Common Misconceptions and Preconceptions
Ascilite Conference 2009 Paper
Joyes, Gray and Hartnell-Young - Effective practice with e-portfolios: How can the UK experience inform practice? (PDF)
There are many misconceptions/preconceptions around e-portfolios; these have been 'discovered' by many of the projects that feature in the case studies in this infoKit. In the following sections of the infoKit you will find advice and guidance that you can use when dispelling some of these myths.
It is useful to visit some of these before getting into detail so here are a few:
- One e-portfolio system works in all situations
- An e-portfolio can simply replace a paper-based system
- Users will work out how to use an e-portfolio system to suit their needs
- There needs to be one e-portfolio for life
- Tutors/mentors know how to support their students
- e-Portfolios will save everyone time
- Students are digital natives and so will easily adapt to using an e-portfolio
- Students are digital natives so using blogs for sharing reflections will be unproblematic
- After students are inducted to e-portfolio processes, i.e. those involved in PDP, they will apply this across their courses
- The curriculum/pedagogy remains unaffected by the introduction of an e-portfolio
- e-Portfolio implementation can be left to study skills specialists
- A successful project implementation will readily transfer to establish practice across an institution
- HR departments/employers will value an e-portfolio in the application process
- College and university admissions welcome e-portfolios
- Course information can easily be integrated into an information and guidance system to support career planning
- Users understand processes like feedback, reflective writing, selecting information, planning etc
- Bespoke technologies, i.e. PDAs digital cameras, are best for information capture in the workplace
- Information capture in the workplace is unproblematic
- Access to an e-portfolio is unproblematic
- There is one definition of an e-portfolio (how can there be when it can be viewed as a system, a product, a set of processes, suited to a range of purposes?)
