E-portfolio

Motivation

I developed one assessment activity (a summative assessment) for my class POL 419 Terrorism and Counterterrorism. The format of this assessment is an e-portfolio, and this decision came from my reflection on my own experience as both an undergraduate political science student and a Ph.D. student in the U.S. In our discipline, there are a lot of writing assignments. Even though I like writing, I often felt that essays produced at the end of a course were simply discarded once the course was over. Looking back, I wish I could have stored some of my original ideas and seen how they grew over time.

Another experience that led me to design this assignment is my background as an international student. My first language is not English, and I must admit that writing in English takes more time and energy compared to writing in Korean. I find that assessing only through writing can be an inequitable design for some students—not only for students whose first language is not English, but also for students who have physical difficulties with reading and writing. While I agree that developing strong writing skills is an integral part of higher education, I want my students to focus on the learning experience and their intellectual growth, especially at the end of the course, rather than worrying about format and grammar.

Drawing on this reflection, I incorporated e-portfolio activity as one of summative assessments in my course, Terrorism and Counterterrorism.

Overview of e-portfolio & Evidence on its effectiveness

*Please click the arrow in the box button on the top right.

* This padlet page is also shared with students in addition to instructions regarding the final project.

* Feel free to leave comments or thoughts in the Padlet below!

Application: E-portfolio as a final project

Assumption-free design

As highlighted both in the UDL guidelines and the "Catalyst framework", it is crucial to not assume student's ability in technology. Therefore, I provide a resource page that includes overview of what is E-portfolio, expected effects, and step-by-step tutorial videos using google site.

I chose google site as a standard technology that students can use, but did not force to use specific platforms as some students might already have their websited in other platforms. This flexible approach allows E-portfolio more transferrable.

During the course, I set up a min-completion assignment that requires students to create a google site with "about me" page. It is possible that students somtimes "think" that they know how to do it, but in practice, face some challenges. This mini assignment allows students to feel how much time it takes and plan further works, and instructor can chime in if student faces any technical challenges.

POL419_final_rubric

Clear expectations

To optimize the effectiveness of e-portfolio, instructor needs to provide sufficient support, including feedback on past and feed forward on future performance (Beckers, Dolmans, and Merriënboer 2016). In addition, it is important to facilitate student's awareness of the need for self-improvement (Beckers, Dolmans, and Merriënboer 2016).

Considering these points, I am providing the rubric for the final project (the e-portfolio) ahead of time. The ‘learning outcomes’ listed in the rubric are not new; they are the learning outcomes for the second half of the course. Based on the weekly discussion activities, students will have sufficient time to work on this project while also receiving timely feedback from the instructor. Through these ongoing interactions, students can better understand expectations, reflect on their previous work, and recognize areas for improvement.

POL419_final_selfassess

Reflective worksheet

As highlighted in Beckers, Dolmans, and Merriënboer (2016), the key for successful E-portfolios is how to facilitate student's self-reflection. In the "Catalyst framework", it is crucial to create a meaningful assessment process.

In this regard, I ask students to submit this self-assessment worksheet that involves two components: self-assessment (to what extent your e-portfolio meets stated expectations) and self-reflection (things that you improved throughout this course). This approach is not entirely new; some studies often use reflective essays with e-portfolios across different fields (e.g., Mummalaneni 2014).

Although I consider how much student improve and grow during assessments, it is sometimes not very obvious. Also, it is important for students to reflect on what they benefited from this course and how their learning experience was. This self-assessment worksheet facilitates student's reflection & meaning-making process but also instructor's ability to assess student's growth throughout the semester.

Post-Explore & Discover Reflection 🤔 💭

Through this research and its implementation, I came to recognize several key insights:

📈 Assessing students’ growth is challenging, but certainly possible with intentional design.
🧗 Diversifying assessment formats not only promotes equity but also strengthens learner agency.
🤝 Introducing new high-impact practices in the classroom requires meaningful institutional support—and not all high-impact activities are effective by default.
🗣️ Clear communication about the purpose and motivation behind an assessment is essential for student engagement and success.

🖼️ Student E-portfolio Gallery | Fall 2025 POL 419

*Only students who voluntarily agreed on sharing have posted their E-portfolios.

*Some websites may require UA account to access.

*To protect students’ privacy and intellectual property rights, any use by third parties is strictly prohibited.

Reference

Beckers, Jorrick, Diana Dolmans and Jeroen van Merriënboer. 2016. "e-Portfolios enhancing students’ self-directed learning: A systematic review of influencing factors." Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 32(2), p. 32-46.
Cheng, Gary and Juliana Chau. 2013. "Exploring the relationship between students' self-regulated learning ability and their ePortfolio achievement." Internet and Higher Education, 17, p. 9-15.
Eynon, Bret, and Laura M. Gambino. 2023. “The Catalyst Framework.” In High-Impact ePortfolio Practice, New York: Routledge, p. 27–37.
Eynon, Bret, and Laura M. Gambino. 2023. “Outcomes Assessment that Closes the Loop.” In High-Impact ePortfolio Practice, New York: Routledge, p. 95–115.
Eynon, Bret, and Laura M. Gambino. 2023. “Scaling Up!” In High-Impact ePortfolio Practice, New York: Routledge, p. 134–152.
https://www.aacu.org/trending-topics/eportfolios
https://eportfolio.arizona.edu/what-are-some-examples/eportfolio-gallery

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