eLearning

What is an ePortfolio?

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An ePortfolio is an evolving electronic/online resource that acts to record, store and archive the artefacts of learning and reflection for an individual learner. 1

An ePortfolio has the potential to demonstrate professional and personal growth, exemplify evidence-based practice and provide a planning space for future professional development needs and experiences. 1

The University of Queensland uses Chalk and Wire as the enterprise ePortfolio solution.   

1. Hallam, Gillian C., Harper, Wendy E., McCowan, Colin R., Hauville, Kim L., McAllister, Lynn M., & Creagh, Tracy A. (2008) ePortfolio use by university students in Australia: Informing excellence in policy and practice. Australian ePortfolio Project, Stage 1. Queensland University of Technology, Department of Teaching and Learning Support Services, Brisbane, Qld.

What can ePortfolio be used for?

Work integrated learning and evidence based assessment

  • The ePortfolio system facilitates the holistic integration of individual assessment items into the learning outcomes, learning objectives, and/or graduate attributes associated with any overarching program;  
  • The initial assessment mapping identifies opportunities to scaffold student learning and development from developing to proficient (or similar) throughout their degree, using carefully constructed rubrics designed to map back to the program outcomes; 
  • Assessment items are aligned with program outcomes via linked rubrics.  These rubrics can be shared across schools and disciplines;
  • Students are assigned assessment activities to complete within practical settings.  Reflective learning tasks, short or long-term case studies, or evidence of attempts towards competency in practical tasks are some examples.  Students can upload documents and multi-media, or they can type directly into online forms, text editors, surveys and journals, depending on the course and program requirements;
  • Instructors can then easily evaluate and assess the submitted work, using a range of feedback mechanisms including document mark-up, voice recording, rubrics, overall comments, and in-line commenting;
  • Course Instructors and delegated school staff can generate reports to analyse data across assessments, outcome sets, rubrics, and students currently and over time;
  • Course instructors can review external supervisor validation of completed/attempted activities on practical placements.

Student showcase portfolio

  • The personal portfolio area is private to the student, and cannot be viewed by others until the student actively allows sharing or access to an individual portfolio in part or in whole;
  • The student's personal portfolio area functions like a webpage template, where students can add menu links, text, media and images, as well as apply any of the available style templates;
  • Students can create multiple types of portfolios, for example: academic learning, creative presentation, personal development, reflective and practical learning, collaborative projects, teamwork activities;
  • These can be used to showcase work and experience for employment applications, professional registration, career advancement, research awards/grants;
  • Students can save evidence and exemplar work into their own personal portfolio area; 
  • Students can submit a personal portfolio in part or in whole as an assessment item within a course or program;
  • Students can share a personal portfolio in part or in whole to an external party using a secure link or LinkedIn, or share any personal portfolio in part or in whole with colleagues for feedback and review;
  • Students can add any item to any portfolio within their personal area, including uploading from Dropbox and personal drives;
  • Students maintain a personal file area as a repository of artefacts which can be added to any type of portfolio, including video/audio files, photos, documents, PDF, free text;
  • Course instructors/program coordinators can provide templates to the students which scaffold portfolio pages for accreditation requirements etc;
  • Students retain access to their portfolio for up to four years after leaving UQ.

Student academic use of ePortfolio

  • Students can submit assessment from within the ePortfolio which demonstrates competency against learning outcomes, learning objectives, and/or graduate attributes;
  • Student receive feedback from within the ePortfolio on submitted assessment items, and on progression towards competency against learning outcomes, learning objectives, and/or graduate attributes;
  • The ePortfolio can allow students to demonstrate learning through reflection, discussion and assessment activities and provision of evidence for summative assessment;
  • Students can review and reflect on learning progression over time, throughout a program, or across multiple programs;
  • Students can develop skills in reflection on experience and activity;

Validation of activity by external assessors/preceptors/supervisors

  • External supervisors can provide constructive feedback to the students and to the school using the ePortfolio.  External supervisors can be pre-added to the system, or added “on-the-fly” by the students as required;
  • Students submit directly to their supervisor, who receives an email with a secure link directly to that student’s submitted work – there is no login required.  The supervisor then provides the feedback (rubric, comment etc) and submits the results which are returned to the course instructor for review.