Use of e-portfolios in assessment

We are discussing e-portfolios this week as tomorrow sees another RSC Practical E-Portfolios day being held jointly by West Midlands and East Midlands RSC’s. To support this I've been compiling a number of e-portfolio information and resources that I intend to add to our existing West Midlands e-portfolio pages set up by Kevin Brace.

In the near future I also intend to use these pages to share feedback from WBL providers in this region on their e-portfolio usage, but for now I wanted to draw specific attention to a single publication that I think covers e-portfolios very well.

E-Assessment: Guide to effective practice covers the use of both e-testing and the use of e-portfolios for assessment. The four UK Qualifications regulators developed the guide in consultation with awarding bodies and providers in different parts of the UK. It is intended to help staff to understand the key issues involved in using e-portfolios, put in place appropriate systems and supporting processes and ensure that people have, or acquire, the requisite skills to manage and use the systems efficiently and effectively. It also includes a series of documents containing tables, checklists, process guides and other resources that may be copied and used by WBL providers.

The guide includes a discussion of the following areas:

• Preparing to introduce e-portfolios - Drivers, capacity to manage and skills required

• Benefits of using e-portfolios in assessment - Assisting the assessment process
  


• Key issues related to e-portfolios - Strategic issues, staff commitment and training, ownership of the e-portfolio and its content, technology issues
  


• Selecting an e-portfolio system - Overall principles, initial checks, involving staff in the decision-making process

• Functionality and fitness for purpose - Key functional requirements – summary, detailed functional requirements and issues

A copy of the full publication “e-Assessment: Guide to effective practice’ can be accessed from the EFutures website. Alternatively its section 4 on e-portfolios entitled “Use of e-portfolios in assessment” can be accessed separately here.