Eportfolios and Learning Portfolios are terms that have been used interchangeably in recent months. As in many cases, agreeing on a universally accepted definition has not been an easy task. However, John Zubizarreta, author of The Learning Portfolio (Anker, 2004), has formulated an excellent working definition of what a learning portfolio is. According to Zubizarreta:

• The learning portfolio is a flexible, evidence-based process that combines reflection and documentation.
• It engages students in ongoing, reflective, and collaborative analysis of learning.
• If focuses on purposeful, selective outcomes for both improving and assessing learning.

Other Uses for learning/eportfolios include:

• Future career and graduate school preparation
• Showcasing technical, professional, and educational abilities
• Avenue for incorporating service and experiential learning
• Web journaling/blogging as part of an internship or practicum experience
• Program review, assessment, and re-assessment purposes
• Tieing major, minor, departmental, school outcomes to student performance
• Other unintended, yet beneficial outcomes are emerging through the effective implementation and use of eportfolios such as maintaining contact with graduates and professional faculty and staff tenure track evaluation.

Further Reading:

• Educase Learning Initiative: An Overview of Eportfolios
• Campus Technology: The Electronic Portfolio Boom: What's it All About?
• Elearnspace: Eportfolios