eportfolios

=e-Portfolios =

Author(s): Trevor Haas; Kristian Leisegang

1. Introduction and definition
E-Portfolios are essentially a collection of electronic information used to showcase a specific individual, organisation, institution or an event. This information would represent a collection of work developed over a variety of contexts over time [1]. A major advantage is that multiple forms of digital media can be incorporated into an e-portfolio, such a written text (e.g. word or pdf documents), images, videos, blogs, hyperlinks to outside sources on the internet, and many other forms of multimedia [2]. Being web based, these portfolios may be dynamic, regularly changed and updated, and easily communicated to others. E-portfolios can also allow the owner to provide restricted access to certain sections of the digital portfolio using passwords.

Therefore, the digital format can contain more information which is not possible in a paper based or single electronic file format. E-portfolios may be considered the replacement of the traditional paper based format of providing evidence to showcase competence or achievement in a particular area.

media type="custom" key="17321118"

2. Use of E-portfolios
E-portfolios can be used by almost any individual, organisation or group. They have gained popularity in various arenas in recent years, especially in tertiary and higher educations (such as teachers, academics and students profiles, or the institutions and various departments themselves). Other areas that e-portfolios have become increasingly used include job applications, continued professional development, assessments, therapy groups, presentations, collaborations, accreditation's and recognition of prior learning [3].

E-Portfolios can be used in the academic environment to show the level of a student’s progress, plan educational programs, track development within a program, document skills development or be used for both summative and formative assessments or student evaluations [2].

For both professionals and students, e-portfolios can be used to document knowledge, skills, abilities and learning or continued professional development, or to monitor and evaluate performance by individuals or groups [2]. Furthermore, individuals may keep track of their own work, share information with colleagues, showcase teaching activities, or just used for storing data.

Self reflection, however, is considered a central component to e-portfolio us. If students are not required to self-reflect, they will not gain much in terms of a learning experience from the use of these portfolios. Furthermore, teachers can use e-portfolios to reflect on the teaching environment within the classroom, and their own teaching methods, in order to improve. Teachers can also use reflection on course content and design, and assessment methods. Institutions can use reflection through e-portfolios for departmental or institutional improvements in courses, curricula, community engagements and programs, for example. [2;4]

These videos briefly outline some of the uses of e-Portfolios as they may apply to higher education (with extensions into other professional or organisational uses, and uses for the student).

media type="youtube" key="YZsfvBqBrcY" height="315" width="560"

media type="youtube" key="6B3tujXlbdk" height="315" width="420"

media type="youtube" key="0pwhjWWe740" height="315" width="420"

3. Types of E-portfolios
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The basic uses of e-portfolios have been broadly classified into three broad categories according to George Lorenzo and John Ittelson [2]:


 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">student portfolios
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">teaching portfolios
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">institutional portfolios

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The specific uses of e-portfolios by each of these 3 broad categories is neatly outlined by eportfolio.org.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Student e-portfolios are used to record students learning experiences, collate the work of students, and they can select examples of work to showcase. students can also use the portfolios to reflect on what they have learned. It is especially used in areas such as art related programs, language programs and in educator training programs. In recent years, the use of student e-portfolios has expanded in various fields, such as business, nursing, architecture and engineering. Beyond these basic uses, e-portfolios also teach students to become critical thinkers, and aid in the development of the use of technology in professional life and enhance multimedia communication skills.[2]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Student e-portfolios: **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here are some examples of student e-portfolios:
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Example 1
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Example 2
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Example 3
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Example 4

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Like student e-portfolios, teaching e-portfolios can be used to document skills and career advancement. These can be used to showcase work to students, or to share ideas within the class setting or to the broader community. The use of e-portfolios in teaching tends to exploit the use of various multimedia components to provide an authentic representation of teaching and learning, where the use of text, video, audio and graphics give the reviewers and clear window into the teaching environment. [2]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Teaching e-portfolios: **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Examples of teaching portfolios:
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Example 1

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The types of e-portfolios incorporate portfolios from a wide range of programs and departments. These portfolios would represent a focused selection of work, data and analysis that demonstrates the institutional accountability (and can be used for accreditation processes), and serves as a vehicle for institution wide reflection, learning and improvements. The full array of multimedia technology can be used in order to successfully use an e-portfolio at an institutional level. [2]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Institutional e-portfolios: **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">However, other classifications based on the various uses of e-portfolios have been made, and may include: [4]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Other types of e-portfolios: **


