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An electronic portfolio, also known as an e-portfolio or digital portfolio, is a collection of electronic evidence assembled and managed by a user, usually on the Web (also called Webfolio). Such electronic evidence may include inputted text, electronic files, images, multimedia, blog entries, and hyperlinks. E-portfolios are both demonstrations of the user's abilities and platforms for self-expression, and, if they are online, they can be maintained dynamically over time. Some e-portfolio applications permit varying degrees of audience access, so the same portfolio might be used for multiple purposes.

An e-portfolio can be seen as a type of learning record that provides actual evidence of achievement. Learning records are closely related to the Learning Plan, an emerging tool that is being used to manage learning by individuals, teams, communities of interest, and organizations. To the extent that a Personal Learning Environment captures and displays a learning record, it also might be understood to be an electronic portfolio.

Students have been taught to create digital identities using presentation software or tools to create web pages. Such technologies, however, are not easily utilized by children or elderly people who lack web authoring skills or a hosted site. More recently the use of virtual learning environments (VLEs) in schools and universities has led to an increased activity in the creation of e-portfolios for a variety of reasons. Most of these e-portfolios, however, are retained within the VLE and are not easily accessed outside the VLE. This results in problems of exporting data and related interoperability issues. An alternative approach is to use a system externally hosted to any institution. This permits transition through the various stages of education and employments and even into retirement.

E-portfolios, like traditional portfolios, can facilitate students' reflection on their own learning, leading to more awareness of learning strategies and needs.^[1] Results of a comparative research between paper based portfolios and electronic portfolios in the same setting, suggest use of an electronic portfolio leads to better learning outcomes.^[2]

[edit] Types

There are three main types of e-portfolios, although they may be referred to using different terms: developmental (e.g., working), reflective (e.g., learning), and representational (e.g., showcase). A developmental e-portfolio is a record of things that the owner has done over a period of time, and may be directly tied to learner outcomes or rubrics. A reflective e-portfolio includes personal reflection on the content and what it means for the owner's development. A representational e-portfolio shows the owner's achievements in relation to particular work or developmental goals and is, therefore, selective. When it is used for job application it is sometimes called Career portfolio.

The three main types may be mixed to achieve different learning, personal, or work-related outcomes with the e-portfolio owner usually being the person who determines access levels.

[edit] Usage

Today, electronic portfolios are gaining popularity in:

• Schools (see also Technology Integration)
• Higher education
• Continuing professional development
• Job applications/professional advertisements
• Therapy groups
• Assessment
• Accreditation

Some E-portfolios can be used for presentations, a number of different assignments and most popularly, class studies. Others may be used within an education setting for assessment and accreditation, such as an institutuional electronic portfolio.

An Institutional ePortfolio is a multimedia Web site designed to help document and organize a college or university's story, goals, and standards. It can foster a depth and breadth of connections among other institutions as well as within the institution itself, its programs, and its constituents and can provide an efficient means to reinforce shared visions and commitments to its mission.

[edit] See also

• ANGEL ePortfolio
• Elgg, an open source social networking platform primarily designed to be a Personal Learning Environment (PLE) and an Eportfolio tool.
• Mahara, an open source ePortfolio system
• eFolioWorld a multimedia software tool designed to create electronic portfolios for students, educators, and institutional portfolios.

[edit] References

• 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. ISBN 0-07-095569-7.
• Hebert, Elizabeth A., (2001) The Power of Portfolios - What children can teach us about Learning and Assessment. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. ISBN 0-7879-5871-9.
• 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 ISBN 1-59140-890-3.

[edit] External links

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ePortfolio Organizations & International Conference Presentations

• EIfEL
• Europortfolio Consortium
• Danish Consortium for E-portfolio
• ePortConsortium
• Europass European Commission initiative promoting the transparency of qualifications and competences in Europe (see also Europass)
• ePortfolio Initiative Austria
• Institute for Learning IfL The professional body for teachers in further education in England, promoting the use of ePortfolios through its PebblePad powered REfLECT CPD tool.
• eFolioWorld Summit

ePortfolio Research

• A Review Of The Literature On Portfolios And Electronic Portfolios
• ePortfolios for Learning WSU CTLT