Why E-Portfolios?

1. Why E-Portfolios? Inquiry Project Grace Hartman UC Gateway to Honors 10/19/2011

2. History of E-Portfolios E-portfolios have been used as a learning tool since the 1990’s. They were first created to replace paper-based student portfolios, digitalizing evidence of learning experience. Substantially more portable and ecofriendly than paper portfolios, E-portfolios are progressively becoming more and more popular among schools, businesses, and universities.

3. Uses of E-Portfolios • Collect, Store, Update, and Share Information • The main purpose of e-portfolios for college students is education based reflection, however they are also used to document credentials, communicate with their instructors, and provide examples of their work to potential employers. • They are supposed to enhance the learning experience for students by allowing them to reflect on their experiences in an organized fashion. • It also allows students to customize their resume, providing a more personalized display of their individual strengths and experiences while maintaining a sense of professionalism. • Universities also use e-portfolios to store data, analyses, and samples of student work. • E-portfolios are not commonly used in the K-12 education levels because there is less of an emphasis on the integration of technology into the learning environment. Learning evolves less around reflection and personal experience and instead highlights facts and curriculum.

4. E-Portfolio Platforms • Elgg- a networking engine that allows various institutions such as universities and businesses to create their own fully-featured social networking program. Allows students to create personal profiles to document their education history and working experiences, usually promoting themselves to potential employers. • Foliotek-a highly flexible online software system that allows institutions to assess both students and faculty members based on the information they have stored in their e-portfolios. • KEEP Toolkit- the most advanced platform. It contains sample e-portfolios to assist users attempting to create their own e-portfolio and allows users to create webpages and link them together on the e-portfolio to create a website. Users can also add videos and pictures their e-portfolios.

5. Limitations of E-Portfolios • The process of converting projects and images into digital files that can be uploaded to an e-portfolio can often be difficult and time consuming. • There are often issues with the compatibility of files when attempting to send your e-portfolio to teachers or potential employers, however setting up your digital portfolio on a website will eliminate this limitation. • Although the portability of e-portfolios is considered advantageous, it might put you at a disadvantage if the situation entails something more tangible when presenting for an interview or presentation. E-portfolios usually require a specific type of computer program or processing system making them less reliable than the physical copy.