Abstract:

E portfolios are a relatively new development on the education scene. E-portfolios offer many benefits to learners providing an opportunity to display knowledge outside of a static transcript as is the case with the traditional paper-based counterparts. With the emergence of Web 2.0 tools, learners can now add extra dimension to their portfolio work; wikis can hyperlink to web-pages and video clips; figures and presentations can be enriched with voice overs, reflections can be recorded using voice as an alternative to written; all methods having the common goal of enhancing the reader experience and truly documenting the learners learning. Portfolio work is best viewed as a continuum; it is work in progress and can evolve over a period of time. The expressions of learning in an e-portfolio can range from lower order thinking skills such as a PowerPoint presentation to higher order thinking skills as seen in a wiki, a blog acting as a reflective journal or a podcast. To align with learning, it offers students the opportunity to self- assesses and record their learning experiences. As learners create their own electronic portfolios, their unique voice should be evident from navigating the portfolio, reading the reflections, watching the clips or listening to the podcast. From a graduate perspective, e portfolios are a display of competencies, skills and personal attributes that increase a student’s employability prospects.
This paper reviews the use of e-portfolios in a newly developed Structured PhD program called Ed4Life. We discuss the goals of the eportfolio and outline the steps and measures taken to fully engage students in the development of their eportfolios.
We examine the eportfolio’s infrastructure, its pedagogical significance, and discuss the steps taken to engage students in reflection on their work and take ownership of their personal learning space. We also examine the student experience and feedback of the process. We question the effective use of e portfolios in graduate education and review how Curtin’s attributes (e.g. communication skills, thinking and professional skills) can be documented and truly measured.

Keywords:

E portfolios, graduate education, generic skills, employability.