The e-portfolio project was initiated by the Faculty of Education during the 2007/2008 school year as a graduating requirement for all teaching candidates. In a panel discussion at the 2009 Canadian e-Learning Conference with Lucas Wright, M. Ed candidate and e-coach; Catherine Paul, OLT Community of Practice Facilitator; Anne Scholefield, Special Projects Coordinator for the Faculty of Education; and Mike Mackenzie, B. Ed candidate, the use of e-portfolios was discussed as both a tool for student reflection and as an auditing tool for the BC College of Teachers (BCCT).
Essentially, e-portfolios are used as a space for teacher candidates to deliberate on their learning: a place to analyze course material, explore connections and record achievements. The creation of e-portfolios requires five steps: visualizing the final product, collecting pieces of student work, selecting the most representative sample of student work, reflecting on learning experience, and summarizing the educational journey.
The Faculty of Education selected a web-blogging application, WordPress Multi-user, as the platform for this project because WordPress MU offered many advantages over other systems, including quick-tagging, easy search options and archiving. E-portfolios are created throughout a student’s entire tenure as a teaching candidate, so it provides an accurate reflection of a student’s learning process and acts as a powerful assessment instrument for student progress.
While the whole e-portfolio process in the Faculty of Education was difficult to initiate because of incompatible technology and apprehensive instructors, e-portfolios have proven to be a useful tool for Bachelor of Education students. Many students have found their e-Portfolios to be beneficial as a tool for demonstrating their skills and experiences as they move from the academic sphere into the professional world.