A brief paper exploring the benefits of using e-portfolios, especially in the classroom.

1. Running​ ​Head:​ ​ELECTRONIC​ ​PORTFOLIOS​ ​IN​ ​THE​ ​CLASSROOM 1
Electronic​ ​Portfolios​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Classroom
Lauren​ ​Cooney
Western​ ​Oregon​ ​University

2. ELECTRONIC​ ​PORTFOLIOS​ ​IN​ ​THE​ ​CLASSROOM 2
I​ ​feel​ ​as​ ​if​ ​I​ ​am​ ​constantly​ ​hearing​ ​how​ ​younger​ ​generations’​ ​reliance​ ​on​ ​technology​ ​is
ruining​ ​our​ ​society.​ ​We’re​ ​becoming​ ​more​ ​self-absorbed,​ ​we​ ​don’t​ ​talk​ ​to​ ​each​ ​other​ ​anymore,
we​ ​are​ ​less​ ​independent​ ​-​ ​the​ ​list​ ​goes​ ​on​ ​and​ ​on.​ ​While​ ​I​ ​agree​ ​that​ ​too​ ​much​ ​absorption​ ​in
social​ ​media​ ​and​ ​similar​ ​online​ ​platforms​ ​can​ ​be​ ​harmful,​ ​ultimately​ ​I​ ​think​ ​increasing​ ​use​ ​of
technology​ ​is​ ​opening​ ​up​ ​doors​ ​and​ ​creating​ ​opportunities,​ ​especially​ ​for​ ​people​ ​with​ ​limited
income​ ​and​ ​resources.​ ​In​ ​my​ ​classroom,​ ​I​ ​want​ ​my​ ​students​ ​to​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​use​ ​technology​ ​in​ ​a​ ​way
that​ ​is​ ​productive​ ​for​ ​their​ ​futures​ ​which​ ​is​ ​why​ ​a​ ​tool​ ​like​ ​e-portfolios​ ​is​ ​so​ ​useful.​ ​E-portfolios
not​ ​only​ ​function​ ​as​ ​an​ ​engaging​ ​assessment​ ​tool,​ ​but​ ​also​ ​offer​ ​students​ ​a​ ​chance​ ​to​ ​become
familiar​ ​with​ ​a​ ​new​ ​format​ ​for​ ​showcasing​ ​their​ ​work,​ ​one​ ​that​ ​could​ ​function​ ​as​ ​a​ ​resume.​ ​In​ ​a
society​ ​increasingly​ ​focused​ ​on​ ​technology,​ ​electronic​ ​or​ ​online​ ​portfolios​ ​are​ ​almost​ ​an​ ​essential
tool.
According​ ​to​ ​Lorenzo​ ​and​ ​Ittelson’s​ ​article​ ​“An​ ​Overview​ ​of​ ​E-Portfolios,”​ ​a​ ​digital
portfolio​ ​“is​ ​a​ ​digitized​ ​collection​ ​of​ ​artifacts,​ ​including​ ​demonstrations,​ ​resources,​ ​and
accomplishments​ ​that​ ​represent​ ​an​ ​individual,​ ​group,​ ​community,​ ​organization,​ ​or​ ​institution,”
(2005,​ ​p.​ ​2).​ ​An​ ​e-portfolio​ ​is​ ​a​ ​versatile​ ​tool​ ​that​ ​showcases​ ​work​ ​for​ ​many​ ​purposes.​ ​Two
distinct​ ​purposes​ ​e-portfolios​ ​are​ ​commonly​ ​used​ ​for​ ​today​ ​are​ ​resumes​ ​and​ ​showing​ ​your​ ​work.
I​ ​had​ ​traditionally​ ​thought​ ​of​ ​them​ ​as​ ​a​ ​way​ ​to​ ​display​ ​your​ ​artwork​ ​or​ ​other​ ​creative​ ​work​ ​online
in​ ​addition​ ​to​ ​your​ ​resume.​ ​I​ ​hadn’t​ ​realized​ ​how​ ​intertwined​ ​they​ ​could​ ​be​ ​with​ ​student​ ​learning
and​ ​curriculum,​ ​particularly​ ​as​ ​a​ ​form​ ​of​ ​assessment.​ ​“An​ ​Overview​ ​of​ ​E-Portfolios”​ ​delves​ ​into
the​ ​use​ ​of​ ​student​ ​portfolios​ ​stating​ ​that​ ​the​ ​use​ ​of​ ​student​ ​portfolios​ ​in​ ​the​ ​classroom​ ​has
increased​ ​in​ ​recent​ ​years​ ​(2005,​ ​p.​ ​3).​ ​Among​ ​the​ ​benefits​ ​of​ ​student​ ​e-portfolios,​ ​Lorenzo​ ​and
Ittelson​ ​suggest​ ​these​ ​digital​ ​resources​ ​are,​ ​“helping​ ​students​ ​become​ ​critical​ ​thinkers​ ​and​ ​aiding

