Electronic Portfolios are increasingly being developed and used in higher education. Although the concept of a portfolio is not new, an electronic portfolio is a collection of electronic information for developing or demonstrating competencies in a field of study. This may include artifacts (documents, presentations, audio and/or video clips, graphics, etc.) and reflections.
The process of creating a portfolio includes the common elements of collecting, selecting, reflecting, and projecting. When creating a portfolio, it is important to be aware of the purpose(s), which generally revolve around learning, assessment, and showcase.
Learn how to use eDoc: eDoc Portfolios Instruction Modules
Other names for electronic portfolios are ePortfolios, Efolios, Webfolios, Website Portfolios, and more.
There are many different approaches to creating electronic portfolio software: homegrown, open-source, commercial, common-tools, and hybrids. To explore various resources, options, and initiatives regarding electronic portfolios in higher education, visit the Electronic Portfolio Consortium.
eDoc is a university-wide electronic portfolio system at Iowa State University. Designed and developed here at ISU, eDoc allows students (undergraduate and graduate) to collect and present evidence demonstrating academic and professional competencies to faculty advisors, departments, and potential employers. It also allows students to interact and collaborate with their peers in a professional and scholarly manner.
Each portfolio a student creates in eDoc is organized according to a “theme” or interface. A theme may be designed by any department, college, or employer to define the competencies, information, and documents desired by the designer. There are several existing themes. Others are in the developmental stage.
eDoc is integrated with the iState portal, which is based on uPortal, an open-source university portal developed by the JA-SIG consortium. iState is a campus-wide service to aggregate information from a variety of campus sources into a simple, web-based tool for use by students, faculty, and staff of Iowa State University.
As an eDoc electronic portfolio owner, you can:
- Log into the iState portal system and create your portfolio
- Upload and manage your files in your allocated space
- Add and edit your reflections and artifacts
- Selectively share your portfolio with specific types of access
- View/save comments given by guests and stakeholders
Read stories from eDoc users:
To learn more about electronic portfolios or to develop an eDoc theme for your department:
See the eDoc Portfolio Instruction Modules for more information on setting up and using the electronic portfolio system at Iowa State University.
Contact Lesya Hassall or Rex Heer (eportfolio@iastate.edu; 515-294-9767) in the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT).