I feel that the use of an ePortfolio can be a very effective assessment tool. The series of entries allows students to look back and see how their attitudes and opinions have changed toward concepts that have been introduced. ePortfolios are especially effective in courses that require writing, as rereading allows a student to pinpoint weaknesses that are constant in their writings. From a business ed viewpoint, an ePortfolio can help a student recognize large concepts that they have learned throughout the year. I plan to have my students complete a reflection as part of their final and I wish that I had used ePortfolios at the beginning of the year so that they would be able to look back and view their progress and see how they and their skills have grown.
The ePortfolio is both formative and summative in nature. Formative for the instructor (if the students complete it in a timely manner), they can easily see whether or not students are grasping a concept or if additional instruction is needed. Since it includes work from the beginning of a project to the end, it fulfills the summative requirements for the instructor and the student, enabling both to "look back" and see what has been accomplished.
Your work throughout the semester demonstrates that technology is not an afterthought for your classroom. The observations you have made exemplify what 21st century skills student need for tomorrow. Let me know if you implement any of your ideas into your class next year.
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