ePortfolio
Today, technology is a tool with multiple opportunities that develop rapidly. Taking advantage of and incorporating these opportunities in education is now necessary and makes us responsible as educators to offer and implement these tools academically to take advantage of the benefits this development has brought to today’s world. Hence the importance of analyzing the literature that supports the use of ePortfolios in education, this study aims to establish its effectiveness and academic impact at an early age.
The ePorfolio Definition
An ePortfolio is a collection of work created over time and stored digitally, where students store their academic work and show their learning process. In other words, a good ePortfolio should be a representation of the products produced, digital artifacts, and the process of growth and reflection (ePortfolios explained: Theories & Practice, 2019). An ePortfolio is as much about the product as it is in a digital format evidence collection and the process, such as reflecting on the meaning of the evidence (EPportfolios Explained: Theory and Practice, 2017)
Benefits of the ePortfolio
→ Choice occurs when learners have the power to organize, structure, and present their learning experiences, along with evidence of their learning, in a way that reflects their individual preferences (Harapnuik, 2018). Studies indicate that offering choice fosters a personalized learning environment, leading to a greater sense of purpose among students (Bass, 2014). By allowing students to make choices in their learning practices, educators facilitate the development of lasting learning experiences that resonate with real-world applications. Within the ePortfolio framework, students are entrusted with design and content, allowing them to express their personality and voice through creating and collecting digital artifacts.
→ Ownership in learning occurs when students assume control over the learning process and the content they interact with, thus fostering a personalized learning journey. While instructors offer guidance, empowering students with choices leads to active participation in the creation and production of projects that involve reflection, metacognition, and opportunities to refine ideas (Thibodeaux, n.d.). According to Barrett and Wilkerson (2004), as students become increasingly involved in developing their e-portfolios, their sense of ownership over their learning deepens, and consequently, intrinsic motivation improves. Granting autonomy in the development of electronic portfolios allows students to take ownership and responsibility for their knowledge, thus promoting sustained long-term achievement.
→ Voice Students thrive in environments where their opinions and perspectives are welcomed in ways that not only cultivate but encourage expression. It is essential that students feel that their thoughts and opinions matter, and when this is known, and they are given opportunities to do so, there is an increase in learning potential, aligned with a deeper investment in school (Jostens, 2016). As a result, ePortfolios have become more than just a scrapbook of assignments; they are a platform for student expression. Additionally, learners can reach an audience beyond themselves and the instructor, where they can showcase original ideas, collaborate on concepts, and engage with learning authentically.
Authentic learning It is through authentic learning that students can connect with real-world problems and situations. The process of selection and engagement through a lens of real-world issues offers the student relevant applications to help make more meaningful connections (Donovan et al., 2000; Harapnuik, 2018). It is important to note that within the COVA model, choice, ownership, and voice are derived and recognized through authentic learning. Without a dynamic approach to education, interaction becomes static and lacks the authenticity necessary to produce genuine ownership of choice and voice. Subsequently, without authenticity, the other components could genuinely exist for the students (Harapnuik, 2018).
Other research explains the common conception of 21st century skills often focuses on technological skills; However, 21st century skills go beyond simply focusing on technology and delve into what skills are necessary for students to be successful in their careers and personal lives. Craig Jerald (2009) explains through his research that one of the biggest problems in implementing a curriculum conducive to preparing students for their future is the lack of understanding about what skills are needed. To understand these skills and why specific skills are essential, state and district leaders need to analyze the evidence and clearly and concretely communicate that information to teachers. As a result, Jerald emphasizes that the framework for a 21st century education will consist of core subject matter, technological skills, and applied interpersonal and thinking skills.
Exploring other research ePortfolios as a framework for students’ integration of distinct learning experiences (Peet et al., 2011). Most literature addressed ePortfolios in the received tradition, focusing on knowledge and skills. According to the self-authorship theory (Baxter Magolda, 2004; Boes, Baxter Magolda, & Buckley, 2010), colleges best prepare students for success in the modern world by guiding them toward independently defining their own identity and learning. The model focuses on understanding students’ ways of knowing what they know. (Baxter Magolda, 2004; Boes, Baxter Magolda and Buckley, 2010), includes in his theory that universities better prepare students for success in the modern world by guiding them toward the independent definition of their own identity and learning. The model focuses on understanding how students know what they know. Other research explored e-portfolios as a framework for students’ integration of different learning experiences (Peet et al., 2011). Most literature approaches e-portfolios in the traditional tradition, focusing on knowledge and skills.
