Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Professional Development to Support the Embedding of ePortfolios in Higher Education Programs

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
ePortfolios in Australian Universities

Abstract

The documentation of achievement in program outcomes is important in higher education and often occurs in upper year courses through capstone and/or work-integrated learning projects. There is growing recognition that ePortfolios can be used in this process. Embedding ePortfolios across the curriculum offers a framework for student learning, increases student satisfaction, and provides a mechanism to demonstrate standards and professional competencies. However, if ePortfolios have not been embedded across a program, evidence for outcomes and the student experience can be disjointed or unclear, and can exclude important elements of the learning journey. This chapter uses case studies of professional development workshops to assist higher education curriculum leaders, academic developers and teaching staff to identify and develop methods for building a structured program that embeds ePortfolios from first to final year within tertiary and industry contexts. The process includes understanding and mapping program learning outcomes, scaffolding course learning outcomes, and addressing and assessing these outcomes to ensure that holistic program design provides evidence to meet quality standards and competencies. Higher education teaching staff often design and deliver courses individually, without considering implications of assessment design and learning outcomes for a program as a whole. The aim of the professional development workshop was to simulate authentic, collaborative planning activities where participants worked in small groups to plan the integration of ePortfolios across a program. Utilising self-completed questionnaire data gathered through end-of-workshop evaluations, this chapter discusses the pedagogical design, content and considerations addressed by the professional development workshop, as well as implications for its use to support higher education teaching staff.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Bennett, D., Rowley, J., Dunbar-Hall, P., Hitchcock, M., & Blom, D. (2014). Electronic portfolios and learner identity: An ePortfolio case study in music and writing. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 1–18. doi:10.1080/0309877X.2014.895306

  • Blom, D., Rowley, J., Bennett, D., Hitchcock, M., & Dunbar-Hall, P. (2014). Knowledge sharing: Exploring institutional policy and educator practice through ePortfolios in music and writing. Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 12(2), 138–148.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eifler, K. E. (2012). What would the Brady bunch do? The Teaching Professor, 26(7), 6.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education. (2015). Standards and guidelines for quality assurance in the European higher education area. http://www.enqa.eu/index.php/home/esg/

  • Faulkner, M., Mahfuzul Aziz, S., Waye, V., & Smith, E. (2013). Exploring ways that ePortfolios can support the progressive development of graduate qualities and professional competencies. Higher Education Research & Development, 32(6), 871–887. doi:10.1080/07294360.2013.806437.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fisher, M. B., & Hill, A. J. (2015). Eportfolio adoption and implementation in a multiple campus university environment. Literacy Information and Computer Education Journal, 6, 1261–1266.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fong, R. W., Lee, J. C., Chang, C., Zhang, Z., Ngai, A. C., & Lim, C. P. (2014). Digital teaching portfolio in higher education: Examining colleagues’ perceptions to inform implementation strategies. The Internet and Higher Education, 20(0), 60–68. doi:http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1016/j.iheduc.2013.06.003

  • Garrett, B. M., MacPhee, M., & Jackson, C. (2013). Evaluation of an eportfolio for the assessment of clinical competence in a baccalaureate nursing program. Nurse Education Today, 33(10), 1207–1213. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2012.06.015.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gibson, D., & Barrett, H. (2003). Directions in electronic portfolio development. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 2(4), 559–576. http://www.citejournal.org/vol2/iss4/general/article3.cfm

  • Hallam, G., Harper, W., McAllister, L., Hauville, K., & Creagh, T. (2010). Australian ePortfolio project: ePortfolio use by university students in Australia: Informing excellence in policy and practice: supplementary report October 2010. http://www.eportfoliopractice.qut.edu.au/

