Background

There is increasing evidence of the benefits of e-portfolio use and the technologies available are now much more mature (the guidance section covers these issues) and as a result it might be expected that large-scale implementation would be more widespread. Many institutions have small pockets of good practice of e-portfolio use but wider use seems to stall for a number of reasons and some of these relate to the unique nature of e-portfolios. The background section seeks to clarify some of the confusions that can surround e-portfolios that can impede the implementation process. It is advised that this is explored before reading the guidance. It covers issues to do with:

• Defining e-portfolios.
• Purposes for e-portfolios
• How e-portfolios and VLEs differ.

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