Twelve tips for introducing E-Portfolios in health professions education

Abstract

Portfolios have been used in health professions for many decades as a means of documenting reflective practice that inform change, supports the understanding of professionals’ development needs and changing care options for clients. Electronic versions of one’s portfolio of evidence or E-Portfolios became more prevalent in the early 2000s as a repository to store evidence and reflections. However, in recent years E-Portfolios have evolved from a repository to an articulation of authentic learning and development. Introduction of a range of E-Portfolio technology options, hosting systems and increasing professional/ethical standards, has resulted in challenges and opportunities for academics and professionals to meet increasing requirements for teaching and support of students training for health professions. This paper explores twelve tips explained and justified in a Health Science context, designed to support students developing and using E-Portfolios to fulfil professional standards, show evidence of reflective practice and culminate in securing a job in their field.

Keywords:

• E-Portfolios
• health professions
• assessment
• faculty development

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Zarrin Seema Siddiqui

Zarrin Seema Siddiqui, PhD, MCPS(Psychiatry), MBBS, Inaugural Head, MD Program, College of Health Sciences, VinUniversity, Hanoi, Vietnam.

Marie B. Fisher

Marie B. Fisher, PhD, SFHEA, Australian Catholic University, Canberra, Australia.

Christine Slade

Christine Slade, PhD, BA PFHEA ATCL, Associate Professor (Academic Lead Assessment), Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.

Terri Downer

Terri Downer, PhD, MAdP, RN/RM, SFHEA, Associate Professor and Discipline Lead Midwifery, School of Nursing Midwifery and Paramedicine, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Australia.

Misty M. Kirby

Misty M. Kirby, PhD, Educational Consultant, United States of America.

Lynn McAllister

Lynn McAllister, Learning and Teaching Unit, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.

Stephen T. Isbel

Stephen T. Isbel, HScD, MOT, MHA, B.AppSc(OT), Associate Professor and Discipline Lead of Occupational Therapy Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia.

Christine Brown Wilson

Christine Brown Wilson, PhD, RN, PFHEA, Professor of Nursing (Education), School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queens’s University, Belfast, United Kingdom.