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Positioning ePortfolios in an integrated curriculum

Simon Housego (Institute for Interactive Media and Learning, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia)
Nicola Parker (Institute for Interactive Media and Learning, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia)

Education + Training

ISSN: 0040-0912

Article publication date: 26 June 2009

1445

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the potential and the challenges of successful integration of ePortfolios and graduate attributes into the curriculum.

Design/methodology/approach

An argument is presented about the positioning of ePortfolios, and their links to graduate attributes, that draws upon the experiences of working with teachers to design, implement and support effective teaching practices to inform the challenges and opportunities that ePortfolios present for institutions, teachers and business curricula.

Findings

The potential of ePortfolios for supporting student learning must be balanced against the difficulties of embedding the necessary curriculum changes. Institutions expecting to see take‐up of ePortfolios by their teachers will need different strategies than those that accompanied the introduction of learning management systems.

Research limitations/implications

The paper is based on experiences in an Australian context and a small‐scale trial. The limited availability of studies of student learning and the longitudinal use of ePortfolios in the social networking Web 2.0 context are also limitations.

Practical implications

A range of potential uses of ePortfolios is considered with a particular focus on seeing their use from the whole‐of‐program viewpoint, with discussion of the limitations for curriculum if decisions about ePortfolio use are left entirely to teachers to decide.

Originality/value

The paper's value is in its argument about the potential for linking ePortfolios to an integrated curriculum by addressing a common problem with the process of embedding of graduate attributes, and in suggesting a role for changed assessment practices to make this possible.

Keywords

Citation

Housego, S. and Parker, N. (2009), "Positioning ePortfolios in an integrated curriculum", Education + Training, Vol. 51 No. 5/6, pp. 408-421. https://doi.org/10.1108/00400910910987219

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2009, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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