ePortfolios: policy issues and interoperability

This paper summarises and provides an update on a recent investigation into the development of e-portfolios for the vocational education and training (VET) sector, and particularly into the associated policy and interoperability issues. The concept of managing personal portfolios predates the Internet age and many earlier ideas about the use of portfolios in education and training are finding new expression. New possibilities arise through the adoption of standard approaches to e-portfolio development, enabling institutions to share and exchange e-portfolio data. In the education and training sector this could lead to streamlining of the processes associated with recognition of prior learning, student transitions through courses, and training that involves either sequential or parallel movement through multiple institutions. Moving into the future, e-portfolio services may need to interact with many other applications or services. Interoperability includes integration with other applications found in organisations as well as other critical infrastructure such as authentication and authorisation services, digital rights management and persistent identifier services. While other countries have worked for sometime on developing systemic approaches to e-portfolios, Australia is really only just beginning to engage in this area. This research examines emerging needs of the sector, policy implications, and looks at some of the technical standards which may underpin a systemic approach to e-portfolio development.

Available papers from the 11th Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Association (AVETRA) Conference are indexed from TD/TNC 92.459 to TD/TNC 92.499 and from TD/TNC 92.701 to TD/TNC 92.716. Show less