RAPPORT
WWW.RECORDINGACHIEVEMENT.ORG
Issue 1 (2015)
The International Journal for
Recording Achievement,
Planning and Portfolios
A Typology of ePortfolios
Janet Strivens, CRA/The University of Liverpool
Abstract:
This paper starts from the observation that in practice e-portfolio technologies are used for a range of
different purposes; that these differing purposes generally have a significant influence on the
configuration of the tool itself as presented to the learner/user; and that these differences are generally
ignored in e-portfolio discourse. In other words, the term ‘e-portfolio’ is frequently used without
differentiation or qualification, whether in research reports or in policy ‘thinkpieces’, as though everyone
understands the same thing by the term. It is the contention of this paper that such undifferentiated use
is unhelpful and may actually hinder the uptake of technolog ies in contexts where they could genuinely
enhance practice.
The issue here is not simply about definitions.
Much time and effort has already been spent
within the ‘e-portfolio community’ trying to agree a
definition acceptable to everybody and it might be
claimed that a sufficient degree of consensus
already exists around the following definition:
‘a purposeful aggregation of digital items –
ideas, evidence, reflections, feedback etc. –
which “presents” a selected audience with
evidence of a person’s learning and/or ability’
(Sutherland and Powell 2007);
While this description refers to the ‘aggregation’
as ‘purposeful’ it is neutral as to what these
purposes might be. Nevertheless, it is well
recognised that e-portfo