Evaluating an approach for eportfolio development

This paper reports on the evaluation of three years of eportfolio development work at Liverpool John Moores University with undergraduate students undertaking a final year design and technology module of key significance in determining their overall degree classification. Set up in 2002 the module is assessed solely through an electronic portfolio. Whilst, on first impression, appearing not to value students’ making skills, the module encourages risk taking and often results in high quality finished products. Common to the module from 2003 to 2006 was the use of grade-related assessment criteria. These were modified versions of criteria from similar modules where students would develop paperbased portfolios and three-dimensional outcomes. The aim of the research was to explore similarities and differences in the pedagogical approaches that have been undertaken over the years and identify future trends and ways of further developing the students’ experience. In doing so it was necessary to use a mixture of quantitative and qualitative methods that included: comparing assessment procedures by analysing documentation; comparing outcomes across the cohorts and interviewing tutors and students to provide insights into the processes of development.