Abstract:

Traditionally portfolios are expected to be produced by landscape architecture students for employment. One of the limitations of the traditional portfolio is its static nature and the inability to utilize digital media, including 3-D digital models, animation, and video presentations. A digital portfolio allows flexibility for students to upload audio and video files creating a more holistic view of the student’s understanding of the design process and skills required to be successful in the profession. Digital portfolios can benefit beginning design students by helping them develop reflection and technical skills, while older students are needing to display work for future opportunities (McDermott-Dalton 2022). In addition, the digital format of an e-portfolio allows for a comprehensive longitudinal skill-building evaluation as work is added over several semesters or even years (Wuetherick 2015). Another advantage to e-portfolios includes the option to easily share individual student portfolios with other professors and practitioners for review. Lastly, e-portfolios can be used as a method of gathering student work created throughout the semester that can be reflected upon by both faculty and student. The study was done in a university setting where an e-portfolio project is integrated into the curriculum of a first-year undergraduate design studio course. Students are asked to, in their own words, describe the objectives, define course goals, and identify the skills they are learning. Although a structured template is provided, students were asked to include their strongest work which is self-selected. The portfolio template includes several reflective writing prompts in between sections to further student reflection on a 15-week design course. Reflective writing promotes learners to think deeply and critically about what is being taught and the skills that they are developing, it is not just simply re-explaining information, instruction, or facts (Bean 2011) Furthermore, this is a skill-building exercise that provides base knowledge to later produce a departmental digital portfolio, which will serve as a checkpoint in the program. An advantage to creating a living online portfolio is that it has the capacity to evolve over time as the student's skills grow. Students gain confidence in creating, publishing, and sharing e-portfolios, which in the future could be the standard format for collecting and showcasing design work not only for self-reflection or faculty course assessment but also for examining overall curriculum performance.

References:
[1] Bean, John C. Engaging Ideas: The Professor's Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom. Jossey-Bass, 2011.
[2] McDermott-Dalton, G. Putting the ‘e’ in portfolio design: an intervention research project investigating how design students and faculty might jointly reimagine the design portfolio activity. Int J Technol Des Educ 32, 1207–1225 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-020-09640-8
[3] Wuetherick, Brad, and John Dickinson. “Why Eportfolios? Student Perceptions of Eportfolio Use in ... - Ed.” International Journal of EPortfolio, https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1107862.pdf.

Keywords:

E-portfolio, design studio, reflective writing.