Examples of ePortfolios

When asked 'why portfolios' I usually cite the ability to showcase work, to reflect, to re-organise and to present additional content (say to compliment a job application) and so on. One of the most important aspects of ePortfolios is that content is private by default until made public. This separates specialist ePortfolio sites, from most blogs, wikis, and the ever popular Facebook.

There are obvious advantages though as well for teachers to use a mega host like Facebook. The students are already there, and it is so popular. The learning curve is already done which is a huge advantage. That said, I am personally reluctant to allow my students to use Facebook for a number of reasons. A few are that it merges the private with the public; it blurs the informal with the formal; it provides too many distractions (such as games). Facebook is set up and works brilliantly as a social networking platform, but it works far less well, as an ePortfolio. An ePortfolio allows for groups, sub groups, forums, shared views, and personal spaces can be purpose built and/or reorganised at will. Access can also be controlled and shared easily.

Control and ownership over access to content is at the heart of FolioSpaces, and we firmly believe both of these elements should rest with the user. Most specialist ePortfolio software (like Mahara) is designed this way. This was the driving force behind the development of LEAP2A protocols which allow users to export their entire portfolio content from (LEAP2A) compliant software when they graduate, or move from one hosting service to another.

The down side of all this otherwise great user control of access to content is it is hard to see examples of ePortfolios. I always look at any public views in my 'recently updated' list on FolioSpaces my logged in dashboard and I love to view the (public) profiles of logged in users, but it is still a random experience. I was really pleased to find this link from Ms. Beach's Honors English class at Carmel High School. It is a rare opportunity to see the collected work of a class showcased. They obviously have their own Mahara installed, but many views are public.

So, while I am the first to declare privacy controls are critical for ePortfolios, it is also great to see the finished product. After all if parts of a portfolio are never shared, who needs a portfolio? A Word document stored on a PC would be fine. So it is a bit of a privacy paradox. If portfolios are mainly private, how do we know how good they are, or what they can be used for? I do wish there were more Mrs Beach's honors classes to share, and I would love more examples if anyone has them.

Cheers, Ian