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Using E-portfolios for Program Assessment: Some Considerations

Abstract

In the Internet age, electronic portfolios (e-portfolios) are growing in popularity in colleges and universities across the nation. E-portfolios have been incorporated in higher education to facilitate many aspects of education such as student learning, student achievement, and program assessment. This paper provides a direct insight into the value of e-portfolios in the overall higher educational process including program assessment. What is an e-portfolio, and how does it differ from the more traditional paper-based portfolio? E-portfolios go far beyond collection of artifacts, and are seen as a dynamic tool for constructive learning and future planning such as career goals. Development of the e-portfolios starts early during the educational process and may require evaluation at different stages of the E-portfolio preparation, such as the initial review during the sophomore year, mid-level review during the junior year, and the final review during the senior year. This paper describes the design considerations in the creation of good e- portfolio in the context of reflection and assessment of the effectiveness of a course or an educational program, and the design considerations that go into the creation of a good portfolio. The framework of e-portfolios depends on the end user of the portfolio.

Introduction

Electronic portfolios (e-portfolios) are ‘in’ and the traditional paper-based portfolios are ‘out.’ This is due to the internet age, and the web-based technology has made it all possible. Both the Academia and industry are the beneficiaries of the digital age, and so is higher education in particular and a myriad of academic programs.

What is an e-portfolio? How does it differ from a traditional paper-based portfolio? According to Wikipedia, “An electronic portfolio, also known as an e-portfolio or digital portfolio, is a collection of electronic evidence assembled and managed by a user, usually on the Web. Such electronic evidence may include inputted text, electronic files such as Microsoft Word and the 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…..E-portfolios have an edge over the traditional, paper-based variety because there is a considerable increase in the range and quality.”1

In higher education, e-portfolios have been incorporated to facilitate several aspects of education such as student learning, student achievement, and program assessment. E-portfolios are being used by schools of teacher education, engineering and technology, medicine, arts, and others for a variety of reasons. Schools of education have used e-portfolios not only as learning and assessment tools for pre-service teachers but also for accreditation purposes. Some schools of higher education have been using electronic portfolios to showcase examples of student work and to report data required by external accreditation agencies such as National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), and regional accreditation agencies such as North Central Association of Colleges and Universities (NCACU). E-portfolios go far beyond collection of artifacts, and are

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Varma, V., & Varma, T. (2008, June), Using E Portfolios For Program Assessment: Some Observations Paper presented at 2008 Annual Conference & Exposition, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 10.18260/1-2--3259