Portfolio Options
As a primary platform for your CPD passport, Canvas ePortfolio offers an easy to use, structured and integrated space to document your professional development journey. It provides prompts and sections to guide your reflection and evidence collection, making it easy to track your progress and showcase your achievements. For the purpose of the CPD Passport, if you are not already using an ePortfolio system we recommend using the Canvas ePortfolio.
However other ePortfolio tools are available. We also have access to PebblePad which is insitutionally funded and supported ePortfolio platform. There are also other ePorfolio platforms available for free or at cost for individuals, or other tools can be used for the purposes of creating an ePortfolio.
Canvas ePortfolio
This is Canvas's own ePortfolio tool, offering very basic ePortfolio functionality, allowing just the creation and organisation of portfolio pages in a way that will be familiar to any instructor using Canvas for teaching. The ePortfolios sit outside of courses, and is instead set up and owned by each individual (student/staff member) in Canvas. You can try this out for yourself by going to your Account button in Canvas, and clicking on ePortfolios.
Key features are: Different ePortfolios can be created for different purposes. Each portfolio works a bit like Canvas pages with an editable landing/Welcome page, then a configurable structure of Sections and New Pages within those. The user can then edit each page to insert content - such as blocks of text, file uploads/images, HTML/videos, and assignment submissions from their courses - into a linear order. Under Settings the Portfolio can be made public which allows the portfolio to accessible externally or submitted as a URL to a Canvas Assignment for monitoring or grading. Each page can be set to allow comments so you could encourage students to share their portfolios with each other. The system allows the student to download the contents of a portfolio as a Zip file in case they want to take it away with them at the end of their studies.
PebblePad
PebblePad is a comprehensive portfolio tool for which the University has an insitutional license. You can use it with students for a wide range of application, from asking students to simply keep a portfolio or their activities or reflections over time, to setting out 'workbooks' for students to complete, to undertaking forms of assessment. PebblePad is integrated into Canvas and it has a decent mobile app so that students can carry out reflections on the move. This is a fully-featured tool but does take a bit of a learning curve to get setup. We would recommend this approach if keeping a portfolio is going to be a big component of your module or programme. More information on PebblePad can be found on the Canvas Help for Staff course: https://canvas.liverpool.ac.uk/courses/306/pages/pebblepad?module_item_id=1593609. For help getting started please contact CIE's Digital Education team (digitaled@liverpool.ac.uk).
Other ePortfolio Tools:
While Canvas ePortfolio is a great option, there are other tools you might consider depending on your specific needs and preferences:
- Office 365: Microsoft's cloud-based productivity suite offers a variety of tools that can be used to create ePortfolios. Microsoft Teams and OneNote Links to an external site. are particularly useful for collecting and organizing evidence, while Word and PowerPoint can be used to create professional-looking presentations and documents to showcase your achievements.
- WordPress: Links to an external site. A versatile content management system that can be used to create ePortfolios. With various themes and plugins, you can design a portfolio that aligns with your professional brand and goals.
- Google Sites: Links to an external site. A simple and easy-to-use tool for creating websites, including ePortfolios. It offers basic templates and customization options, making it suitable for those who prefer a straightforward approach.