Findings of the ePortfolio Task Group

1. ePortfolio Task Group

2. What we’ve learned

3. What we’ve learned

4. What we’ve learned
*Interoperability/portability will be key to the
success of a system-wide implementation
*The platform must be adaptable so that it can
be used in different ways based on the needs
of campuses and programs.
*Integration with other systems will allow
students and instructors to transfer content
easily.
*The platform is extremely important.

5. What are the benefits of a system wide platform?
• Students would be able to have one ePortfolio in which to store and
display their work, while attending classes at numerous institutions
within the SUNY system.
• Students transferring between institutions, will have a continuous
record of their work.There would be no need to transfer artifacts or
portfolios between systems.
• Training and support would be more consistent and should be more
cost effective than if multiple systems are in place.
• System wide analytics would be much easier to accomplish if all of
the portfolios were housed in one location in a shared database.
• Migration to a new architecture would be easier in the future should
a new system be desirable.
• Standards are easier to enforce and integration points such as
institutional artifact uploading would be easier to develop.

6. What might impede the ability to create a system-wide
ePortfolio?
• a. Several of the SUNY programs are
committed to the use of a particular platform,
and many platforms do not use a standard
format that would allow for interoperability.
• b. Varying needs of specific programs, for
example: Education and Health Science.
• c. Emphasis placed on one aspect of an
ePortfolio, which is in opposition to another
emphasis.

7. Technical requirements
• Interoperability and cross-platform capabilities
• Supports lifelong learning--use after graduation
• Supports visual customization by the various
institutions (branding)
• Portfolios can be archived and/or exported in standard
formats for permanent records
• Multi-institutional (support separate institutions on one
instance)--this would allow for instructors and students
across SUNY to share ePortfolios and best practices
more easily. It would also insure portability.
• Integrates seamlessly with an LMS (or is built into an
LMS)--allows for seamless transfer of artifacts

8. Standard formats for interoperability
• LEAP2A: Mahara, Pebblepad, &
Medbiquitous eFolio Connection (for
Medical Schools)
• IMS Global: Chalk & Wire, Mahara,
TaskStream, Pathbrite, Pebblepad

9. Special concerns for Education
• edTPA integration: Chalk & Wire, Data180,
Foliotek, ILAT, Live Text, Nuventive, Task
Stream, TK20 (Digication Fall 2013)
• Students can upload directly

10. Functional requirements
• Repository managed by the user: Artifacts may be discrete or
packaged
• Allows for multiple file formats including video, audio, images
and text.
• Can display embedded media from within the system as well
as external media (Uses IMS Global Standards)
• Provides the ability to create multiple blogs, and other
methods for recording reflections
• Includes a resume builder
• Allows users to create multiple portfolios (pages, views, etc)
for different purposes
• Access levels can be set independently for every portfolio
page
• Provides for comprehensive feedback

11. Continued functional requirements
• Individuals can repurpose artifacts--appropriate them
into various purposes for various audiences.
• Allows for the creation of templates
• Provides for user customization/personalization
• Will support the collection and display of Continuing
Professional Development activities and hours
• Will support badging
• Will display external content including RSS feeds, and
Google Drive documents
• Provides methods for peer-reviewed and instructor
comments and feedback

12. Continued functional requirements
• Provides support for displaying a variety of goals including
academic, career and personal.
• Supports a way of recording and reflecting on co-curricular
activities including internships
• Support the needs of all SUNY programs that require an
ePortfolio (able to be used in any context and for any
program)
• Provides for the display of awards and certificates
• Institution should be able to push out certified artifacts into the
student’s repository
• Flexible and has ease of use
• Plugins or other customization features that would allow for
things like facebook likes, embedding twitter feeds, linkedin,
etc

13. What are the best methods for developing a system-wide environment
that supports and encourages the use of ePortfolios?
• Faculty should be encouraged to use ePortfolios for their personal and
professional growth as well as for Promotion & Tenure
• ePortfolios should be accepted and used in the admissions process
• The system should work for all programs including Fine Arts, Education,
Engineering, Health Services, Medical Education, Business
• The use of ePortfolios should be built into the curriculum: first year
experience,...
• Advisors should be encouraged to help students build a career portfolio
• Teach education students how to use them in their K-12 classrooms—require
lesson plans that include the use of ePortfolios
• Develop a culture that fosters reflective practice
• Develop an environment that supports the use of ePortfolios across the
curriculum
• Encourage students to take ownership of their ePortfolio and their learning

14. Other questions we tackled
• What training will be necessary to insure best practices?
• How can the system encourage research in the field of
ePortfolios?
• What structures will the system put in place to support
the use of ePortfolios for lifelong learning?
• What needs to be done to encourage the evaluation of
ePortfolios in the Admissions process?
• Why and how can SUNY encourage the use of ePortfolios
in the K-12 public schools?

15. What next?
• Formation of a SUNY-wide Community of
Practice
• Issue an RFI to consider our options
• Develop a plan for building the use of
ePortfolios into Open SUNY for PLA,
transfers, and teaching & learning across the
system—particularly in General Education
courses
• Include teaching with ePortfolios as part of
the education curriculum.