Lifetime Electronic Portfolios?

Cohn, Ellen & Hibbits, Bernard. “Beyond the Electronic Portfolio: A Lifetime Personal Web Space.” Educause Quarterly 27.4 (2004).  Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/apps/eq/eqm04/eqm0441.asp

Beyond the Electronic Portfolio: A Lifetime Personal Web Space

This is an interesting viewpoint from Educause Review and I hope you will check it out.  The authors ask some very important questions and I’d like to hear your answers.

The article is more or less describing a dream (I believe the authors called it a wish) of moving beyond the limits of an e-portfolio model by providing a personal Web space for everyone for their lifetime.  A lifetime personal Web space?  Think of the possibilities!  This article was published in 2004, so my interest is whether or not e-portfolios have advanced enough in the past eight years to make these dreams a reality. 

I think we’re getting there or at least moving in the right direction.

The authors of this article note that new graduates can use e-portfolios to showcase their accomplishments and gain an edge in the job market.  Along those same lines, career centers in universities can use e-portfolios to link academic outcomes to the workplace.  This all leads to many questions for the authors.  Will students bringing electronic portfolios to job interviews be more competitive than students with paper-based portfolios?  Is a glorified resume the best possible result for this technology?

As I watch the integration of e-portfolios with workforce development efforts, it is now time to look at the value in business and industry development.  What is the impact of electronic portfolios in hiring practices?  I started the next phase of my research this week by distributing a survey to human resource professionals, career counselors, and workforce development representatives.  It’s time to find some answers to these questions and I’m happy to take you on this journey with me.  Stay tuned!