3. ELECTRONIC​ ​PORTFOLIOS​ ​IN​ ​THE​ ​CLASSROOM 3
in​ ​the​ ​development​ ​of​ ​their​ ​writing​ ​and​ ​multimedia​ ​communication,”​ ​(2005,​ ​p.​ ​3).​ ​Electronic
portfolios​ ​are​ ​an​ ​effective​ ​teaching​ ​tool​ ​that​ ​enables​ ​students​ ​to​ ​showcase​ ​their​ ​grasp​ ​of​ ​the
content​ ​in​ ​a​ ​way​ ​that​ ​is​ ​interesting​ ​and​ ​relevant​ ​to​ ​them.​ ​When​ ​used​ ​as​ ​an​ ​assessment,​ ​students
not​ ​only​ ​have​ ​an​ ​end​ ​product​ ​that​ ​is​ ​pertinent​ ​to​ ​them​ ​but​ ​they​ ​also​ ​have​ ​learned​ ​a​ ​skill​ ​that​ ​will
help​ ​them​ ​in​ ​their​ ​lives​ ​outside​ ​of​ ​school.
Though​ ​there​ ​are​ ​many​ ​elements​ ​that​ ​make​ ​a​ ​good​ ​eportfolio,​ ​several​ ​stick​ ​out​ ​to​ ​me
specifically.​ ​With​ ​all​ ​the​ ​various​ ​e-portfolios​ ​out​ ​there,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​imperative​ ​that​ ​we​ ​create​ ​ones​ ​that
are​ ​original.​ ​They​ ​should​ ​be​ ​professional​ ​yet​ ​also​ ​be​ ​indicative​ ​of​ ​the​ ​creator’s​ ​perspective​ ​and
style.​ ​It​ ​is​ ​also​ ​essential​ ​that​ ​e-portfolios​ ​be​ ​well​ ​organized​ ​with​ ​clearly​ ​marked​ ​tabs​ ​and​ ​buttons
so​ ​that​ ​the​ ​user​ ​can​ ​navigate​ ​the​ ​pages​ ​in​ ​a​ ​way​ ​that​ ​makes​ ​sense.​ ​An​ ​“About​ ​Me”​ ​page​ ​is​ ​an
important​ ​tool​ ​for​ ​allowing​ ​the​ ​author​ ​to​ ​provide​ ​a​ ​brief​ ​biography​ ​and​ ​describe​ ​what’s​ ​important
to​ ​them.​ ​Examples​ ​of​ ​work​ ​and​ ​a​ ​glimpse​ ​into​ ​the​ ​author’s​ ​planning​ ​and​ ​creative​ ​process​ ​are​ ​also
crucial​ ​to​ ​creating​ ​a​ ​successful​ ​e-portfolio.
One​ ​thing​ ​that​ ​makes​ ​e-portfolios​ ​such​ ​a​ ​valuable​ ​resource​ ​is​ ​their​ ​potential​ ​to​ ​include
multimedia​ ​elements.​ ​For​ ​a​ ​professional​ ​e-portfolio​ ​created​ ​as​ ​part​ ​of​ ​a​ ​job​ ​application​ ​or
resume,​ ​including​ ​a​ ​video​ ​is​ ​a​ ​unique​ ​opportunity​ ​to​ ​showcase​ ​professional​ ​skills​ ​in​ ​the​ ​working
environment.​ ​This​ ​is​ ​especially​ ​helpful​ ​to​ ​teachers​ ​who​ ​can​ ​use​ ​video​ ​to​ ​really​ ​capture​ ​their
rapport​ ​with​ ​students​ ​and​ ​their​ ​classroom​ ​management​ ​skills.​ ​Another​ ​multimedia​ ​element​ ​that
can​ ​be​ ​introduced​ ​to​ ​online​ ​portfolios​ ​is​ ​podcasts.​ ​Podcasts​ ​have​ ​become​ ​a​ ​popular​ ​avenue​ ​for
entertainment​ ​and​ ​information​ ​with​ ​a​ ​massive​ ​host​ ​of​ ​channels​ ​that​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​a​ ​huge​ ​variety​ ​of
topics​ ​-​ ​including​ ​education.​ ​For​ ​an​ ​e-portfolio​ ​created​ ​as​ ​a​ ​teacher​ ​resume,​ ​a​ ​teacher​ ​could
include​ ​a​ ​link​ ​to​ ​a​ ​podcast​ ​or​ ​podcast​ ​channel​ ​on​ ​education​ ​or​ ​one​ ​on​ ​their​ ​specific​ ​content​ ​area.

