Dive Brief:
- Students at Fresno State University in California had extra incentive to build digital portfolios this year due to a campus competition.
- Campus Technology reports that the university started offering Pathbrite digital portfolios in 2014 as a way to enable students to share their work with peers and instructors, as well as future employers.
- Students do better when they know their coursework is on display, according to campus officials, who also offered iPad tablets and gift certificates to the winners of best course-based, best career-based, and best overall portfolios, the article said.
Dive Insight:
E-portfolios are becoming an expectation in many fields. A one-page paper resume doesn’t do nearly as much to show a job applicant’s accomplishments and capabilities. By incorporating e-portfolios into the classroom, Fresno State is giving its students a jumpstart in their future careers. The measurable benefits to student performance should also encourage faculty to adopt assignments for digital display. Campus Technology reports that the e-portfolio functionality can be used within an existing learning management system like Blackboard Learn, which would make it easy to adopt elsewhere.