Becta study

This Becta study on the impact of eportfolios on learning was one of the first things I read on the topic. It examines the impact that e-portfolios can have on learners in schools, further education, higher education and work-based learning. Some of its key findings include:

-e-portfolios benefit learning most effectively when considered as part of a joined-up teaching and learning approach, rather than as a discrete entity. The approach should include online repositories, planning and communication tools, and opportunities for both students and teachers to draw out and present e-portfolios at particular times and for particular purposes. There is then likely to be substantial impact on both learning processes and learning outcomes.
-e-portfolio processes support both pastoral or social needs and curriculum outcomes
-e-portfolio processes and tools for organisation and communication support the learning outcomes of students with a wide range of abilities
-e-portfolios make progress and attainment more obvious to both teachers and students, because viewing and revisiting the repository of work reveals development, achievements, strengths and weaknesses
-Some learners in all age ranges find that software that includes structured processes and organisational tools scaffolds their learning until they are confident enough to progress to working independently
-Although some institutions are working together across phases to use e-portfolios to support transition, teachers and learners rarely consider the nature of a ‘lifelong’ e-portfolio repository and how this might be managed

Read the full report here: http://research.becta.org.uk/upload-dir/downloads/page_documents/research/impact_eportfolios_learning.pdf