Week 1 paper draft for CSE 689 class

1. Patrick Chung
CSE 689 Draft Paper
As a major part of one of the largest revolutions in mankind’s history, the internet has led to sweeping
changes in so many aspects of our lives. How we communicate, learn, work, socialize, and shop, have all been
momentously and irreversibly changed by the digitization of our lives. E-portfolios are both a result and effector
of some of these changes.
What are e-portfolios? Simply speaking, an e-portfolio is a digital representation of an individual or
group (the subject). They are collections of digital information chosen to highlight certain aspects about their
subject called “artifacts” and can include text documents, pictures, as well as audio or video files. These
usually highlight past accomplishments and memorable events chosen to convey a message or impression of the
e-portfolios’ subject.
The flexibility of its digital nature makes an e-portfolio a powerful tool in excelling in the digital new
normal we now live in. It can preserve, organize, display and distribute information in a way that maximizes
effectiveness, and in so doing, maximizes a person’s chance for success in displaying information, searching for
a job, etc.
E-portfolios are used today as tools for communication, education, and in job/employee-hunting. Early
e-portfolio researchers Elizabeth Harnell-Young and Maureen Morriss (1999), "listed three general purposes for
developing portfolios: Learning, Assessment, and Employment (job-hunting)."
The six major functions e-portfolios are used for are:
1. create educational programs;
2. document knowledge, skills, abilities, and learning;
3. track development within a program;
4. find a job;
5. evaluate a course; and
6. monitor and evaluate performance
with ownership of e-portfolios generally falling into three categories: Student, teacher, and Institutions.
(https://moodle.wou.edu/mod/book/view.php?id=243523&chapterid=3178)
The most important elements of an e-Portfolio are:

2. 1. Electronic
2. Artifacts
3. Reflection
E-portfolios are by definition electronic which is signified by the “e-“ in “e-portfolio.” Artifacts are snippets of
digital material that support the intended message of the e-portfolio. Reflection is the “matrix” that ties all the
artifacts together – it is the careful consideration of each artifact that went into the decision to include it in the e-
portfolio in the first place. Therefore, all artifacts displayed on the e-portfolio are woven together with their
relevance to each other and to the message the owner wishes to convey.
As stated in my initial blog post, I am taking this class to gain knowledge on how to create a well-
constructed electronic portfolio. Most imminently, I hope this will assist me in creating a portfolio for my exit
option. Beyond Western Oregon, I hope to apply these skills in the following way: Though a position as a
baseball player is not generally something applied for with a resume or portfolio, it helps to have an e-portfolio
available at all times, should someone wish to view video of batting or fielding. When transitioning from high
school to college, I relied on videos posted on Youtube. However, as the quote below illustrates, e-portfolios
add another dimension of insight into an athlete’s character.
“An ePortfolio is like an athlete’s highlight reel: it shows the athlete's best work, as opposed to a
scorecard that simply represents it. In addition, the ePortfolio includes the student’s written commentary,
providing insight into their work and thinking.”
(https://teachingcommons.stanford.edu/teaching-talk/eportfolios-and-self-reflection-powerful-
pedagogical-tools-learning)
I feel the increased depth of an e-portfolio would benefit me greatly. Therefore, I will then be creating and
displaying an athletic e-portfolio for myself.

3. References:
Hartnell-Young, Elizabeth and Maureen Moriss. Digital Professional Portfolios for Change, 1999.
https://moodle.wou.edu/mod/book/view.php?id=243523&chapterid=3178
https://teachingcommons.stanford.edu/teaching-talk/eportfolios-and-self-reflection-powerful-pedagogical-tools-
learning