Tutorial-1: Using e-Portfolios for deepening learning and qualitative assessment of students´ learning experience

Summary form only given. e-Learning has been defined as a process for creating a Community of Inquiry that is used for both construction and confirmation of knowledge through electronically mediated synchronous and asynchronous communication. The studies on the effectiveness of e-learning suggest that "e" in e-learning represents far more than "electronic". It stands for extending and enhancing the learning experience. e-Portfolio is one such intervention in the domain of e-learning, which is fast becoming salient feature in many universities across the world. A study suggests that there is a 48% increase in the share of e-Portfolio services on educational websites in private 4-year colleges in the United States. e-Portfolios are commonly seen as tool for deepening the learning and also as an assessment tool for student learning experience. Students use their portfolios to show case the evidence of understanding important concepts or mastery of key skills by organizing, synthesizing, and communicating their achievement. Through e-Portfolios students are able to demonstrate knowledge acquisition in a very explicit manner. The qualitative assessment of e-Portfolios not only helps the instructors to evaluate the learning of students but is also used as a process of self-reflection when students are asked for clarification through annotation, summarization, or addition of reflective meta-cognitive comments to their archived contributions. In this presentation, an overview of e-portfolio is provided. For better understanding, the learning theories behind e-Portfolios are also covered in adequate detail. Some of the challenges, best practices and common e-Portfolio tools are presented as guidelines for initiating an e-Portfolio program at any educational institution.