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What is an ePortfolio?

An ePortfolio is a purposeful (digital) selection of evidence demonstrating your achievements as reflective learner or professional. In other words, it is an electronic document presenting information about who you are as learner or professional. It may include information on your values, interests, educational route with achievements (what you have learnt from positive and negative experiences), learning, skills and competencies.

Think of your ePortfolio as a GPS (Global Positioning System), telling you where you are now and what you have to do to reach the destination you have chosen. But unlike a GPS which can automatically tell you where you are, your ePortfolio is only as good as the data you feed it with.

Your ePortfolio is a key element of your own personal online space or digital identity. You can choose to keep it to yourself or share it with others.

Think of your ePortfolio as a GPS (Global Positioning System), telling you where you are now and what you have to do to reach the destination you have chosen. But unlike a GPS which can automatically tell you where you are, your ePortfolio is only as good as the data you feed it with.Your ePortfolio is a key element of your own personal online space or digital identity. You can choose to keep it to yourself or share it with others.

(e)Portfolio: a purposeful (digital) selection of evidence demonstrating your achievements as reflective learner or professional

What distinguishes an ePortfolio from an electronic CV is the reflective element, i.e. the self-observation on how we learn, how effective we are at it, making judgements on our own performance, using critical thinking, actively challenging both ourselves and others. Another difference is the dialogue dimension of an ePortfolio, i.e. the capturing of conversations with your peers, mentors, colleagues, etc. Without reflective and conversational elements, an ePortfolio is just a sophisticated electronic CV.

An ePortfolio is more than a document or a product: it is the outcome of a process which should help you to better understand not just what you have achieved and learnt, but how you have learnt and how you will exploit this new knowledge in the future.

It is also the belief of the authors of this guide that a new generation of ePortfolio authors can contribute to the emergence of the ePortfolio as a new genre, bringing imagination and creativity to a field still dominated by rational and structured thinking. There is an opportunity to not simply mimic and copy current ePortfolios but contribute to the advancement and transformation of practices.

Europortfolio Events

ePIC 2021

Next ePortfolio Events
Maharamoot / Moodlemoot FR 2012
Première réunion annuelle des utitilisateurs francophones de Mahara
Mahara UK 2012
The annual Mahara UK conference provides an opportunity for learning technologists, educators, users, and developers - everyone who uses Mahara to meet and share their ideas and experiences.
ePIC 2012
9-10-11 July 2012, London, we will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the international ePortfolio & Identity Conference. After Boston in 2011, London will also welcome the second ePortfolio World Summit.
Networked Identities Workshop
London 10 July 2012, join us at the 'Networked Identities' workshop held during ePIC 2012. This workshop is one of the very first stages towards the publication of an open textbook addressing the issue: "How Digital Technologies Reshape Identity Construction in the 21st Century." The objective of the workshop is to: collect the first inputs of the community on the book project; agree on book objectives, book structure and core areas to be covered; identify research questions, potential contributors and potential sponsors. The abstracts will be published in special book of abstracts and in ePIC 2012 proceedings.
ePortfolios as a Catalyst for Connections: Celebrating the Curious, Creative and Capable Learner
For the third year, AAEEBL members and eportfolio practitioners from around the world will gather at the Seaport World Trade Center on stunning Boston Harbor for the AAEEBL Annual Conference. Once again, AAEEBL is co-locating with Campus Technology, and attendees will be welcome to attend either AAEEBL or CT sessions.
ePortfolios Australia Conference 2012
Meeting expectations – Achieving goals 27-28 September 2012 Australian Catholic University, North Sydney Following on from the success of the two previous ePortfolios Australia Conferences, ePortfolios Australia Conference 2012 (EAC2012) will showcase the diversity of eportfolio practice in Australia and beyond by bringing together national and international speakers from all levels of education as well as from professional associations and industry areas. Themed ‘Meeting Expectations – Achieving Goals’, EAC2012 will focus on effective eportfolio practice for: evidencing learning and professional standards; supporting quality assessment; and helping individuals achieve their goals.