This chapter explores the process and significance of building e-portfolios, highlighting the essential components involved in their development. The chapter emphasizes the purpose of e-portfolios, employing effective reflection techniques, utilizing engagement strategies, and executing suitable summation and presentation methods. The e-portfolio process encompasses various aspects such as evidence of reflection, knowledge acquisition, skill development, competency demonstration, collaboration, artifact creation, portfolio structure, and publication or presentation. Organizing the e-portfolio to align with industry standards and goals is of utmost importance. The chapter also discusses the multifaceted analysis of sustainable strategies and tactics in education through e-portfolios and their role in preparing professionals in the workforce.
TopIntroduction
An electronic portfolio, also known as an e-portfolio, is a digital collection of documents, artifacts, and evidence that showcase an individual's skills, achievements, experiences, and reflections. E-portfolios are important in today's world due to their alignment with digital technologies, the emphasis on skills-based job markets, the need for lifelong learning and career development, the rise of remote work and global connectivity, the significance of personal branding and networking, and the shift towards competency-based education and assessment. They empower individuals to showcase their abilities, adapt to changing demands, and navigate their professional journey effectively in the modern landscape.
An electronic portfolio platform is used for career development within an online learning management system (LMS) that gives the portfolio structure (Danielson & Abrutyn, 2017). E-portfolios are time-based in that the learner contributes by adding artifacts. These artifacts are continually evaluated, reevaluated, and amended based on additional studies. E-portfolios are theme-based, correlating with themes and subjects important to the learner (Chen & Light, 2010). E-portfolios are also skill-based, focusing on the skills the learner wants to showcase. Similarly, an e-portfolio is a digitized personalized collection of materials, a record of professional development, proof of performance, and tangible artifacts. It also promotes evidence of a learner's new skills (Hui, 2017).
Gone are the days when e-portfolios were limited to academia alone. Students and professionals have recently used e-portfolios to showcase their abilities in the classroom and with employers. This trend has sparked the interest of employers to engage potential employees through the e-portfolio methodology. E-portfolios are characterized as ongoing endeavors that continue throughout an individual's lifetime, adapting to incorporate new projects, accomplishments, and recognition. Consequently, they serve as dynamic and evolving records that effectively showcase the capabilities and achievements of their creators. Regarding the design of e-portfolios, every career field has specific artifacts pertinent to the field and of utmost importance to the reviewer (Hui, 2017). Information, documentation, or artifacts that are irrelevant to the presentation must not be included. Finally, the popularity of e-portfolios highlights the importance of keyword search in the professional domain with e-portfolio tools for web-based applications. As a result, when deciding whether to build an e-portfolio, it is crucial to understand the process which entails a clear purpose for the e-portfolio, reflection techniques, engagement strategies, summation, and presentation methods. To elucidate, the e-portfolio process includes a learner's evidence of reflection, knowledge base, skill set, collaboration, creation of artifacts, structure, and publications or presentations (Yusuf, 2017). Paramount to any e-portfolio is to organize the portfolio to incorporate the outcomes, goals, and standards of the industry a student intends to work.
E-Portfolio Development
Developmental, assessment, and showcase are three types of e-portfolios (Regis, 2017). Developmental portfolios demonstrate the enhancement and development of student skills over time and are considered progressive and include self-assessment, reflection, and feedback elements. Assessment portfolios elucidate student competencies and skills in well-defined areas and provide end-of-course or program assessments. Showcase portfolios elucidate exemplary work and student skills. This portfolio is developed after a program to highlight the quality of student work and obtain employment after a degree program. Finally, hybrid portfolios combine development, assessment, and showcase portfolios. Many experts believe that most e-portfolios are hybrids that comprise components from each of the three main types of e-portfolio (Regis, 2017). From this perspective, the main advantages of e-portfolios lie in the potential benefits they offer students (Yu, 2011). The benefits are not limited to the final e-portfolio for assessment but provide career enhancement and greater engagement in a student's field of study (Danielson & Abrutyn, 2017). Additionally, e-portfolios offer a framework within which students can personalize their learning experiences. E-portfolios allow students to take responsibility for their learning and actively engage in the subject matter they have chosen to study.