Personal Learning Environments

An electronic portfolio, also known as an e-portfolio or digital portfolio, is a collection of electronic evidence assembled and managed by a user. Such electronic evidence may include inputted text, electronic files such as Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF 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 at Personal Learning Environment captures and displays a learning record, it also might be understood to be 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 (cf. Moon, n.d.).

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Posted in Wikipedia

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Very simply put, a portfolio is a collection of evidence that is gathered together to show a person’s learning journey over time and to demonstrate their abilities. Portfolios can be specifi to a particular discipline, or very broadly encompass a person’s lifelong learning. Many different kinds of evidence can be used in a portfolio: samples of writing, both finished and unfinished; photographs; videos; research projects; observations and evaluations of supervisors, mentors and peers; and reflective thinking about all of these.

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Posted in A Review Of The Literature On Portfolios And Electronic Portfolios

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We do we need e-portfolios?

In the context of a knowledge society, where being information literate is critical, the ePortfolio can provide an opportunity to support one’s ability to collect, organise, interpret and reflect on his/her learning and practice. It is also a tool for continuing professional development, encouraging individuals to take responsibility for and demonstrate the results of their own learning. Furthermore, a portfolio can serve as a tool for knowledge management, and is used as such by some institutions. The ePortfolio provides a link between individual and organisational learning.

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Posted in Eifel

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The following outlines the benefits for eportfolio user groups:

Student

• increased learning effectiveness
• model professionalism
• gain academic credit for learning beyond the classroom
• reflections on artifacts as well as how they match goals and standards
• help students make connections among their formal and informal learning experiences
• prompt learners to articulate their learning goals from different perspectives
• allow individuals to display learning in ways overlooked or undervalued by other assessment means

Faculty

• leverage student motivation
• align objectives and evaluation strategies
• allow for more fruitful advising
• enable the efficient management of student deliverables in distance courses
• enhance relationships among eportfolio creators and mentors

Institutions

• respond to calls for greater accountability and outcomes-based accreditation
• transportability of credits
• increase transparency for evaluation and benchmarking

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Posted in ePortfolio Portal

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What can e-portfolio do for you?

Students:

Instructors:

Institutions:

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Posted in ePortfolio Platform

A list of open source ePortfolio systems:

• Klahowya (U.S.) (last updated 2005)
• OSPI (UMN-rSmart, U.S.) (partnership with U.S. universities, part of SAKAI): the Open Source Portfolio Initiative
• Mahara (New Zealand) (under development, version 0.9 alpha1 just released)
• Elgg (CurveRider, Ltd., U.K.) (received development capital in August 2007)
• MyStuff (Open University, U.K.) (to be fully functional February 2008)
• Moofolio (SPDC, New Hampshire) (new version about to be released, to be fully implemented fall 2008)
• Open source content management systems that have been adapted to use as ePortfolio systems: Plone, Drupal, Typo3.
• PBWiki – A more developed wiki with the capability of exporting specific pages to PDF, Word or an online presentation. Read my detailed reflections on this 33rd reconstruction of my portfolio in my Online Portfolio Adventure. The screen is a little cluttered with all of the commands at the bottom, but the formatting is more flexible. With a limit of 10MB to store files, this version might be more limiting for schools or individuals who do not have other online storage space, whereas WikiSpaces allows 2GB.
• Carbonmade – an online portfolio for the creative arts community, not really appropriate for education because of the limited number of projects (5 in the free version) and limited space for description/captions/reflection.

I just posted an updated version of My Online Portfolio Adventure, including Categories of ePortfolio tools and services. Links to the services can be found on that web page. I have not included the many services that are emerging in Europe, because I don’t have enough experience with them to classify them. Input from other ePortfolio developers is welcome.

Categorizing e-portofolio systems:

* Interactivity allows dialogue and feedback in the portfolio, either through comments or collaborative editing
** Data management system allows collection of evaluation data about portfolios, and can produce reports aggregating quantitative data.

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Posted in E-Portfolios for Learning

There are three types of eportfolios: developmental, assessment, and showcase.

• Developmental ePortfolios. Demonstrate the advancement and development of student skills over a period of time. Developmental portfolios are considered works-in-progress and include both self-assessment and reflection/feedback elements. The primary purpose is to provide communication between students and faculty.
• Assessment ePortfolios. Demonstrate student competence and skill for well-defined areas. These may be end-of-course or program assessments primarily for evaluating student performance. The primary purpose is to evaluate student competency as defined by program standards and outcomes.
• Showcase or presentation ePortfolios. Demonstrate exemplary work and student skills. This type of eportfolio is created at the end of a program to highlight the quality of student work. Students typically show this portfolio to potential employers to gain employment at the end of a degree program.
• Hybrids. Most eportfolios are hybrids of the three types of eportfolios listed above. Rarely will you find an eportfolio that is strictly used for assessment, development, or showcase purposes. Occasionally, you may come across showcase eportfolios that do not show evidence of self-reflection, rubrics for assessment, or feedback; however, as Helen Barrett, an expert in the field of eportfolios, would say, “A portfolio without standards, goals and/or reflection is just a fancy résumé, not an electronic portfolio” (Barrett, 1999, p.56).

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Posted in ePortfolios Portal