E-portfolios are digital collections that showcase a person's skills, experiences, and evidence of learning through various artifacts like videos, documents, and websites. Artifacts demonstrate competencies, while reflections explain how each artifact relates to an overall theme or goal. E-portfolios can be used by students as online resumes for employers and interviews, and by teachers to organize lesson plans, student work, and reflections on teaching experiences and outcomes. When designed effectively, e-portfolios have a clear focus, natural flow from one piece to the next, and demonstrate the user's passion and curiosity about their work.

1. WHAT ARE e-PORTFOLIOS? 1
WHAT ARE e-PORTFOLIOS?
MARGARET NICE
WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY
CSE 689

2. WHAT ARE e-PORTFOLIOS? 2
The use of e-Portfolios has grown immensely in response to the spread of internet
accessibility. Therefore, understanding their importance is crucial.
First, it is important to understand what e-Portfolios are. E-Portfolios are collections to
help showcase specific items. These items include skills, experiences, and evidence of learning
(AuburnWrites, 2013). Two critical pieces of e-Portfolios include artifacts and reflection.
There are many different types of artifacts that can be included in an e-Portfolio. Artifacts
are supplemental materials that showcase learning These types of artifacts can include, but are
not limited to, videos, slideshows, documents, websites, blogs, and podcasts. Videos can include
YouTube videos that relate to the overall presentation or a clip of the user putting their work
into action. An example for teachers could be a video of the person teaching a lesson. This way,
principals could see what the teacher would be like in action. Slideshows can include projects the
user put together that relate to the overall feel of the e-Portfolio. For example, for my e-Portfolio
I may include a lesson I created to show my students on how to use the internet responsibly.
Another option to include on websites are documents. While they are not as easily accessible and
can be cumbersome to read on a website, this would be a good way to display a research paper or
lesson plan. Websites and blogs can also be included in e-Portfolios to relate the user’s profile to
previous work done by others, or important pieces to refer back to. Last, but not least, are
podcasts. Podcasts are growing at an incredible rate and can be a great resource to refer to.
Artifacts can range in shape and size, but can prove to be great resources as long as they all come
together to meet one common big idea.
If artifacts were included without an explanation, they would seem random and it would
seem impossible to bring them together. Reflection, however, does this. The reflection is what
brings all the pieces together and explains how they all connect to one bigger idea. A reflection

3. WHAT ARE e-PORTFOLIOS? 3
can include your own thoughts about the topic the piece covers, how difficult the project was to
complete, and how important the topic is overall. This small piece is what brings the entire
project to completion, and this is also what makes reflections are the heart of e-Portfolios.
E-Portfolios can be used in many ways. One way e-Portfolios have been utilized, which
is what I will end up doing, is for students to collect their work. In this way, e-Portfolios can be
considered a type of online resume. According to SchoolChapters Inc. (2004), employers could
check the skills, experiences, and learning to see if the candidate meets the job requirements.
Because employers are now checking in on employees online, using e-Portfolios allow students
to demonstrate what they are most proud of in an organized fashion. The use of e-Portfolios also
eliminates the hassle for companies when interviewing. Access to all of the necessary documents
and information can be shared with a simple link to all involved. Because of this, e-portfolios
simplify the process for both student and interviewee.
Another way e-Portfolios can be used is in teaching positions. Teachers are able to use an
e-Portfolio to organize their information for teaching a unit, including documents, as well as
reflections that explain the importance of each artifact for the lesson. Another important artifact
to include would be an exceptional example of students’ final project for the unit, which could
include a slideshow presentation, paper, or podcast. This would be helpful when showing the
next group of students what is expected from the unit. I could see myself using this type of e-
Portfolio for my social studies units because I can never remember what I do from year to year,
and the reflection would remind me the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of each artifact.
Another important element of an e-Portfolio is that it pulls together artifacts that meet
specific learning outcomes (SchoolChapters, Inc., 2004). There should be a connection that pulls
all of the items together, with a goal in mind. For example, a teacher could put together an e-

4. WHAT ARE e-PORTFOLIOS? 4
Portfolio focused on how they would teach their kindergarteners how to be kind to each other.
This way, everything would be together for the next year when the teacher is wanting to teach
the next group of students how to use kindness.
A final key element of an e-Portfolio is that there is a natural flow. The e-Portfolio should
be organized, with individual pieces connecting and building upon each other. According to
Helen Barrett, e-Portfolios should have an energized focus that is positive and sports joy (TEDx
Talks 2010). The excitement of the user learning about the topic should be noticed through the
piece, which can be reflected in the flow. In this way, it should showcase the curiosity and
passion of the user.
I plan to use an e-Portfolio to showcase my work at the end of my graduate program here
at Western Oregon University. I hope to adequately choose works that sum up my work during
my graduate program, as well as reflect on how each has made me a better, more technology-
savvy teacher.

5. WHAT ARE e-PORTFOLIOS? 5
References
AuburnWrites. (2013). What is an ePortfolio? Retrieved
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvqBORISA5k
SchoolChapters, Inc. (2004). The Impact of ePortfolios. Retrieved
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szUIAg0Ivxw
TEDx Talks. (2010). TEDxASB - Helen Barrett - 2/25/10. Retrieved
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckcSegrwjkA