Evaluating e-portfolios for university learning: Challenges and opportunities

Margot McNeill; Andrew Cram

Evaluating e-portfolios for university learning: Challenges and opportunities

Margot McNeill^*, Andrew Cram

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference proceeding contribution › peer-review

10 Citations (Scopus)

65 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

E-portfolios provide a web-based space where students can demonstrate their development of expertise in a wide range of skills and knowledge, whether in discipline knowledge or graduate capabilities. However, it is yet to be demonstrated how readily these tools can be integrated within the university curriculum. This paper reports on the results of a pilot implementation of the Mahara e-portfolio tool in an Australian university, involving different curriculum contexts across two semesters. Students in the participating units were surveyed on their perspectives about the usability of the e-portfolio tool, the support provided and its effectiveness for their learning. The results suggest that, like all successful curriculum innovations, e-portfolios need to be integrated into the learning and teaching process and students need to understand the benefits as part of successfully engaging with the tools. Amongst the implications is the question of whether the currently available e-portfolio tools are sufficiently sophisticated to integrate seamlessly with existing LMS platforms to meet the changing demands of higher education.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Changing demands, changing directions
Subtitle of host publication	proceedings ASCILITE Hobart 2011
Editors	G. Williams, P. Statham, N. Brown, B. Cleland
Pages	862-873
Number of pages	12
Publication status	Published - 2011
Event	Annual Conference of the Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education - "Changing demands, changing directions", ASCILITE 2011 - Hobart, TAS, Australia Duration: 4 Dec 2011 → 7 Dec 2011

Other

Other	Annual Conference of the Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education - "Changing demands, changing directions", ASCILITE 2011
Country/Territory	Australia
City	Hobart, TAS
Period	4/12/11 → 7/12/11

Bibliographical note

Copyright 2011 Margot McNeill and Andrew Cram. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

Keywords

Assessment
E-portfolios
Student capabilities
Technology
Work-integrated learning

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Cite this

@inproceedings{5beffa1f38c643a99d75f4e663cbf65e,

title = "Evaluating e-portfolios for university learning: Challenges and opportunities",

abstract = "E-portfolios provide a web-based space where students can demonstrate their development of expertise in a wide range of skills and knowledge, whether in discipline knowledge or graduate capabilities. However, it is yet to be demonstrated how readily these tools can be integrated within the university curriculum. This paper reports on the results of a pilot implementation of the Mahara e-portfolio tool in an Australian university, involving different curriculum contexts across two semesters. Students in the participating units were surveyed on their perspectives about the usability of the e-portfolio tool, the support provided and its effectiveness for their learning. The results suggest that, like all successful curriculum innovations, e-portfolios need to be integrated into the learning and teaching process and students need to understand the benefits as part of successfully engaging with the tools. Amongst the implications is the question of whether the currently available e-portfolio tools are sufficiently sophisticated to integrate seamlessly with existing LMS platforms to meet the changing demands of higher education.",

keywords = "Assessment, E-portfolios, Student capabilities, Technology, Work-integrated learning",

author = "Margot McNeill and Andrew Cram",

note = "Copyright 2011 Margot McNeill and Andrew Cram. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.; Annual Conference of the Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education - {"}Changing demands, changing directions{"}, ASCILITE 2011 ; Conference date: 04-12-2011 Through 07-12-2011",

year = "2011",

language = "English",

isbn = "9781862956445",

pages = "862--873",

editor = "G. Williams and P. Statham and N. Brown and B. Cleland",

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McNeill, M & Cram, A 2011, Evaluating e-portfolios for university learning: Challenges and opportunities. in G Williams, P Statham, N Brown & B Cleland (eds), Changing demands, changing directions: proceedings ASCILITE Hobart 2011. pp. 862-873, Annual Conference of the Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education - "Changing demands, changing directions", ASCILITE 2011, Hobart, TAS, Australia, 4/12/11.

Evaluating e-portfolios for university learning: Challenges and opportunities. / McNeill, Margot; Cram, Andrew.
Changing demands, changing directions: proceedings ASCILITE Hobart 2011. ed. / G. Williams; P. Statham; N. Brown; B. Cleland. 2011. p. 862-873.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference proceeding contribution › peer-review

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AU - McNeill, Margot

AU - Cram, Andrew

N1 - Copyright 2011 Margot McNeill and Andrew Cram. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

PY - 2011

Y1 - 2011

N2 - E-portfolios provide a web-based space where students can demonstrate their development of expertise in a wide range of skills and knowledge, whether in discipline knowledge or graduate capabilities. However, it is yet to be demonstrated how readily these tools can be integrated within the university curriculum. This paper reports on the results of a pilot implementation of the Mahara e-portfolio tool in an Australian university, involving different curriculum contexts across two semesters. Students in the participating units were surveyed on their perspectives about the usability of the e-portfolio tool, the support provided and its effectiveness for their learning. The results suggest that, like all successful curriculum innovations, e-portfolios need to be integrated into the learning and teaching process and students need to understand the benefits as part of successfully engaging with the tools. Amongst the implications is the question of whether the currently available e-portfolio tools are sufficiently sophisticated to integrate seamlessly with existing LMS platforms to meet the changing demands of higher education.

AB - E-portfolios provide a web-based space where students can demonstrate their development of expertise in a wide range of skills and knowledge, whether in discipline knowledge or graduate capabilities. However, it is yet to be demonstrated how readily these tools can be integrated within the university curriculum. This paper reports on the results of a pilot implementation of the Mahara e-portfolio tool in an Australian university, involving different curriculum contexts across two semesters. Students in the participating units were surveyed on their perspectives about the usability of the e-portfolio tool, the support provided and its effectiveness for their learning. The results suggest that, like all successful curriculum innovations, e-portfolios need to be integrated into the learning and teaching process and students need to understand the benefits as part of successfully engaging with the tools. Amongst the implications is the question of whether the currently available e-portfolio tools are sufficiently sophisticated to integrate seamlessly with existing LMS platforms to meet the changing demands of higher education.

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KW - Work-integrated learning

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AN - SCOPUS:84870808073

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BT - Changing demands, changing directions

A2 - Williams, G.

A2 - Statham, P.

A2 - Brown, N.

A2 - Cleland, B.

Y2 - 4 December 2011 through 7 December 2011

ER -

Evaluating e-portfolios for university learning: Challenges and opportunities

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Keywords

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