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E-Portfolios as Digital Assessment Tools in Higher Education

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Book cover Learning, Design, and Technology

Abstract

This chapter examines the role of e-portfolios as digital assessment tools in enhancing the quality of student learning outcomes in higher education. E-portfolios tap into the potential of digital technologies to support students’ self-monitoring, self-evaluation, and sharing of learning. Thus, e-portfolios have been reported as bringing about improvements in student learning. On the other hand, existing research also shows challenges for teachers of higher education institutions (HEIs) when adopting e-portfolio assessment. To formulate strategies for optimizing the learning potential of e-portfolios, a landscape review of research literature is conducted to address the research question: How are e-portfolios used as digital assessment tools to enhance the quality of learning outcomes in higher education?

The chapter begins with an overview of e-portfolios as digital assessment tools. A typology of e-portfolios is then presented to analyze the situations where e-portfolios are applied in higher education. The chapter goes on to argue for two essential affordances of e-portfolios, namely: (a) empowerment and ownership of learning for students and (b) feedback and interactivity by drawing on digital technology. This is followed by a discussion of challenges and opportunities of e-portfolios in meeting conventional assessment criteria, including: reliability, validity, authenticity, and honesty. Key pedagogical factors influencing the use of e-portfolios as digital assessment are then examined, giving rise to four strategies for effective implementation of e-portfolios:

  • Analysis of students’ learning needs and contexts for using e-portfolios

  • Constructive alignment between learning, teaching, and assessment

  • Scaffolding of students’ learning progress through task design

  • Capacity building and sustained support for students and teachers

By considering these strategies, teachers of HEIs are likely to maximize the affordances of e-portfolios, and ultimately enhance the quality of learning outcomes. Along with these strategies, this chapter points out several aspects of e-portfolio implementation that warrant future research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Curriculum and Instruction, The Education University of Hong Kong, 10 Lo Ping Road, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong, SAR, China

    Min Yang, Tianchong Wang & Cher Ping Lim

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  1. Min Yang
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  2. Tianchong Wang
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  3. Cher Ping Lim
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Correspondence to Cher Ping Lim .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. College of Info, Ste G150, Univ of North Texas, Denton, Texas, USA

    Michael J Spector

  2. School of Education, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA

    Barbara B Lockee

  3. School of Education, Baker University, Overland Park, Kansas, USA

    Marcus D. Childress

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Yang, M., Wang, T., Lim, C.P. (2017). E-Portfolios as Digital Assessment Tools in Higher Education. In: Spector, M., Lockee, B., Childress, M. (eds) Learning, Design, and Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-17727-4_83-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-17727-4_83-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-17727-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-17727-4

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