What is a portfolio?

 

 

 

What is a portfolio?

A portfolio is a collection of documents (digital or print) that reflects the accomplishments, knowledge, and skills of a particular individual. The portfolio contents are limited only by the imagination and organization of the owner. Portfolios can be used by students, job seekers, employers, and consultants. Portfolios are not designed to replace resumes or letters of recommendation. Instead, these documents are included within the portfolio with other supplemental documentation that will verify and substantiate the claims within the resume. The primary uses of portfolios are:

• Collection of work samples/projects
• Demonstration of skills, knowledge, and abilities (KSAs)
• Self relections (what I learned or significance/impact)
• Evaluations
• Achievements

What is an electronic portfolio?

An electronic portfolio is simply a portfolio that has been stored in a digital format. Digital formats can include floppy, CD-ROM, mini storage disks, DVD, intranet, internet, and WWW. Although there are many other digital storage capabilities, these are the most portable.

Portability is a primary concern since the owner should have the ability to easily transport or share his/her portfolio. CD-ROMs seem to be a popular option since there are various sizes and each CD can be customized with personal data (i.e., name, contact information). The amount of content that can be stored on a CD-ROM depends on the storage capacity of the CD. The most popular CDs are the standard 650 MB, 3 inch CD (typically 50 MB), and the business card CD (typically 40 MB). The business card CD has become increasingly popular due to its ability to replace a business card. Many individuals have chosen this option rather than carry business cards, resumes, work samples, and references. All can be contained on one small disk.

The WWW and the internet have also become very popular ways of dissiminating a portfolio. Instead of attaching documents to e-mails, individuals can simply include a link to their web site. Many universities allow student access to university servers. This gives each student the ability to post assignments to an easily accessible area by both the student and the professor. Company intranets are also a viable location for sharing portfolios with managers and human resource departments.

Who uses a portfolio?

As stated above, portfolios are used as a demonstration of individual work and accomplishments. Portfolios can be used in a variety of settings. Here are a few examples of how portfolios might be utilized and by whom.

• Middle/High Schools - Many school systems are using portfolios for their students as a way to track continuing improvement in several areas of interest. Many teachers find that project based assignments are a viable alternative to multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, and essay exams. These portfolios can be used to collect relevant work samples covering a specific area of interest or overall performance over a wide variety of topics.
• Colleges and universities - Portfolios can be used to determine student quality and eligibility. Many graduate programs require students to track their performance and assess the lessons learned from each project included in the portfolio. In addition, many universities provide an electronic portfolio program that aids a student's ability to organize and store large volumes of information digitally.
• Publishers - Portfolios can contain exemplary samples of writing samples, stories, articles, and research.
• Job Seekers - Portfolios can be taken to job interviews and aid a candidate's success in obtaining the perfect position. Interviewees can immediately provide documents that both verify and substatiate their prior accomplishments and ability to perform successfully in the workplace.
• Employers - Human Resource departments can use portfolios to track employee progress and identify potential candidates for promotion or lateral moves within the company. This can save companies thousands of dollars in outside recruitment fees as well as avoid potential lay-offs.
• Consultants - Self-employed individuals can use portfolios to demonstrate previous work ethics, organization, skills, and prior accomplishments by including work samples and letters of commendation.