ePortfolios: Home

A major step in creating your ePortfolio is selecting an online platform. If a platform is not specified by your program/course, then it is important to select one that matches your needs, goals and comfort level. Here is a list of platforms and related resources to help you get started:

"Cloud Storage" allows you to store multiple types of media objects online. By using cloud storage you can easily share content that you have created with others and link to the content from various points online.

It may become useful to store some or all of your content to the cloud. These sites may provide you with the storage you require:

Whether you use Word documents, Excel spreadsheets or PowerPoint presentations, it is important to protect your personal documents online. Many software packages provide you with the ability to "lock" files to prevent changes being made by someone else, but you can also use converters to convert your files into PDFs (Printable Document Format) that also help to ensure your documents will be printed as you intended.

Here are some helpful links:

Canadian Copyright allows for the use of works that are publicly available on the Internet, because of this you may use online content, like images, in your documents, videos and/or presentations provided you give acknowledgement to the source and content creator.

You must also be sure that the work if not protected by a technological protection measure (password protected access) or is accompanied by a clearly visible copyright notice that prohibits its use. In some cases an image may be posted without the consent of the copyright owner, in which case it should not be used unless you can identify the copyright owner.

To assist in finding images you can use, try some of the tips below:

Google's Advanced Image Search takes some of the guess work out of your image searches. Simply enter your keywords and choose 'free to use and share'from the usage rights menu. This will pre-select images that you can use for educational and non-commercial purposes - provided you acknowledge the source and creator (cite).

If you find an image on the internet that you really want to use, you can use either of the following sites to do a 'Reverse Look-up' of the image to ensure that it is complaint with copyright requirements.

Creating Video Content Online

There are 100's of sites that you can use to create and curate your own video content; these are some that have been recommended and are free to use:

Creating Video Content at Home

Here are some additional software packages you can download and create videos at home:

Did you know that YouTube generates automatic captions for videos you upload?  While the tech is impressive, it's far from perfect!

Always remember to edit your auto-captions to increase clarity, improve viewers’ comprehension, and provide equitable access. The handout below provides instructions for editing.

Take your ePortfolio viral by linking your social media accounts

NOTE: There are dangers when linking your personal social media accounts to an ePortfolio. Read some of these articles to see how to do it the right way.

Personalizing your ePortfolio and how you use it is key to your success in the future. Here are some cool tools and sites that can help you explore and expand your ePortfolio:

Reflective writing is:

• your response to experiences, opinions, events or new information
• your response to thoughts and feelings
• a way of thinking to explore your learning
• an opportunity to gain self-knowledge
• a way to achieve clarity and better understanding of what you are learning
• a chance to develop and reinforce writing skills
• a way of making meaning out of what you study

Reflective writing is not:

• just conveying information, instruction or argument
• pure description, though there may be descriptive elements
• straightforward decision or judgement (e.g. about whether something is right or wrong, good or bad)
• simple problem-solving
• a summary of course notes
• a standard university essay

Reflective writing helps you develop and clarify the connections:

• between what you already know and what you are learning
• between theory and practice
• between what you are doing and how and why you do it.

To examine your learning processes - not only WHAT you've learned, but HOW you learned it.

To clarify what you are learning:

• clarify what you have studied
• integrate new knowledge with previous knowledge
• identify the questions you have
• identify what you have yet to learn.

To reflect on mistakes and successes

To become an active and aware learner

To become a reflective practitioner once you graduate and begin your professional life

Your perceptions of the course and the content.

Experiences, ideas and observations you have had, and how they relate to the course or topic.

What you found confusing, inspiring, difficult, interesting and why.

Questions you have

How you:

• solved a problem;
• reached a conclusion;
• found an answer;
• reached a point of understanding.

Possibilities, speculations, hypotheses or solutions.

Alternative interpretations or different perspectives on what you have read or done in your course.

Comparisons and connections between what your are learning and:

• your prior knowledge and experience;
• your prior assumptions and preconceptions;
• what you know from other courses or disciplines.

How new ideas challenge what you already know.

What you need to explore next in terms of thoughts and actions.

(Reflective Writing Guide, UNSW Australia)