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Electronic Portfolios

What is an ePortfolio?

This website is an introduction to electronic portfolios ("ePortfolios'). You will be using ePortfolios throughout your time at South Alabama.  An ePortfolio is your personal website that allows you to document, deepen, and reflect on your learning experiences during your time at South.  Using an ePortfolio allows you to connect your past and your future, your challenges and your growth, your learning and your life.  Overall, developing and maintaining an ePortfolio is a process to help you tell your story.  There are three sections to this page.  By following the instructions on this website, you can activate your own ePortfolio in Canvas and start to add information.

Why should I create an ePortfolio?

You may be asking "Why should I create an ePortfolio?" or "How does creating an ePortfolio benefit me?" This page has some resources that will outline possible benefits.  As you look through these resources be thinking about how the benefits apply to you and what your personal benefit could be.  Your ePortfolio is the place to showcase projects and assignments, plan your degree and career goals, and develop core skills that will make you stand out among others. Below are some additional benefits of preparing an ePortfolio.

▼   Benefits of an ePortfolio

Below is a list of benefits of ePortfolios from The University of Arizona ePortfolio Initiative  -  Why use ePortfolios?.  Check out their site to get a description and more information about each of these benefits.

  • Metacognition
  • Growth Mindset
  • Self-Assessment
  • Transfer
  • Digital Literacy
  • Digital Identity

The IUPUI First-Year Experience site also describes some benefits of ePortfolio use.  Some of the benefits listed on their site might resonate with you also.

▼   ePortfolios and the LevelUP Quality Enhancement Plan

Here at South we are committed to preparing our students for what comes next after graduation. The LevelUP Quality Enhancement Plan provides enhanced opportunities for students to develop career readiness competencies that prepare you for life after your degree, as confident, ready, and capable members of the workforce or well-equipped graduate students. You will use ePortfolios for three different LevelUP activities throughout your degree program. 

 

▼   But I already have a LinkedIn account, why do I need an ePortfolio?

If you use and love LinkedIn that is great, but you should also create an ePortfolio. The reflection component is an important learning opportunity that is not present in LinkedIn. It provides opportunities for you to examine what you have learned and how you can improve. The reflection within an ePortfolio makes the learning process visible and demonstrates your learning and growth for viewers.

"We don't learn from experience; we learn from reflecting on experience." - Attributed to John Dewey

 

How do I create an ePortfolio?

Click on the items below to get more information, see examples and review tutorials about creating ePortfolios.  

▼    Start by activating your account
  1. Log in to Canvas
  2. In the Global navigation, click on "Account" under your picture
  3. Select "Portfolio" from the drop down menu
  4. Under "Create portfolio", select "Create showcase portfolio" and follow the steps to add one artifact and publish your Canvas Portfolio.

18 STEPS

1. The first step is to click on your picture over Account

2. Click Portfolio

3. Click Create portfolio

4. Click Create showcase portfolio

5. Type your first and last name

6. In Description, we suggest listing your major and minor and any other professional details you would like to add.

7. Click Add evidence

8. Click Create new evidence. Do not choose Add assignment from course

9. Type the name of the artifact you plan to upload in the Title Box. You may also add a brief description.

10. Click Create

11. Scroll up and click Publish portfolio

12. Click Publish portfolio

13. Open your Showcase Portfolio by clicking on it

14. Click Share

15. Click Allow anyone with the link to view, then Close

16. Click Copy to copy the link to your Canvas Portfolio, if you wish to share it.

17. Click Close

18. That's it. Congratulations on launching your Canvas Portfolio!

Here's an interactive tutorial

https://www.iorad.com/player/2762821/Launching-Your-Canvas-Portfolio---Web



Next step

 

▼   Identify and Collect Artifacts

Choose one piece of evidence (also called an artifact) to add to create your Portfolio.  The artifact should help illustrate your experience. Possible examples include, but are not limited to:

  • posters
  • presentations
  • projects
  • research papers
  • course modules, activities, assignments
  • evaluations
  • thought leadership (blogs, social media)
  • testimonials
  • pictures/images
  • videos
  • quotes
▼   Write Reflections

For each Project, you will want to include a narrative/summary of the experience with a reflection. When creating the narrative, think of telling the story of your journey. It should be reflective and professional , relying heavily on the framing of your evidence of learning and growth. Be sure to clarify who, what, where, when, and why in your reflections to give sufficient context to your audiences!

When writing your reflection and discussing your growth as a result of this experience, ask yourself:

  • What inspired you?
  • What did you learn?
  • Did you encounter any challenges?
  • What were the results?
  • What would you change in the future?

Download this printable checklist to guide you as you collect artifacts and write reflections for your electronic portfolio.

▼   Identify Skills

Your ePortfolio has a section to identify the skills you gained from each experience. Think about what skills you learned/demonstrated during your experiences - courses, jobs, community service, student organizations, internships, athletics, etc. These could be specific to your major or a course like computer programming, foreign language, data analysis, technical writing, graphic design, etc. Along the way, you are also developing broader career skills that prepare you for success in the workplace and lifelong career advancement. Examples of these skills include communication, teamwork, and leadership. They are important because they affect how well you work with others and adapt to new situations.

The National Association of  Colleges and Employers (NACE) lists these Competencies for a Career-Ready Workforce:

  • Career & Self-Development
  • Communication
  • Critical Thinking
  • Leadership
  • Professionalism
  • Teamwork
  • Technology

Make it great!

Below are four tips to build a great ePortfolio.

▼   Create
Create your ePortfolio in Canvas using the Canvas Portfolio tool. As you move along your degree map, keep adding sections that represent your college experience inside and outside of the classroom.
▼   Update
Update - We encourage you to work with your ePortfolio every semester, add coursework, co-curricular experiences, and other content. Sustained engagement will result in a robust ePortfolio when you graduate which can be shared with others
▼   Edit and Publish
Edit and Publish  - You can add text, images, colors, and content that reflect who you are as a student and who you aspire to be in your future career. Be sure to publish your changes.
▼   Share
Share - Review the privacy settings and share your ePortfolio with classmates in your course, your professor and advisor, and others you want to see your work. Sharing an ePortfolio with the appropriate audiences is a goal.