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Book part
Publication date: 8 November 2010

Juliana Chau

This vignette reports on the preliminary findings of a survey about interdisciplinary practices in a Hong Kong university. ePortfolios were used as a tool to help university…

Abstract

This vignette reports on the preliminary findings of a survey about interdisciplinary practices in a Hong Kong university. ePortfolios were used as a tool to help university students develop interdisciplinary language skills. The survey aimed to find out students’ and teachers’ perceptions of such ePortfolios, and the possible effects of ePortfolio use on interdisciplinary and linguistic practices. Results indicate both similarities and differences in perception between the two groups of participants and raise two linked issues. The first points to the attitude of ‘drifters’ and ‘resisters’ and the second considers two dilemmas arising from interdisiciplinarity and language training.

Details

Interdisciplinary Higher Education: Perspectives and Practicalities
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-0-85724-371-3

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 28 June 2021

Diane M. Holtzman, Ellen M. Kraft and Emmanuel Small

The purpose of the study was to determine if representatives of small and large businesses in New Jersey believe portfolios would be valuable for evaluating applicants as part of…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to determine if representatives of small and large businesses in New Jersey believe portfolios would be valuable for evaluating applicants as part of the hiring process and whether portfolios would help applicants in the hiring process.

Design/methodology/approach

Representatives from 109 small and 71 large businesses in New Jersey were surveyed about using portfolios in the hiring process.

Findings

Representatives from both small and large businesses believe that the submission of a portfolio of exemplary work may help the applicant and the employer in the hiring process.

Research limitations/implications

The study limitations are that the respondents had different definitions of ePortfolio, it was a convenience survey, and the researchers used two sets of data. For future research, conducting a study in a major region of the world would be a significant contribution to learning about the views of business representatives globally regarding the use of ePortfolios in the hiring decision process.

Practical implications

The authors recommend that educational institutions encourage students to create portfolios as part of their career preparation to gain an edge as applicants in the job market. EPortfolios are an emerging tool to help employers in the hiring decision process.

Social implications

EPortfolios would provide evidence of the employee's fit to the position, thus eliminating a mismatch of the employee's skill set and qualifications to the job. The ePortfolio aids the employer in seeing the candidate's skills for the position.

Originality/value

This paper adds to the limited research about the emergence of ePortfolios having a role in human resource decision making.

Details

Journal of Work-Applied Management, vol. 14 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2205-2062

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 June 2009

Simon Housego and Nicola Parker

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the potential and the challenges of successful integration of ePortfolios and graduate attributes into the curriculum.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the potential and the challenges of successful integration of ePortfolios and graduate attributes into the curriculum.

Design/methodology/approach

An argument is presented about the positioning of ePortfolios, and their links to graduate attributes, that draws upon the experiences of working with teachers to design, implement and support effective teaching practices to inform the challenges and opportunities that ePortfolios present for institutions, teachers and business curricula.

Findings

The potential of ePortfolios for supporting student learning must be balanced against the difficulties of embedding the necessary curriculum changes. Institutions expecting to see take‐up of ePortfolios by their teachers will need different strategies than those that accompanied the introduction of learning management systems.

Research limitations/implications

The paper is based on experiences in an Australian context and a small‐scale trial. The limited availability of studies of student learning and the longitudinal use of ePortfolios in the social networking Web 2.0 context are also limitations.

Practical implications

A range of potential uses of ePortfolios is considered with a particular focus on seeing their use from the whole‐of‐program viewpoint, with discussion of the limitations for curriculum if decisions about ePortfolio use are left entirely to teachers to decide.

Originality/value

The paper's value is in its argument about the potential for linking ePortfolios to an integrated curriculum by addressing a common problem with the process of embedding of graduate attributes, and in suggesting a role for changed assessment practices to make this possible.

Details

Education + Training, vol. 51 no. 5/6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0040-0912

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 September 2017

Kerry Anne Bodle, Mirela Malin and Andrew Wynhoven

The purpose of this paper is to investigate students’ experiences of, and attitudes on, the use of technology – in the form of ePortfolio – as an assessment tool. The authors seek…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate students’ experiences of, and attitudes on, the use of technology – in the form of ePortfolio – as an assessment tool. The authors seek to determine whether ePortfolios aid students in facilitating critical reflection on their learning and academic skill development. The authors also determine whether ePortfolios can provide an alternative assessment tool to the traditional assessment practices in the accounting and business discipline.

Design/methodology/approach

This study surveys students enrolled in an indigenous business course using questions on the usability of ePortfolios, technical support and effectiveness in critical reflection and learning. Formal evaluations were included to capture students’ self-reflections on their ePortfolio experience. The analysis included analysis of variance, t-tests, correlations and hierarchical regression.

