1. Use of ePortfolio to enhance student learning
Image source:
Hokling CHEUNG
City University of Hong Kong
May 11, e-Learning Forum Asia 2009

2. Language portfolio Learning portfolio Generic ePortfolios 2005-06 TDG
pilot  10 ELC courses
language portfolios
technologies
TDG
ELC & other disciplines like BCH, BST, DCO, EN, SA, SG and co-curricular activities
learning portfolios
reflection
TDG
ePortfolios for All: A Roadmap for Success
3-pronged approach: students, staff & roadmap
Generic ePortfolio structure
Roadmap: transition, outcomes, ideal graduate & career preparation
From Lilian, Jean and Eva in 2006.
Sth from the first eP project
Driving forces
NSS – SLP
Other universities/global trend
technologies
Working with teachers to integrate ePortfolios in courses
delivering conceptual and technical workshops
Questionnaire & content analysis on students ePortfolios and reflective writing
ePortfolio competition and ceremony
Project coverage:
# Courses involved
# students
# Teachers and departments involved
Note: There were other courses of different departments and colleges integrating ePortfolios into student learning and assessment activities who were not involved in our projects.

3. 2005-2006 2007-2009 2009-2010 Course-based Wikis and Blogs Website
Digital story More emphasis and facilitation on feedback
Website
Advanced HTML
Emphasis on technologies
Wiki functions in MyExpo
User centric application
Bb Basic Portfolio function
Direct use of templates
Emphasis on reflection
One-web-page (simple HTML)
Digital story
More emphasis on reflection
Bb Personal Portfolio functions, Google Sites &
Roadmap
Generic ePortfolio structure Formative and summative reflection

4. Coverage 260 2333 Phase 1st (2006-2007) 2nd (2007-2009) Departments
English Language Centre
Biology and Chemistry
Computer Studies
Public and Social Administration
English and Communication
Division of Building Science and
Technology
School of Graduate Studies
Staff
2 investigators
1+9 teachers
1 RA
9 investigators
teachers
4 EDO staff
Students
(# portfolios)
260
2333

5. Should we ask students to first create an employment portfolio?

6. ePortfolios + Reflection
The two-fold strategy
ePortfolios + Reflection

7. Feedback from students
Having the experience in developing ePortfolios and learning to reflect, many students identified important factors or strategies that can help them learn better.
Most students (65%) realise that preparation and planning like goal setting, action planning, knowing the course ILOs and assessment criteria, etc. are helpful for achieving better performance.
(634 students responded in Semester A & B )

8. There are ways to learn better!
After the portfolio development experience, students find their major achievements are in raising the awareness in different aspects of learning (50%), increasing their ability to handle technical tasks (48%) and enriching their knowledge with some new concepts and ideas (40%).
Students think that portfolio development helps them to learn better as they have to keep reflecting on the process/during the course of learning (50%), have to organise their learning when going through the editorial process for the portfolio (43%) and to record their thoughts, work, dialogues and interaction with others (38%).
There are ways to learn better!

9. 56% reflection is very important during the process of learning.
The positive effect on learning is related mainly to the practices of reflection and the process of portfolio making.
Both formative and summative reflection were agreed to be important by about half of the students. 
56% reflection is very important during the process of learning. 
46% reflective review and summary at the end of a particular course or activity is important. 
62% students think that the process of developing a portfolio is useful for learning. 34% students think the end product of the portfolio is useful for learning. 
I think both the ePortfolio and reflection are useful for learning.

10. Generic & Nesting Structure of ePortfolios

11. Types of Portfolios
Learning portfolios
Employment/Career/Professional portfolios
Assessment portfolios
Showcase portfolios
Personal development portfolios
Teaching portfolios
Training portfolios
“These different “types” of ePortfolios reflect the fact that ePortfolios are being produced and consumed (used) in many different processes, or to manage different processes.”
Serge Ravet

12. Generic Structure of ePortfolios
PROFILE
Personal particulars, biography, values & beliefs, interests and hobbies etc
SUMMARY
Purpose, audience, achievements and development, reflection and future direction
SHOWCASE
Representative work & evidence
Official recognition of achievement, qualifications, contribution and participation
QUALIFICATION

13. Generic Structure of ePortfolios
PROFILE
Personality  Goal setting
Rhetorical purpose & strategic use
Achievements (outcomes, competencies, attributes & standards)
Reflection (Critical thinking skills)
Future direction  life long learning
SUMMARY
SHOWCASE
Room for students (self-directed learning, belated mastery, creativity etc)
Editorial and technical skills
QUALIFICATION
Standards and quality/
Benchmarking/Accreditation
Participation in professional communities
Contribution to other communities

14. Nesting Structure of ePortfolios
A “big” portfolio holding “smaller portfolios”/artifacts
PROFILE
SUMMARY
SHOWCASE
QUALIFICATION
SUMMARY
SHOWCASE
QUALIFICATION
SUMMARY
MY WORK
PERFORMANCE
ACHIEVEMENT
GALLERY
QUALIFICATION

15. Metaphors for Reflection
Use the mirror to prompt reflection about yourself.
Look for connections and relationships.
Go deeper and analyze the details of an event, task, or experience.
Identify relevant and best evidence to support claims
Think about how you could have done something better.
What choices lie ahead?
Cheung, Dean, Pickard & Chan 2009

16. Metaphors for Reflection
What have you achieved in this course?
How would you describe your achievement?
How do you feel till now at the last lesson of SG8001? Try to use at least three different adjectives to describe your feelings.
How would you describe your achievement in terms of the course outcomes?
How relevant and related it is between what you have learnt from this course to your duties, studies or else?
How do you know you have achieved at which level?
Is there any evidence to support your claims of achievement? What can they be?
What capacity do you have now as a teacher?
What is/are the most remarkable thing(s) you came across in this course?
How will you apply what you have learnt from this course?
What aspects of yourself will need to improve or enhance?
Is there anything you think you could have done better? What is it?
What is the concrete action plan for that?