  • Kahn, S. (2014). E-portfolios: A look at where we’ve been, where we are now, and where we’re (possibly) going. Peer Review, 16(1), 4–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kardasz, S. M. (2013). What are the best approaches for encouraging diffusion of a new instructional technology among faculty members in higher education? A look at eporfolio use at Stony Brook University. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 42(1), 43–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knight, P. T., & Yorke, M. (2003). Employability and good learning in higher education. Teaching in Higher Education, 8(1), 3–16. doi:10.1080/1356251032000052294.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, J., & Burt, R. (2015). Introducing ePortfolios to construction management undergraduate students. Paper presented at the 51st ASC annual international conference, Texas, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, A. (2009). E-portfolios – Managing learner information in the vocational education and training sector. Learning Communities: International Journal of Learning in Social Contexts, (2: e-Portfolio edition), 16–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moran, W., Vozzo, L., Reid, J.-A., Pietsch, M., & Hatton, C. (2013). How can technology make this work? Preservice teachers, off-campus learning and digital portfolios. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 38(5), 116–130. doi:10.14221/ajte.2013v38n5.9

  • Posey, L., Plack, M. M., Snyder, R., Dinneen, P. L., Feuer, M., & Wiss, A. (2015). Developing a pathway for an institution wide eportfolio program. International Journal of ePortfolio, 5(1), 75–92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. (2013). UK quality code for higher education. http://www.qaa.ac.uk/assuring-standards-and-quality/the-quality-code

  • Ralston, A. (2015). ePortfolio development and potential relationship to learning theories. In M. Ally & B. H. Khan (Eds.), International handbook of E-learning volume 2: Implementation and case studies (pp. 105–127). New York: Taylor & Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rhodes, T. L. (2008). VALUE: Valid assessment of learning in undergraduate education. New Directions for Institutional Research, 2008(S1), 59–70. doi:10.1002/ir.262.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richards-Schuster, K., Ruffolo, M. C., Nicoll, K. L., Distelrath, C., & Galura, J. A. (2014). Using ePortfolios to assess program goals, integrative learning, and civic engagement: A case example. International Journal of ePortfolio, 4(2), 133–141.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rowley, D. J., Bennett, D., Blom, D., & Dunbar-Hall, D. P. (2014). Exploring the pedagogy and impact of technology on eportfolio creation for arts students in Australian tertiary study. UAE Journal of Educational Technology and eLearning, 5, 36–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siu, F. K. P. (2013). The incorporation of eportolios into EFL courses: Barriers encountered in the diffusion of technology. Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 24(2), 211–231.

    Google Scholar 

  • Slade, C., Murfin, K., & Readman, K. (2013). Evaluating processes and platforms for potential eportfolio use: The role of the middle agent. International Journal of ePortfolio, 3(2), 177–188.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, J., Dunbar-Hall, P., & Rowley, J. (2012). The e-Portfolio continuum: Discovering variables for e-portfolio adoption within music education. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 28(8), 1362–1381.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency. (2011). Higher education standards framework (threshold standards). http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2013C00169/Html/Text-_Toc330548945

  • University of Western Australia. (2015). UWA curriculum skills framework. http://www.catl.uwa.edu.au/projects/communication. Accessed 1 June 2015.

  • von Konsky, B., & Oliver, B. (2012). The iPortfolio: Measuring uptake and effective use of an institutional electronic portfolio in higher education. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 28(1), 67–90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walsh, B., Main, S., & Lock, G. (2008). A reflective journal please: Would you like an ePortfolio with that? Paper presented at the First ECULTURE conference, Perth, Edith Cowan University. http://ro.ecu.edu.au/eculture/vol1/iss1/6

  • Yancey, K. B. (2011). Making learning visible, making differences in learning: The contribution of electronic portfolios. Paper presented at the ePortfolio Australia conference: Making a difference – Showing the difference, Curtin University, Perth Western Australia.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia

    Katrina Strampel, Ruth Sibson & Susan Main

Authors
  1. Katrina Strampel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ruth Sibson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Susan Main
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Katrina Strampel .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Sydney Conservatorium of Music, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    Jennifer Rowley

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Strampel, K., Sibson, R., Main, S. (2017). Professional Development to Support the Embedding of ePortfolios in Higher Education Programs. In: Rowley, J. (eds) ePortfolios in Australian Universities. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-1732-2_3

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-1732-2_3

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-10-1731-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-10-1732-2

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation