Many benefits have been reported in the literature for the use of portfolios in general as well as additional benefits of having these portfolios in an interactive, electronic format.
Benefits of portfolios
- The potential benefits reported for portfolio learning include:
- That they encourage reflective learning.
- They can aid personal development planning.
- Portfolios can help practitioners relate theory to practice.
- They can promote self-esteem, confidence and self-knowledge.
- Portfolio learning requires a degree of learner autonomy.
- Portfolios can benefit organisational learning as well as individual learning.
Additional benefits offered by electronic portfolios.
E-portfolios bring a range of technology tools that have the potential to enhance portfolio learning.
E-portfolios:
- Allow for greater flexibility and use of the portfolio material.
- Can be more interactive.
- Can include communication tools that can speed up feedback and create communities of practice.
- Offer the ability to publish to the world via the Internet.
Sources:
Armitage, C. (1998, December 16th) ‘The benefits of pause for thought’, The Australian, p.16 in Woodward, H. & Nanlohy, P. (2004) ‘Digital portfolios: fact or fashion?’ Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 29 (2) pp.227-238
Challis, M. (1999) ‘Portfolio-based learning and assessment in medical education’, Medical Teacher, 21 (4) pp.370-386
Clegg, S., Hudson, A. & Mitchell, A. (2005) ‘The personal created through dialogue: enhancing the possibilities through the use of new media’, ALT-J, Research in Learning Technology , 13(1) pp.3-15
Greenberg, G. (2004) ‘The digital convergence: Extending the portfolio model’, Educause Review, 39 (4) pp.28-37
Hartnell-Young, E. & Morriss, M. (1999) Digital Professional Portfolios For Change, Skylight, Illinois
Joyce, P. (2005) ‘A framework for portfolio development in postgraduate nursing practice’, Journal of Clinical Nursing, 14 pp.456-463
Mathers, N.J., Challis, M.C., Howe, A.C. & Field, N.J. (1999) ‘Portfolios in Continuing Medical Education – Effective and Efficient? Medical Education, 33 pp.521-530
Woodward, H. & Nanlohy, P. (2004) ‘Digital portfolios: fact or fashion?’ Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 29 (2) pp.227-238