A glance at some ePortfolio tutorials for beginners
Dr. Andrea Ghoneim, Donau Universität of Krems
When implementing ePortfolios in your organisation or using them with new students or course participants, short video tutorials can be helpful to introduce the uses, usage and advantages of ePortfolio and give some examples of how to benefit from organising one’s experiences with an ePortfolio. We had a look at some videos in English offering a general introduction to ePortfolios.
Eportfolios for starters (CDLT. University of Cumbria, uploaded 2008. 3:04 min.)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6B3tujXlbdk
The animated video shows student Sandra. She needs „some space where she can organise and investigate the evidence of her development“. Sandra’s problems – which are the problems of most students - are discussed and summarised: „Sandra needs something that can help her keep track of her work, share information with peers, showcase her teaching activities and a space where she can store her reflections about her teaching journey.“ As her university provides her with an ePortfolio her problems are solved.
A nice and simple introduction that may serve to explain some uses of an ePortfolio. It could be placed, for example, in a beginner’s workshop or start a presentation for ePortfolio newbies.
ePortfolio – Introduction by CityU TDG (HK)
A video production of ePortfolios for all: A roadmap for success, CityU TDG (HK) funded project 2009-2011, uploaded 2010. 3:25 min.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3E6v9lnktlM
Student Emily observes that successful candidates for summer jobs are the ones with ePortfolios. The question „What are ePortfolios“ is first focused on showcase ePortfolios. After that, the uses of ePortfolios as learning and management tools are treated. In order to reduce the complex features of ePortfolios, four steps for organising ePortfolios are proposed: (1) collection of the „footprints of your life“, (2) setting goals and plans „and thinking about who you are and who you want to be“, (3) „Take action and reflect“ on the basis of the goals and plans set before, (4) organisation of one’s work and reflection within the ePortfolio. At the end of the video, Emily is the proud owner of an employment ePortfolio, a learning ePortfolio and a graduate ePortfolio. This enables her to get a good position. No wonder, she keeps reflecting and documenting her achievements in her professional portfolio. A persuasive video which can be also shown to learners for whom English is not the mother tongue as well, as the text is spoken slowly.
Mahara Eportfolios
(Southampton Solent University, uploaded 2009. 2:34 min.)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y32NoAgN9Ik
Here, the protagonist of the video is student Alex, who is about to apply for a paid industrial placement. He looks for a solution to organise his assignments and to evidence his skills. As his university offers the ePortfolio software Mahara, all his artefacts and evidences can be collected and organised. Bella, Alex's flatmate is attracted to Alex’s ePortfolio and finds out that it is equally fitting as a tool to collect, reflect and showcase her own artistic artefacts. Bella also uses the portfolio to get feedback from her tutor. Of course, Alex and Bella become happy ePortfolio users who will take their ePortfolios with them when they graduate.
ePortfolio introduction by Desire2learn Inc
uploaded 2013. 3:29 min.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFb0u6dI3u4
Even though this video is produced by a commercial ePortfolio provider, it could be used for introduction workshops for other ePortfolio softwares as well. The subtitle of the video „ePortfolio and you“ shows the approach to the topic. The principle of an ePortfolio and its basic uses are explained, the animated video also shows what artefacts could be and how they can be organised and shared via the ePortfolio. Interaction with the ePortfolio user’s audience and social learning are topics as well.
All these videos are short and can easily be embedded in a workshop or presentation. Their selection was almost random as there is an abundance of such clips online. There are, of course, resources in many more languages, just a couple of mouse-clicks away.
Do you have a video introduction or an interactive introduction you want to share with the EUROPORTFOLIO community? Please don’t hesitate to let us know
