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Electronic Portfolios: Defining and Reviewing an Emerging Technology
Kayla Bobbitt
East Tennessee State University
Abstract
This paper will be an overview of the emerging technology of electronic portfolios, referred to as EPs, and their implication for education. EPs will be discussed according to their definition, programs of access, educational applications, effectiveness, relative advantages, and personal opinion. These criteria will explain EPs and why they should be implemented into classroom use and assessment based on their positive qualities, both practical and evaluative. This new technology will be presented citing advantages to both teacher and student. The basis for the majority of the research comes from Helen Barrett and her work in establishing the REFLECT initiative
Electronic Portfolios:
Defining and Reviewing an Emerging Technology
Technology is a force that is slowly and steadily emerging into the educational world. These new technologies are allowing for the improvement, modification, and changing of the way we think about and execute education plans. We can also provide more opportunities to collaborate and share ideas and work among one another. One of these new technologies is the use of electronic portfolios. They are a restructured way of creating the traditional portfolio, a collection of an individual’s work. Students now have the ability to use programs to create portfolios that will display their work, using more than just the traditional paper and binder methods. Now, students can implement a variety of files, including visual and audio, that can be easily tracked and assessed. This paper will further analyze electronic portfolios, or EPs, with the following five sections: 1) description and possible sources; 2) educational applications for the classroom teacher; 3) research related to their effectiveness; 4) relative advantages for classroom use; and 5) my personal thoughts about this emerging technology.
Description and possible sources of electronic portfolios
Electronic portfolios are tools that have been generated from traditional portfolios used for collection, review, progress, and more recently, assessment. Rather than traditional paper portfolios, the new electronic versions utilize video, audio, and hyperlinks to text and media as a way to display the artifacts within. They allow for very personalized, creative, and individualized work that can also be used for collaborative and sharing purposes. (Barrett 2005) In order to create an EP, one could choose from one of the following programs with corresponding sources: authoring tools (Mozilla Composer, Dreamweaver, Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, or MovieMaker2), static web services (GeoCities, eFolio Minnesota, Tripod, or Google Pages), interactive web services (WordPress, WikiSpaces PB Wiki, ZOHO Writer, or EduSpaces), software (Userland‘s Manila or Blackboard), hosted services (Digication, Think.com, Pupil Pages, Epsilen, or My eCoach), or assessment system hosted systems ( TaskStream, College Live text, FolioTek, Richer Picture, or Chalk & Wire). (Barrett 2008)
Electronic portfolios are now being encouraged as part of the REFLECT initiative: Researching Electronic portFolios: Learning, Engagement and Collaboration though Technology. This initiative is the basis for the majority of the goals and research of EPs.
Educational applications for a classroom teacher
In terms of applying electronic portfolios, the teacher has a variety of purposes from which to choose: process, showcase, or assessment. A process portfolio shows what a student has achieved and demonstrates the progress made in a certain time frame. Showcase portfolios allow students to actually demonstrate what has been learned. If using an assessment portfolio, evaluation is the key, as it will be used to determine the worth of the portfolio and work within. (Abrami & Barrett 2005) Therefore, teachers can be flexible in their approach to using EPs, as they are easily adapted to meet different requirements, purposes, and assessments. Teachers may want to track how students grow over the course of a semester or year, tracking progress in areas such as: cognitive development, creativity, thoroughness on projects, or ability to analyze or describe. Moreover, the students may also reflect on their own individualized portfolio to gain a comprehensive and progressive view of their work. Teachers may also desire to simply produce a way for students to display creative illustrations and projects that utilize audio and visual files. This is an innovative way for an application to accomplish many teacher and student goals alike.
Research related to EP effectiveness
Much of the research thus far has shed a positive light on EPs. Given their cohesive qualities, easy editing and adapting, and ability to add media files, EPs are gaining popularity. In the white paper published about electronic form of portfolios, it is clear that EPs will most likely be effective in allowing students the ability to reflect, collaborate, and document their learning, as well as increase motivation by the creative and personalized approach provided. (Barrett 2005) On the other hand, a recent study found that many students had concerns about technical support and confidentiality issues; however, those same students did identify the benefits of integration and review. (Fitch, Dale, et al 2008) In order to form a better conclusion about its effectiveness, more research is needed as more EPs are being implemented.
Relative advantages
Like much technology, EPs are an outstanding way to organize material, abandoning messy and less environmentally friendly paper portfolios. They can be easily edited, changing and adding information, especially multimedia sources, as the students make progress. EPs can also be a great tool for collaboration, displaying, and sharing of material, which may influence students’ intrinsic motivation and increase pride in the display of one’s work. (Abrami & Barrett 2005) Additionally, portfolios in their electronic form can be backed up, stored in various places, so that they can be maintained and utilized longer. The very practicality of EPs makes them a great classroom tool. Students can integrate and experiment with the contents as they progressively change and improve their collection of work. Even in the course of a semester, a student may form new ideas or better understandings that will allow him/her to modify previous misunderstandings or work on display. Key beneficial terms to EP relative advantages are: organize, display, integrate, modify, improve, motivate, personalize and review.
Personal thoughts
I believe that with better structure and careful implementation of electronic portfolios, they can be a very advantageous asset to education. Allowing students the opportunity to display their work with the constant option of improvement and progression is a great motivation for students. I believe that technology brings the excitement and benefit that students are constantly seeking into the classroom. Additionally, the ability to add media files, such as photos, audio, and video, will give students more freedom for creativity. For me personally, I am excited about the prospect of allowing my Spanish students to record video and audio files to track progress in language development and cultural knowledge. I think that EPs will give students that extra boost to strive for development in foreign language when they can reflect, review, and track progress in their own abilities.
Overall, electronic portfolios will be a great educational tool that excites and motivates students with its highly personalized aspects. Moreover, teachers will notice benefits of easy editing and great appeal to different learning styles. These qualities can contribute to lifelong learning. More research is necessary as this technology progresses; therefore, the best of electronic portfolios is yet to be seen.
References
Abrami, Philip C. & Helen Barrett. (2005) Directions for research and development on electronic portfolios. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, 31(3).
Retrieved from http://www.cjlt.ca/index.php/cjlt/article/view/92/86.
Barrett, Helen C. (2005). White Paper: Researching electronic portfolios and learner engagement. The REFLECT Initiative Researching Electronic portFolios: Learning, Engagement and Collaboration through Technology.Barrett, Helen C. (2008). Categories of ePortfolio Tools. http://electronicportfolios.org/categories.html
Fitch, D. , Peet, M. , Reed, B. , & Tolman, R. (2008). The use of ePortfolios in evaluating the curriculum and student learning. Journal of Social Work Education, 44(3), 37-
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