RAPPORT
WWW.RECORDINGACHIEVEMENT.ORG
Issue 1 (2015)
In drawing to a conclusion, what alignment exists
between Strivens’ taxonomy and the ideas and
reflections shared here? All of the types are well
described and many practitioners will relate to one
or more of them. However, presented in the
current format they feel rather more restrictive
than current eportfolio practice suggests. Perhaps
therein lies the conundrum – how to define a
technology used in so many different ways, and in
so many different contexts?
In addition to seeking agreement that an eportfolio
is a presentation and not a system, the intended
contribution of this paper is to suggest some
rather
less
constraining
questions
and
characteristics that help the community discuss
more clearly and accurately what it is we are
talking about. This starts with the question:
Is this to be a single use, single purpose, allencompassing portfolio, or will myriad portfolios
tell different aspects of a user’s story?
Once that is understood it becomes easier to
concentrate on the nature of the individual
portfolio(s):
• Message – is it about me, or about things I have
done or experienced?
• Content – is it defined or discretionary / is it
evidence-rich or exemplary?
• Audience – how do they expect to engage with
the eportfolio?
It is suggested here that the interplay of these
three elements will determine whether the
portfolio presentation tends towards the narrative
style, the collection, or the competency style.
This, in essence, determines the format of the
po