They are exploring other research on the ePortfolio literature regarding Cultural and academic identity. Eynon (2009) examined how ePortfolios relate to students’ understanding of their culture and the institution’s academic culture. Other research explores students’ identities theoretically in light of the ePortfolio process (Cambridge, 2009, 2010). Cambridge (2009) argued that a student’s online representation in an ePortfolio includes two parts of identity: a “networked” aspect that is flexible and changes with connections and choices and a “symphonic” aspect that is more permanent and reflects durability. And integrity. Identity elements. Cambridge (2010) further explored the expression of identity in ePortfolios, noting that the self “does not reach its full power until it is clarified through representation. . . By expressing who we are, we define ourselves, calling us into being” (p. 13). For Cambridge (2010), ePortfolios encourage the expression of authenticity of ourselves. In addition to student learning and identity, assessment is one of the most discussed topics in the literature related to ePortfolios. In previous literature, assessment refers to institutional processes for measuring learning, often for accreditation, curriculum reviews, or student evaluations. Institutional Evaluation practices have usually been investigated as case studies (Lowenthal, White, & Cooley, 2011; Shada, Kelly, Cox, & Malkik, 2011). Penny Light, Chen, and Ittelson (2011) examined assessment practices through electronic portfolios, emphasizing documenting learning. Ring and Ramírez (2012) described how electronic portfolios are used for general education requirements at a university to “build a mechanism through What basic competencies can be demonstrated and evaluated” (p. 187).
Conclusion
The ePortfolio is a successful method with many benefits for students’ academic development, strengthening student ownership and voice, implementing reflective practices, and developing 21st-century skills. The ePortfolio can make the learning process visible to the students, allowing them to reflect and show their learning process over time and in different environments. In return, it provides multiple opportunities to examine and reflect, promoting a growth mindset. Taking advantage of current trends in technology use, we can use ePortfolios to transform primary education so that it is in line with the technological era and encourages our students to become lifelong learners prepared for success in the digital age.
References
Boes, L. M., Magolda, M. B. B., & Buckley, J. A. (2010). Foundational assumptions and constructive-developmental theory: Self-authorship narratives. In Development and Assessment of Self-Authorship (pp. 3–23). Routledge.
Cambridge, D. (2009). Two faces of integrative learning online. In Electronic Portfolios 2.0 (pp. 41-49). Routledge.
Cambridge, D. (2010). Eportfolios for lifelong learning and assessment. John Wiley & Sons.
Eynon, B. (2009). Making connections: the Laguardia eportfolio. In Electronic Portfolios 2.0 (pp. 59-68). Routledge.
Harapnuik, D. (2018) COVA [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=6991
Jerald, C. D. (2009). I am defining a 21st century education. Center for Public Education, 16, 1-10.
Lowenthal, P., White, J. W., & Cooley, K. (2011). Remake/Remodel: Using ePortfolios and a System of Gates to Improve Student Assessment and Program Evaluation. International Journal of ePortfolio, 1(1), 61-70.
Light, T. P., Chen, H. L., & Ittelson, J. C. (2011). Documenting learning with ePortfolios: A guide for college instructors. John Wiley & Sons.
Peet, M., Lonn, S., Gurin, P., Boyer, K. P., Matney, M., Marra, T., … & Daley, A. (2011). Fostering Integrative Knowledge through ePortfolios. International Journal of ePortfolio, 1(1), 11-31.
REAL ePortfolio academy for K12 teachers. Retrieved from http://electronicportfolios.com/academy/index.html Helen C. Barrett.
Ring, G., & Ramirez, B. (2012). Implementing ePortfolios for the Assessment of General Education Competencies. International Journal of ePortfolio, 2(1), 87-97.
Warschauer, M., & Tate, T. (2017). Digital divides and social inclusion. In Handbook of writing, literacies, and education in digital cultures (pp. 63-75). Routledge.