E-Portfolios – online spaces for teachers and students to communicate, share, reflect and collaborate in and outside of the classroom – have created exciting opportunities for teaching and learning world-wide. The popularity and wide adoption of e-Portfolios is due to three key factors: easy access, low cost, high impact on teaching and learning.E-Portfolios are easy to access because most are web based, meaning that any computer with an internet connection can access the software and become a hub for communication between teachers and students. Increasingly, e-Portfolios are available at a low cost for both teachers and students to use. Low cost software removes one of the biggest technology hurdles schools face, a limited budget. e-Portfolios have the potential to deliver a high impact on teaching and learning when integrated into the curriculum.

As an educator and co-founder of an e-Portfolio software company, Digication, I have seen the impact of e-Portfolios on teaching and learning first hand. Digication is the campus-wide e-Portfolio software for Rhode Island School of Design and Otis College of Art and Design. At these premier art and design institutions, Digication e-Portfolios give teachers and students the tools they need to easily publish their work online in a professional way within a connected community of learners.

For teachers, e-Portfolios provide invaluable channels to share curriculum, reflect on best practices, and disseminate student work. Likewise, e-Portfolios provide students the opportunity to create and customize a showcase of their knowledge, a history of their process and progress, a reflection on their experiences and a record of their aspirations. It’s a vehicle for expression that creates a powerful motivation for creating great content as part of the day-today classroom experience to share with teachers and peers. Additionally, e-Portfolios are gaining an increasing role in the college admissions process as well as career advancement.

The content of the e-Portfolio can include research papers and presentations for class, digital images of student work, activities or travels to other countries, video clips of student plays, dance recitals, sports events or musical performances, descriptions of life goals or involvement in community organizations – there are a multitude of possibilities.

The process of creating an e-Portfolio not only gives teachers and students an opportunity to build necessary technology skills but also provides an excellent opportunity for acknowledging strengths, recognizing areas for improvement and setting goals and milestones. They are powerful tools for learning and reflection and can provide dynamic platforms for sharing and collaboration using 21st century skills.

I invite you to visit the Digication website today to create your own e-Portfolio, www.digication.com/eportfolioquickstart.