ePortfolio Assessment
There is a common misconception that it is more work to evaluate ePortfolio assignments than paper-based assignments. In most cases, this is not true. Take a look at the following sections to learn more:
When to evaluate ePortfolio work
Whether you evaluate student work throughout a course or program (i.e., formative evaluation), at the end (i.e., summative evaluation), or both, you should clearly define the evaluation process at the beginning. Students put a lot of work into showing what they know, so it is important that they show what you need to see, in the form you need to see it. Talking with students about the structure, or required element of the ePortfolio can also be a good way to educate and highlight how certain of their "signature assignments" can connect to the course, program, and institutional goals.
Throughout a program, formative evaluation can take the form of evaluating artifacts as part of normal coursework. It can also mean setting specific times when the ePortfolio will be evaluated as part of the advising progress. For example, after completing 18 out of 30 units, a program or department might require each student to meet with his or her advisor to review the assignments completed by that point.
How to evaluate ePortfolio work
The learning objectives, standards, rubrics, or guidelines give students a basic idea of what is expected and show instructors what to evaluate. However, there are several ways to evaluate the work itself.
- Instructors may use the same evaluation techniques they have used in the past for digital student work.
- Post the grading rubric for ePortfolios or specific assignments in the Moodle course (and drop points directly into the Moodle gradebook).
- Here is a sample rubric for blog posts / website pages used by the Communications department.
- Another way is to offer direct oral feedback in person, in advising, or via Google Hangouts.
- Instructors can use video screen capture to review and share feedback while viewing an ePortfolio. This kind of "curatorial" feedback has proven very effective for students, and also has the added benefits of saving faculty from repetitive stress injuries from too much typing, and students can review the recorded feedback as many times as they wish.
- Consider incorporating self-assessment and peer-assessment as part of the final grade.
Who evaluates ePortfolio work
- Use student peer review as a way to help students get feedback before submitting artifacts or reflections for a grade.
- Where applicable, solicit experts' review when a student does co-curricular work, such as a field experience class, internship, or oral presentation.
- You may have a panel of students and/or faculty review final ePortfolios for completeness, or evidence of integrative learning, even though the individual artifacts and reflections have already been given grades from the instructors who assigned them.
- Require the student to make an oral presentation of the ePortfolio as part of your assessment strategy.
See Assessment Resources below for rubric examples for more details about how to evaluate ePortfolio work.
Assessment resources
- SF State’s portfolio assessment page https://eportfolio.sfsu.edu/faculty/asess
- WASC’s rubric for evaluating portfolio programs (though not portfolios themselves): https://www.wscuc.org/content/rubric-portfolios
- Principles for Effective Assessment of Student Achievement https://wascsenior.box.com/shared/static/o92i6be3gnw5kp5gafno.pdf
- Search on WASC site for “portfolio assessment” https://www.wscuc.org/search/site/portfolio%20assessment
Last updated by Carl Thelen on March 15, 2018