Findings

Results indicated that students show positive attitudes toward ePortfolios even after controlling for possible confounding variables such as previous experience, attitudes and accessibility. The authors also found that ePortfolios are a useful vehicle for enhancing students’ learning and understanding of indigenous knowledge in a business context. They were also found to facilitate students’ ability to critically reflect, engage in learning and develop their academic skills.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this study could benefit those working in higher education, particularly accounting academics in Australian universities, and the adaptation of ePortfolios in a blended learning environment, and contribute to pedagogical knowledge regarding indigenous business issues. Academics could design the curriculum of the accounting courses within the commerce programme that addresses programme learning objectives to align with graduate employability outcomes.

Practical implications

This study provides a foundation for improving the design and assessment of written communication activities in accounting courses to achieve employability skills outcomes commensurate with university accreditation criteria. This could be achieved with the development of a community of practice developed by the professional accounting bodies in collaboration with Australian universities.

Originality/value

The research is not wholly new, although the use of ePortfolios in accounting education is not widely reported and, therefore, may be of interest to those in advancing the accounting education agenda. In light of the recent call by Australian professional accounting bodies, ePortfolios can provide accounting graduates the non-technical or soft skills such as communication, interpersonal and critical thinking.

Details

Accounting Research Journal, vol. 30 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1030-9616

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 March 2019

Monika Ciesielkiewicz

The purpose of this paper is to explore the question of whether the school principals would use an educational ePortfolio for recruiting purposes.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the question of whether the school principals would use an educational ePortfolio for recruiting purposes.

Design/methodology/approach

To examine whether the school principals are willing to use the educational ePortfolio for recruiting purposes, a survey was carried out among 35 school principals. The final version of the survey was audited by a panel of four experts on education and instructional technology, and a board member of the Spanish Association of Human Resources Directors (AEDRH) to ensure the clarity, relevance and validity of the items in the survey.

Findings

The information collected from this study provides a better understanding of the perception and approval rating of ePortfolios as a job search tool in the education sector. The research findings reveal that an educational ePortfolio can count with a significant approval among school principals in the Spanish context. The insight gained from this study might encourage leaders of educational institutions to adapt ePortfolios and foster their implementation into curriculum as a part of the higher education system.

Originality/value

This study is relevant and contributes to advancing knowledge in the field as it is the only research on this topic, up to now, conducted in the context of Spanish-speaking countries.

Details

On the Horizon, vol. 27 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1074-8121

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 June 2011

Carolyn Woodley and Rob Sims

The purpose of this study is to explore business students' views about using ePortfolios at Victoria University (VU) in Melbourne. It also examines the extent to which students…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore business students' views about using ePortfolios at Victoria University (VU) in Melbourne. It also examines the extent to which students present ePortfolios to prospective employers in applying for jobs.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper draws on the literature on ePortfolio use and the role of ePortfolios in the recruitment process together with results from an online survey of Professional Development students about the use of ePortfolios and the PebblePad platform.

Findings

An analysis of online responses examines student views about the usefulness of ePortfolios, the PebblePad platform, and the relevance of an ePortfolio assessment task. The findings suggest that few students use or expect to use ePortfolios beyond the assessment requirements and highlight students' polarised views about the usefulness of PebblePad.

Research limitations/implications

VU's Business Faculty needs to adopt a whole‐of‐course approach to embedding ePortfolios in the curriculum.

Practical implications

At VU, ePortfolios are promoted to students as a personal learning system and as a creative means of communicating their employability skills. The findings suggest a need to review how ePortfolios are used, promoted and assessed in VU's programs.

Originality/value

EPortfolios offer a structured, digital space where students can present evidence of employability skills and reflective capacity. While VU's Business students develop an ePortfolio to showcase their skills in one mandatory subject, ePortfolios must be better promoted as offering a medium for students to develop, store, and creatively present themselves to potential employers in a whole‐of‐course approach.

Details

Campus-Wide Information Systems, vol. 28 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1065-0741

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 July 2020

Aikaterini Alexiou and Fotini Paraskeva

Undergraduate students often find it difficult to organize their learning activities and manage their learning. Also, teachers need dynamic pedagogical frameworks and learning…

Abstract

Purpose

Undergraduate students often find it difficult to organize their learning activities and manage their learning. Also, teachers need dynamic pedagogical frameworks and learning technologies for supporting learners to advance their academic performance. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of an ePortfolio intervention on self-regulated learning (SRL cognitive, affective, behavioral and contextual processes) and academic achievement.

Design/methodology/approach

For the purposes of this study, an ePortfolio was designed and implemented based on SRL. The ePortfolio-based self-regulated learning approach (ePSRL) system encompasses the merits of a social networking platform and the functionalities of a learning management system. The participants were 123 university students (38 females and 85 males) at a computer science department. Students were randomly divided into two groups, the experimental and the control group.

