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Eportfolio Based Assessment - Inspiring Exploration and Supporting Evaluation for Practitioners

by Lisa Donaldson

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Eportfolio Based Assessment
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Inspiring exploration &
supporting evaluation for practitioners
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Edited by Lisa Donaldson, Dublin City University
Contents
Foreword 3

Understanding Eportfolio based assessment 5

Geography , Dublin City University 8

Education, Hadlow & West Kent Colleges 11

Information Technology, Dublin City University 14

Education, Marino Institute of Education 17

Geography, Dublin City University 20

Languages, Warwick University, 21

Health Studies, Institute of Technology, Tralee 24

Psychology, Dublin City University, 27
Finance, National College of Ireland 30

Nursing, Dublin City University 33

Professional Development, Maynooth University 34

Elearning, Dublin Institute of Technology 37

Sociology, Dublin City University 40

Business, Dublin City University 43

Assessing Eportfolios 46

Eportfolio Rubric, 47

References, 49

Contact, 50
Foreword
By Professor Mark Brown, Director of the National Institute for Digital Learning
Portfolios have a long educational history. However, this ebook illustrates how eportfolio has distinct and potentially transformative advantages over the use of traditional paper-based portfolios. My own introduction to the potential of eportfolio for teaching, learning and assessment dates back over a decade when in New Zealand I worked with a small team of colleagues to develop the Mahara open source eportfolio platform.

Since this time both the level of interest and scholarly activity on eportfolio use has grown immensely, as evidenced by a recent literature review of research in this area (Scully, O’Leary & Brown, 2018). Our understandings of the different types and applications of eportfolio in educational settings have become far richer and deeper. The relationship between Assessment and the purpose of eportfolio is crucial to harnessing the transformative potential and larger goal of developing self-directed, critically reflective, life-long learners.

This ebook illustrates the above point by sharing insightful case studies across several institutions of how eportfolio can be embedded in Assessment for learning. It provides a practical guide to successful eportfolio implementation in the context of Assessment across a range of disciplines. Their efforts in sharing their innovations make a valuable contribution to other educators. I would like to personally acknowledge their efforts and also the work of Lisa Donaldson from Dublin City University (DCU) in compiling such a useful collection of cases.
References
Scully, D., O'Leary, M., & Brown, M. (2018). The learning portfolio in higher education: Like a game of snakes and ladders. Centre for Assessment Research, Policy and Practice in Education (CARPE) and Natuonal Institute for Digital Learning (NIDL), Dublin City University, Dublin. Available at https://www.dcu.ie/sites/default/files/carpe/eportfolio_report.pdf
Acknowledgements
Rounded Rectangle
Sincere thanks to all the educators in Ireland and the UK who contributed their eportfolio based assessment and experiences to this book.

It was a collaborative effort which started at the Eportfolio Unconference, funded by the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning. This was run by Eportfolio Ireland at Dublin City University in 2018. I hope this open and collegial sharing of practice will inspire others to explore the many benefits of eportfolio based assessment.
Lisa Donaldson, Dublin City University, August 2018
Understanding Eportfolio Based Assessment
Over the last decade, the use of eportfolio in higher education has been recognised for it's transformational power in the learning process (Batson, 2011). They are seen as a dynamic and innovative medium for recording and showcasing student learning, as well as a powerful tool for reflection and assessment. 

This ebook, a product of collaborative effort from many universities across Ireland and the UK, seeks to highlight examples of impactful eportfolio based assessment. We hope that sharing these assessments, strategies and reflections in this practitioner's guide will inspire and encourage others as they start to explore the many benefits of harnessing eportfolios to support teaching and learning.
Eportfolio based assessment supports documenting student progress and encourage greater student involvement in the learning process. This can result in a 'multimedia collection of evidence that is more authentic and more efficiently collected through partnerships with students over time' (Penny Light, Chen, Ittelson, 2012). A central feature of learning activities for eportfolios is reflection. The examples in this ebook feature reflective writing at their core.
Eportfolio based assessment can provide valuable opportunities to engage in the most effective long-term learning activities. Research has shown that eportfolio practice can provide substantial educational value to students by improving student persistence and the achievement of learning outcomes (Eynon & Gambino, 2017).

Unfortunately, despite the significant growth in the use of eportfolios worldwide and the potential benefits, in Ireland traditional forms of assessment still dominate. A recent study reported that the creation of digital artefacts for assessment were one of the least used assessment methods with 63% of respondents stating they were never used (Y1Feedback, 2016). 

Developing good support structures for students and faculty may be the key to enabling the spread of high-impact ePortfolio practice. Some guidelines are recommended in this ebook to support deeper learning and student success with eportfolio based assessment.
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