About ePortfolio

History of the UoW student ePortfolio project

UOW has been strategically exploring electronic portfolios since 2002. In December 2005 it was proposed to make available a university wide ePortfolio system, based on ePortfolio trials conducted in 2002 and 2003. The team has developed and continues to refine a literature review on international ePortfolio trends as well as continuing to research and trial ways to ensure a quality academic integration of the ePortfolio into UOW curriculum.

In Session 1 of 2006 approximately 300 students trialled an html based ePortfolio using "wiki on a stick" technology - a wiki stored and transportable on a memory stick. A smaller trial was conducted where the ePortfolio provided was a structured Word document. Both provided structured support for reflection on the development of a blend of both Graduate Attributes and Professional Skills criteria. This trial has been useful in understanding student needs and perceptions of both Graduate Attributes, Professional Skills and reflecting via ePortfolios. In addition, the trial has been useful to identify the kind of support that both staff and students require to integrate ePortfolios into subjects, including how it might be assessed.

After a review of a number of wiki/blog tools on the market (including open-source) the new Blackboard Portfolio for Vista tool was identified as the tool that met major current ePortfolio requirements, as well as having a range of other attractive features. After satisfactory trials in Session 2 of 2006 and appropriate funding, the Blackboard Portfolio for Vista was implemented in February 2007. The role of the Project Team was to ensure a quality, educationally sound implementation of the ePortfolio tool with a focus on Faculty, School and Discipline consultation to be able to customise the tool to allow students to reflect and store evidence of learning against Graduate Attributes, Professional Skills, or a mixture of both Graduate Attributes and Professional Skills.