Findings

The results of the study indicate that there is a significant increase of the means across SRL processes between the perceptions in the experimental and the control group. The implementation of the ePSRL approach as a learning module for undergraduate students could enable learners to manage their learning processes, transform their behavior into measurable learning outcomes and foster their academic performance.

Originality/value

This paper considers the importance of SRL and ePortfolios. Also, highlights the need of providing technology enhanced training courses and interventions to undergraduate students for supporting them to thrive during their academic studies. Thus, it proposes a set of educational affordances and practical guidelines that can be used by practitioners, instructional designers and educators in higher education as well as in vocational education and training institutions.

Details

The International Journal of Information and Learning Technology, vol. 37 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-4880

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 19 April 2018

Linda Pospisilova

In recent years there has been a constant growth in digital portfolio use in tertiary education. Portfolios are used by educational institutions for assessment, as a showcase of…

Abstract

In recent years there has been a constant growth in digital portfolio use in tertiary education. Portfolios are used by educational institutions for assessment, as a showcase of both student and institution work, and with an increasing trend also as a tool for higher employability of graduates and support of lifelong learning. This chapter introduces concepts of portfolio, digital portfolio, language portfolio, autonomy, and self-assessment. It approaches both positivist and constructivist paradigms of digital portfolio and presents examples of ePortfolio implementation at the University of Pardubice. Selected examples of good practice with respect to autonomous learning, experiential learning, and international cooperation are also given.

Details

Active Learning Strategies in Higher Education
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78714-488-0

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 February 2012

Roslyn Cameron

The use of e‐portfolios in recognition of prior learning (RPL) processes in workplace and professional practice contexts has attracted little attention in the literature due to…

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Abstract

Purpose

The use of e‐portfolios in recognition of prior learning (RPL) processes in workplace and professional practice contexts has attracted little attention in the literature due to its emergent nature. This study seeks to explore the growing incidence of e‐portfolio‐based RPL (e‐RPL) and professional recognition (e‐PR) processes in Australia and the implications this has for recognising workplace learning.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper utilises an exploratory study and involves a content analysis of a selected sample of data sources. The sample includes the abstracts and papers presented at the 2009 VET E‐portfolios Showcase and the 2010 ePortfolios Australia conference and the Australian Flexible Learning Framework (AFLF) funded E‐portfolio implementation trials 2009 and 2010.

Findings

The paper finds an array of e‐RPL and e‐PR operationalised across multiple fields/disciplines and contexts. The incidence of e‐PR is more dominant than that of e‐RPL. The findings result in the development of a framework that provides the conceptual scaffolding for recognition systems in the workplace.

Research limitations/implications

The study is limited to Australian based data sources. Further analysis could be expanded to international contexts to increase the data and evidence on e‐RPL and e‐PR processes and the implications these have for recognising workplace. The framework developed from the study provides a conceptual launch pad into future lines of inquiry which can critically explore the underlying pedagogies and knowledge paradigms which have dominated in formal learning systems.

Practical implications

The paper includes implications for the correct matching of practices and tasks to appropriate types of e‐portfolio based RPL and PR along a continuum of formal to informal learning and varying degrees of learner control.

Originality/value

This paper presents an analytical framework for exploring e‐RPL and e‐PR as distinct processes of recognition through a synthesis of RPL and e‐portfolio research and theoretical constructs. The framework includes a typology of e‐RPL and e‐PR based on Smith and Tillema's typology of portfolios and Cameron's models of RPL. The framework will assist in analysing recognition processes undertaken in workplace contexts.

Book part
Publication date: 9 August 2012

Rachel Applegate and Marilyn M. Irwin

Accreditation agencies both institutional and professional (such as the American Library Association) have asked educators to demonstrate student learning outcomes for every…

Abstract

Accreditation agencies both institutional and professional (such as the American Library Association) have asked educators to demonstrate student learning outcomes for every academic program that they are assessing, and that they use the data gathered for continuous improvement of programs. This chapter reports on the development of an electronic portfolio (ePortfolio) structure for accomplishing an assessment process within a school of library and information science. From the student side, the portfolio prompts them to select work that they feel is their best effort for each program outcome such as “assist and educate users.” From the faculty side, all items for a given outcome can be downloaded and assessed quantitatively and qualitatively so as to arrive at an understanding of how well the program as a whole is doing, with sufficient detail to guide specific improvement decisions. During design, researchers employed a sequential qualitative feedback system to pose tasks (usability testing) and gather commentaries (through interviews) from students while faculty debated the efficacy of this approach and its place within the school's curricular structure. The local end product was a usable portfolio system implemented within a course management system (Oncourse/Sakai). The generalizable outcome is an understanding of key elements necessary for ePortfolios to function as a program-level assessment system: a place for students to select and store artifacts, a way for faculty to access and review the artifacts, simple aggregations of scoring and qualitative information, and a feedback loop of results into program design for improved student learning.

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