4. ELECTRONIC​ ​PORTFOLIOS​ ​IN​ ​THE​ ​CLASSROOM 4
This​ ​would​ ​provide​ ​valuable​ ​insight​ ​into​ ​the​ ​teacher’s​ ​thoughts​ ​and​ ​priorities​ ​in​ ​regards​ ​to​ ​both
education​ ​in​ ​general​ ​and​ ​their​ ​specific​ ​areas​ ​of​ ​focus.​ ​With​ ​the​ ​rise​ ​in​ ​popularity​ ​of​ ​podcasts,​ ​it
has​ ​become​ ​very​ ​easy​ ​for​ ​individuals​ ​to​ ​create​ ​their​ ​own​ ​podcasts.​ ​Though​ ​it​ ​would​ ​be​ ​much
more​ ​of​ ​a​ ​time​ ​consuming​ ​task,​ ​one​ ​could​ ​create​ ​their​ ​own​ ​podcast,​ ​or​ ​series​ ​of​ ​podcasts,​ ​to
incorporate​ ​into​ ​their​ ​professional​ ​e-portfolio.​ ​This​ ​would​ ​also​ ​be​ ​a​ ​great​ ​tool​ ​for​ ​assessment​ ​for
students,​ ​to​ ​have​ ​the​ ​incorporate​ ​a​ ​podcast​ ​of​ ​their​ ​own​ ​making​ ​into​ ​their​ ​own​ ​e-portfolios.
​ ​I​ ​believe​ ​mastering​ ​e-portfolios​ ​will​ ​help​ ​me​ ​two​ ​fold.​ ​On​ ​a​ ​personal​ ​level,​ ​I​ ​want​ ​to
incorporate​ ​e-portfolios​ ​into​ ​my​ ​resume.​ ​Digital​ ​portfolios​ ​are​ ​an​ ​especially​ ​effective​ ​tool​ ​for
displaying​ ​work​ ​in​ ​my​ ​chosen​ ​fields,​ ​art​ ​and​ ​teaching.​ ​I​ ​already​ ​have​ ​a​ ​rudimentary​ ​teaching
portfolio​ ​online.​ ​I​ ​don’t​ ​have​ ​much​ ​experience​ ​in​ ​teaching​ ​​or​ ​​creating​ ​online​ ​portfolios​ ​so​ ​it
leaves​ ​a​ ​bit​ ​to​ ​be​ ​wanting​ ​but​ ​I​ ​do​ ​see​ ​how​ ​teaching​ ​portfolios​ ​are​ ​great​ ​vehicles​ ​for​ ​potential
employers​ ​to​ ​get​ ​a​ ​much​ ​more​ ​well​ ​rounded​ ​view​ ​as​ ​a​ ​professional.​ ​As​ ​an​ ​artist,​ ​an​ ​online
portfolio​ ​is​ ​pretty​ ​much​ ​necessary.​ ​It’s​ ​a​ ​very​ ​effective​ ​tool​ ​for​ ​displaying​ ​your​ ​work​ ​as​ ​it​ ​can
reach​ ​a​ ​much​ ​broader​ ​audience​ ​and​ ​eliminates​ ​the​ ​need​ ​to​ ​carry​ ​around​ ​your​ ​physical​ ​artwork.
As​ ​a​ ​future​ ​teacher,​ ​I​ ​want​ ​to​ ​learn​ ​how​ ​to​ ​use​ ​electronic​ ​portfolios​ ​as​ ​means​ ​of​ ​helping​ ​my
students​ ​showcase​ ​their​ ​own​ ​work.​ ​As​ ​stated​ ​previously,​ ​e-portfolios​ ​are​ ​an​ ​assessment​ ​tool​ ​that
is​ ​relevant​ ​to​ ​students​ ​and​ ​can​ ​be​ ​applied​ ​outside​ ​the​ ​classroom.​ ​I​ ​think​ ​it​ ​is​ ​very​ ​important​ ​we
incorporate​ ​teaching​ ​methods​ ​that​ ​meet​ ​these​ ​standards​ ​into​ ​our​ ​curriculum.​ ​Additionally,​ ​I​ ​am
receiving​ ​my​ ​endorsement​ ​in​ ​the​ ​content​ ​areas​ ​of​ ​Art​ ​and​ ​Language​ ​Arts​ ​and​ ​I​ ​believe​ ​creating
e-portfolios​ ​as​ ​a​ ​project​ ​is​ ​especially​ ​beneficial​ ​to​ ​the​ ​creative​ ​fields.

5. ELECTRONIC​ ​PORTFOLIOS​ ​IN​ ​THE​ ​CLASSROOM 5
Reference
Ittelson,​ ​J.​ ​Lorenzo,​ ​G.​ ​(2005.)​ ​An​ ​overview​ ​of​ ​e-portfolios.​ ​​Educause​ ​learning​ ​initiative​ ​(1),​ ​​pp
2-3.