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">developmental portfolios (similar to student portfolios)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">assessment portfolios (similar to teaching portfolios)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">showcase portfolios (similar to student portfolios, with the aim of gaining employment)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">hybrid portfolios (similar to institutional portfolios, as they may incorporate the other types listed above)

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4. Examples of products (open source/free or commercial)

 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Desire2Learn] ePortfolio (software)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Career portfolio]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Digication]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|E-scape]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Elgg], an [|open source] [|social networking] platform primarily designed to be a [|Personal Learning Environment] (PLE) and an Eportfolio tool.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Mahara], an [|open source] ePortfolio system
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|PebblePAD (software)]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Pass-port] is a commercial assessment management system that uses electronic portfolios to present information to evaluators and the public.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|RCampus] ePortfolio System

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5. Examples of applications for Teaching and Learning

 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lecturer related: **
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Keeping track of own work: Can keep track of your own work in a systematic manner
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Showcase teaching / research activities: Can share teaching and research information which can be used for evaluation purposes. This can be updated on a regular basis as required.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Share information with colleagues: Can collaborate easily. Papers can be written and changes can be made be either party.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Place for storing data: Data can easily be stored, such as class notes, photos, video clips, voice clips, etc.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Student related: **
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Can be used to create a portfolio of work and the lecturer can comment on the work during various phases of the assignment.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Good for monitoring students over a long period of time and monitoring their development.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The ability to reflect on one's own action is an important skill for a doctor. Typically, primary health care practitioners are trained for a number of years in theoretical sciences, followed by short spells of practical 'work' training. The ability to translate theory into real-life practice situations is difficult to acquire, and is a problem in training of various health care professions. Very often, theoretical knowledge is surpassed or suppressed and replaced by different knowledge based on practical learning. According to Driessen et al. [5], and important tool in the combination of authentic learning knowledge (theory) and practical instruction is the e-portfolio. In a portfolio, students can look back at their actions systematically and analyse them with the aid of theoretical knowledge, and determine if alternative actions may have been required. This can be an example of reflection, an underlying principle in the use e-Portfolio's.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Clinical science related (discipline specific): **

E-Portfolios may be used in clinical science training for encouraging, tracking and planning reflection. The use of these portfolios can also be for reflection on difficult cases or situations that occur in real-life practice. E-Portfolios can also be used for assessment of skills and knowledge acquired during the duration of the various modules.

An example of a portfolio for the training of doctors is put forward by Driessen et al. [5]. This is based on reflection, and centred around four professional roles of a doctor:


 * 1) role as medical expert (or expert in relevant primary health care field)
 * 2) role as researcher
 * 3) role as a healthcare worker
 * 4) role as a person

This can the be used to promote (and assess) the development of students, both personally and professionally, as relevant to their field. The students performance is thus organised on a role-by-role basis, underpinned by systemic reference to illustrative materials. Furthermore, for each role, proposing global challaging questions can be used to promote the development of the portfolio and the student's own reflection of the topics.

Diessen et al. [5] further highlight factors that contribute to the portfolio effectiveness. These include:


 * supportive academic mentor system to couch the student
 * clear portfolio structures, but allowing students to determine content and form
 * organisation of the portfolio around student reflection
 * early and unambiguous portfolio introduction
 * assessment procedure that does not hamper reflection

As the student progresses through theoretical subjects into more practical based training and 'real-life' situations, the predefined roles can be further refined as knowledge grows and reflection improves. This will aid in the student developing appropriate skills required as a health care professional, and develop ethical and humane attributes essential in dealing with individual patients. The student can continue to reflect on these skills and the use of the theoretical knowledge to aid in the transition from a theory based practitioner to a 'real-life' based practitioner.However, other models for e-portfolios can be developed for specific modules within the clinical and health care fields.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">6. Referances

 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Regis University Electronic Portfolio Project (@http://academic.regis.edu/LAAP/eportfolio/basics_what.htm)
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lorenzo G, Ittelson J. 2005. An overview of e-portfolios. Educause, July 2005 ([])
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[]
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Regis University Electronic Portfolio Project (@http://academic.regis.edu/LAAP/eportfolio/basics_types.htm)
 * 5) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Driessen EW, Van Tartwijk J, Vermunt JD, Ven Der Vleuten CPM. 2003. Use of portfolios in early undergraduate medical training. Medical Teacher 25(1):14-19.