitter, and texting—all informal settings. The electronic portfolio, on the other hand, is a more formal setting where students must apply both their knowledge of how the web works and the message they want to convey. In this sense, students' use and comfort with the web at times can be a hindrance if they are not taught to use electronic portfolios in the correct fashion, suggests Lane. Many universities and schools are currently working to make sure that students are gaining practice and experience with electronic portfolios so that they are able to use them to the best of their ability. For example, in places like Michigan students can earn the MCOATT (Michigan Certificate of Outstanding Achievement in Teaching Technology) for submitting an electronic portfolio which demonstrates evidence of technology being used in the classroom. This consortium is an organization aimed to make Michigan one of the leaders in integrating technology into the training of young professionals.
Other uses
Some e-portfolio applications permit varying degrees of audience access, so the same portfolio might be used for multiple purposes. According to Anderson, e-portfolios can then go viral and be passed on to be easily viewed by many on the web.
[Anderson, C. (2010) TED: Ideas Worth Spreading.]
See also
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Further reading
* Haag, S., Cummings, M., McCubbrey, D., Pinsonneault, A., Donovan, R. (2006). Management Information Systems for the Information Age. ''Building an E-portfolio''(XLM-J). Toronto: Mcgraw-Hill. .
* Hebert, Elizabeth A., (2001) The Power of Portfolios - What children can teach us about Learning and Assessment. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. .
* Mendoza-Calderón, Marco A.; Ramirez-Buentello, Joaquin. (2006). Handbook of Research on ePortfolios. ''Facilitating Reflection Through ePortfolio at Tecnológico de Monterrey''. Hershey, USA. Ali Jafari (Ed). pp: 484-493 .
*
References
External links
Comparison of Tools
{{DEFAULTSORT:Electronic Portfolio
Educational materials
Educational software
Educational technology