Gone are the days of collecting your notebooks and books in a school locker or backpack. Smart phones, e-readers, tablets and thumb drives are common-place in our increasingly digital society. It is not unusual for us to carry a wealth of information on small thumb drives (USB) in our pockets or in my case, on a leash around my neck. I have left a USB drive attached to the instructor's computer in the classroom and every semester a student comes to me reporting a lost drive. Unfortunately, these tiny digital "luggage" are frequently lost, stolen, or corrupted by exposure to heat or electricity. I utilize eportfolios in my electronic marketing course to document a student's fulfillment of the learning outcomes. The frequent loss of USB drives is one of the reasons that I have know switched to an online repository via Weebly.com similar to this eportfolio. Not only are they useful for a course, an electronic portfolio can serve as a repository of an individual's entire academic career. Just as students are not all alike, electronic portfolios are not all alike. There are several different types of eportfolios:
Developmental Portfolios are often used to facilitate communication between students and faculty. Similar to a reflective journal, a developmental portfolio documents the development of student skills over a specific time period. For example, a writing portfolio may require a series of written projects which are reviewed by the student, their peers, and the faculty member. The writing portfolio demonstrates the student's development of writing skill over the course of the semester.
Showcase Portfolios are a compilation of exemplary work and student skills over the course of a student's academic career. The purpose of this type of portfolio is to exhibit artifacts demonstrating a student's knowledge, skill, and/or talent. This type of portfolio can play a significant role in marketing a student's capabilities to potential employers upon graduation with a degree or certification.
Hybrid Portfolios are a combination of two or all three types of portfolios listed above. Rarely will you find a portfolio that is strictly used for assessment, development or showcase purposes. Occasionally, you may come across showcase portfolios that do not show evidence of self-reflection, rubrics for assessment or feedback, however, as Helen Barrett, an expert in the field of e-portfolios, would say "a portfolio without standards, goals and/or reflection is just a fancy resume, not an electronic portfolio."
- Assessment
- Developmental
- Showcase
- Hybrid
Developmental Portfolios are often used to facilitate communication between students and faculty. Similar to a reflective journal, a developmental portfolio documents the development of student skills over a specific time period. For example, a writing portfolio may require a series of written projects which are reviewed by the student, their peers, and the faculty member. The writing portfolio demonstrates the student's development of writing skill over the course of the semester.
Showcase Portfolios are a compilation of exemplary work and student skills over the course of a student's academic career. The purpose of this type of portfolio is to exhibit artifacts demonstrating a student's knowledge, skill, and/or talent. This type of portfolio can play a significant role in marketing a student's capabilities to potential employers upon graduation with a degree or certification.
Hybrid Portfolios are a combination of two or all three types of portfolios listed above. Rarely will you find a portfolio that is strictly used for assessment, development or showcase purposes. Occasionally, you may come across showcase portfolios that do not show evidence of self-reflection, rubrics for assessment or feedback, however, as Helen Barrett, an expert in the field of e-portfolios, would say "a portfolio without standards, goals and/or reflection is just a fancy resume, not an electronic portfolio."
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