The iPortfolio: measuring uptake and effective use of an institutional electronic portfolio in higher education
An institutional electronic portfolio called the iPortfolio had over 17,000 subscribers one year after its introduction at an Australian university. This paper reports on a study to determine how students use these iPortfolio accounts, and factors leading to uptake and effective use. Self-assessed c...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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ASCILITE
2012
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/36954 |
| _version_ | 1848754913777025024 |
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| author | Von Konsky, Brian Oliver, Beverley |
| author_facet | Von Konsky, Brian Oliver, Beverley |
| author_sort | Von Konsky, Brian |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | An institutional electronic portfolio called the iPortfolio had over 17,000 subscribers one year after its introduction at an Australian university. This paper reports on a study to determine how students use these iPortfolio accounts, and factors leading to uptake and effective use. Self-assessed competence with technology skills, factors motivating uptake, and barriers to adoption were examined using an online survey completed by 554 students. Of these, 339 had an iPortfolio at the time they completed the survey. Survey results were examined in the context of usage patterns based on data automatically collected for operational and administrative purposes. No statistically significant difference to prior technology use or self-assessed competence with information technology was observed when comparing students with iPortfolio accounts to those without. Assessment was found to be the principal driver of iPortfolio uptake. However, about two-fifths (42.9%) of students agreed that they were likely to use iPortfolio in the future, even if it was not a course requirement. An additional 29.6% were neutral. Significant use of the iPortfolio to reflect on extracurricular activities was not observed. Improved employability outcomes were seen to be a benefit of iPortfolio adoption by about half (52%) of the students. Recommendation are made to promote iPortfolio uptake and encourage student reflection on 'lifewide' experiences that enhance employability and augment learning within the formal curriculum. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T08:47:58Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-36954 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T08:47:58Z |
| publishDate | 2012 |
| publisher | ASCILITE |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-369542017-01-30T13:58:45Z The iPortfolio: measuring uptake and effective use of an institutional electronic portfolio in higher education Von Konsky, Brian Oliver, Beverley An institutional electronic portfolio called the iPortfolio had over 17,000 subscribers one year after its introduction at an Australian university. This paper reports on a study to determine how students use these iPortfolio accounts, and factors leading to uptake and effective use. Self-assessed competence with technology skills, factors motivating uptake, and barriers to adoption were examined using an online survey completed by 554 students. Of these, 339 had an iPortfolio at the time they completed the survey. Survey results were examined in the context of usage patterns based on data automatically collected for operational and administrative purposes. No statistically significant difference to prior technology use or self-assessed competence with information technology was observed when comparing students with iPortfolio accounts to those without. Assessment was found to be the principal driver of iPortfolio uptake. However, about two-fifths (42.9%) of students agreed that they were likely to use iPortfolio in the future, even if it was not a course requirement. An additional 29.6% were neutral. Significant use of the iPortfolio to reflect on extracurricular activities was not observed. Improved employability outcomes were seen to be a benefit of iPortfolio adoption by about half (52%) of the students. Recommendation are made to promote iPortfolio uptake and encourage student reflection on 'lifewide' experiences that enhance employability and augment learning within the formal curriculum. 2012 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/36954 ASCILITE restricted |
| spellingShingle | Von Konsky, Brian Oliver, Beverley The iPortfolio: measuring uptake and effective use of an institutional electronic portfolio in higher education |
| title | The iPortfolio: measuring uptake and effective use of an institutional electronic portfolio in higher education |
| title_full | The iPortfolio: measuring uptake and effective use of an institutional electronic portfolio in higher education |
| title_fullStr | The iPortfolio: measuring uptake and effective use of an institutional electronic portfolio in higher education |
| title_full_unstemmed | The iPortfolio: measuring uptake and effective use of an institutional electronic portfolio in higher education |
| title_short | The iPortfolio: measuring uptake and effective use of an institutional electronic portfolio in higher education |
| title_sort | iportfolio: measuring uptake and effective use of an institutional electronic portfolio in higher education |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/36954 |