Confusion reigns with ePortfolios
If I was to do a word association test on eportfolios the first word that I would think of is confusion. Almost every substantive article I have read on eportfolios starts out with the author(s) defining what they mean by eportfolios. I have had to do this myself and can relate to this need. Eportfolios mean so many different things to people. And so it continues... a great article appeared the other day on the Campus Technology website entitled "The Portfolio Enigma in a Time of Ephemera". The article starts out describing just how confusing the eportfolio landscape is and then quickly moves into the problem area of assessment and how that is adding to the confusion. The author (Trent Batson) then quite nicely defines eportfolio as a learning approach rather than a technology. I think there is quite a lot of merit in this statement, at least in terms of many types of eportfolios. For me, eportfolios generally consist of a number of technology services that are combined in some way to support and demonstrate aspects of learning. My main interest in eportfolios is how they can be used to support and enhance lifelong learning. In this sense, I am especially interested in how eportfolio services can support those of us who are not part of any formal educational organisation. To some extent this alters how assessment is viewed (assessment takes on a different perspective at least). However, although I have thought for some time that 'eportfolio for all' would be a good thing (am desperately trying to find out how successful various regional implementations actually have been), I am struggling with how to maximise the benefits obtainable from the idea. If eportfolio is a process, or approach, any sort of regional 'eportfolio for all' will face some significant challenges. Firstly, getting it noticed at all is challenging enough, then creating a compelling enough message to be seen as something useful would be an interesting challenge in itself. Finally, how do you ensure that the 'eportfolio process' is well understood by all. The service will have to be extremely well designed, simple and intuitive to use. The article then goes on to an interesting discussion on the temporal value of eportfolio artefacts and challenges how we construct knowledge and then how to manage it over time. Interesting views if you are considering eportfolios of your own.
technorati tags: elearning, eportfolio