17. Reflection – mental activities

18. Reflection – content domains

19. ePortfolio pedagogies
Reflection
Discovery
Problem Solving
Evaluation
Learning & Advancement
Learning management skills
IT skills
Employability skills
Generic skills
Editorial skills
Presentation skills
Objectives
Outcomes
Observation
Obstacles
Opportunities
Opinions
Transitions
Documentation
Learning management
Engagement
Mentoring
Collaboration
Academic advising
Career Preparation
Whole Person Development
Accreditation
Assessment of
Process
Product/Performance
Outcomes
Competencies
Self-directed learning
Learning community
Life long learning
Formative reflection
Summative reflection
Formative feedback
Summative feedback

21. ePortfolios + Reflection
The two-fold strategy
ePortfolios + Reflection
Ownership of learning
Learning community and collaboration
Goal setting and internalization of outcomes
Facilitate self-assessment
Development of critical thinking, technical, communication, and presentation skills

22. Some quotes from students talking about benefits gained from creating an ePortfolio.
"I remember not just the goals that I want to achieve in this course but also my intention to become a marine Biologist." "Review of all my coursework. From others' comments and feedback, I can learn more. Train my web-page design skill. Putting my smile to everyone makes my confident. My classmate, friends, instructors or even strangers can have a platform to know me.“
"I understand more of my self and learning experience. I can summarize the learning material and my past experience. I know how to create the e-online-CV(Resume). I know I need to learn how to organize my own materials. (Resume and certificates).“

23. "I learned to figure out problems on my own, problems like how to use the Dreamweaver. It gives me more confidence. I treated my works, assignments and reflections seriously, which makes them more valuable. The process of creating an eportfolio developed my patience. I got to know more about myself, not only the learning ability but also the personality"
"I can summarize all my works and the quality of my works can be improved next time. I can also reflect myself and look what I've done in this year." 
"This increase my "index" of my creative. I found it interesting to write down and comment what I learnt. It really help me to remember it and even more."
"In the creation of an ePortfolio, I have learnt to create a simple movie in the computer that I have never done it before. The confidence in using the computer to make a movie in the computer is improved." "Know what is my strength and weakness. Clear understanding for my self. Better reflection. Evidence for future career." "Should be neat. Should be reflective. Show your effort." "I know the importance of recording my process of study and the importance of reflection."
"Importance of reflection / what should be put and what should not be put in an ePortfolio."
"It really made me think of what I have done and what I should have done. I think reflection is the most useful part because I feel I really gained something after an activity or my learning. Also, looking back the goals I had made let me know how much I have to do, what aspect I should put effort on."

24. Learning portfolios for courses
Language portfolios
Learning portfolios for courses
Learning portfolio for a programme study
Employment portfolio
Performance Appraisals
Work portfolio
My life
University study
Graduation
Promotion
exchange
internship
study trip
workshops
group projects
community services
final year project
courses
further study
professional membership
projects
awards
part-time jobs
Student unions
event organisation
recognition
competition
publication

25. Language portfolios
Learning portfolios for courses
Learning portfolio for a programme study
Employment portfolio
Performance Appraisals
Work portfolio
My life
University study
Graduation
Promotion

26. ePortfolios as Roadmaps Discipline Specific ePortfolio Templates
Benefits of Discipline Specific ePortfolio Templates
Transitions
Ownership of Learning and Development
Life long learner
ePortfolios as Roadmaps
Discipline Specific ePortfolio Templates
CityU Ideal Graduate
Career Preparation
OBTL 26

27. ePortfolio technologies
A lot of choices but looking forward to a perfect one!
Structured or free form?
Database
Free form
Wikis
home grown systems
Dreamweaver
HTML/websites
Bb/LMS
pre-defined structure & forms
electronic video/doc/ppt/
digital story telling
Google Sites
Blogs
Search
Data!
Ownership issues
User friendliness
Scalability
Personalisation
IT skill requirement
Time & effort
Connectivity
Interoperability & compatibility

28. Would that be the case that an ideal ePortfolio tool is actually a user-centric e-Learning system?
eP tool = {user-centric}n eL platform

29. ePortfolios Showcase Students’ work Sample portfolios
2005
2006 or Darry’s portfolio
2007
2008
2009
Sample portfolios
Vera’s Graduate Portfolio
Gut’s Portfolio (GoogleSite)
Gut’s Portfolio (Bb)
Portfolio templates
CTL (discipline specific ePortfolio template)
Employment portfolio
Sandy Wong’s Language Portfolio