What are ePortfolios?
An academic ePortfolio is a digital collection created by a student of their course-related work, like essays, posters, photographs, videos, and artwork; academic ePortfolios can also capture other aspects of a student’s life, such as volunteer experiences, employment history, extracurricular activities, and more. In other words, ePortfolios document and make visible student learning. But a good ePortfolio should be more than just a collection of products.
A good ePortfolio is both about being a product (a digital collection of artifacts) and a process (of reflecting on those artifacts and what they represent).
Read through the following resource for an excellent demo of this assessment type:
- Individual Assignments – Participation Portfolio
Why Should I Use ePortfolios?
ePortfolios generate learning because they provide an opportunity and virtual space for students to critically assess their academic work, to reflect on that work, and make connections among different courses, assignments, and other activities, such as work experience, extracurricular pursuits, volunteering opportunities, and more.
How Can I Use ePortfolios?
Some educators see ePortfolios primarily as a tool for generating new or deeper learning while others view them as a tool for assessment (of students and, by extension, of university programs). Barrett (2008) described the difference in perspective this way: “There’s a major tension right now between student-centered and institution-centered ePortfolios.” Institution-centered ePortfolios, she adds, are driven by “assessment of learning.” Student-centered ePortfolios, on the other hand, are driven by “assessment for learning,” which refers to academic assignments that fulfill the traditional role of assessing student learning while at the same time providing an opportunity for students to learn as they complete the assessment.
Where can I find more about using ePortfolios?
- ePortfolios Explained: Theory and Practice | Centre for Teaching Excellence. (2014, December 16). Waterloo University. https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/educational-technologies/all/eportfolios
…See you next week for a new tip!
Attribution Statement: This resource was adapted from ePortfolios Explained: Theory and Practice | Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Waterloo. (2014, December 16). https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/educational-technologies/all/eportfolios
