Book title: Handbook of Research on ePortfolios
Type: book
Author: Ali Jafari and Catherine Kaufman
Year: 2006
ISBN: 1591408903
Publisher: Idea Group Reference
Publisher's Description: The Handbook of Research on ePortfolios is the single source for comprehensive coverage of the major themes of ePortfolios, addressing all of the major issues, from concept to technology to implementation. It is the first reference publication to provide a complete investigation on a variety of ePortfolio uses through case studies and supporting technologies, and also explains the conceptual thinking behind current uses and potential uses not yet implemented. Over 100 international experts with countless years of experience lend this handbook the credibility that assures its readers of its extensive, recent, and reliable content. The Handbook of Research on ePortfolios is the first handbook to investigate commercial and academic ePortfolio systems—home-grown, off the shelf, and open source—and to supply proof-of-concept evidence of successful systems.
Reviewer: Jen Ross (University of Edinburgh)
Book Rating: 3/5
|
|
Review
This is a substantial and costly volume, at 600 pages and 195.00 US dollars. It has a corporate look and feel, despite its emphasis on electronic portfolios as tools for higher education. Clearly its cost puts it out of reach of most individual educators and researchers, and it is most likely to be purchased by libraries and large projects.
The book is accessibly written and the overall tone is enthusiastic: authors embrace and promote ePortfolio technology and pedagogy. For practitioners and those considering ePortfolios for their own contexts, particularly early adopters and ‘champions’ who are trying to further develop ePortfolios in their institutions, the book provides many possible sources of support. The second section, ePortfolio Case Studies, also successfully addresses a need for concrete examples of ePortfolios being used for teaching, learning and assessment.
The first section captures a particular moment in “ePortfolio thinking and technology”, but unfortunately (though perhaps inevitably in a printed volume) some important recent ideas about personal learning environments and social networking as it relates to portfolio pedagogy are largely missing (with the exception of chapter III, “The Learning Landscape”). However, the book does cover many issues well, including reflection (for example, X – “Mining for Meaning: Teaching Students How to Reflect”, XVI – “Using ePortfolios to Enhance Reflective Learning and Development”), assessment and audience (IV – “ePortfolios: Constructing Meaning Across Time, Space and Curriculum”, XIV – “ePortfolio Decisions and Dilemmas”), community (XL – “Community Through Constructive Learning”, L – “Can We Talk? Electronic Portfolios as Collaborative Learning Spaces”, and the previously mentioned chapter III), career portfolios (XI – “ePortfolios: Pathway from Classroom to Career”, XLVII – “Career ePortfolios in the IT Associates Program at DePauw University”) and lifelong learning (XVII – “ePortfolio: Constructing Learning”). Interoperability – both a technical and conceptual challenge in ePortfolio design – is discussed in Chapter XXII.
Most of the 51 chapters discuss ePortfolios in higher education, and with a mix of institutional and programme- or course-level implementations, the latter from many disciplines. Nine chapters have a UK focus (approximately half of the others are US-based, while Canada, Australia, Finland, Ireland, Mexico and the Netherlands are also represented). Of general relevance to those in UK Higher Education are the chapters on Personal Development Planning (XV and XVII), and Chapter XXXIII (about emerging UK policy and practice).
In what is meant to be a “handbook of research”, the book lacks critical balance. Though many authors discuss potential pitfalls and dangers in developing and implementing ePortfolios (see especially chapter XVIII – “Electronic Portfolio Initiatives: A Flashlight Guide to Planning and Formative Evaluation”, and XXIV – “Purpose, Audience and Engagement in Spelman College’s eFolio Project”), these are definitely framed as speed bumps on the road to ‘destination ePortfolio’. As one of the editors writes in his introduction: “The stickiness problem of the current ePortfolio packages should not be seen as a long-term problem, nor should we allow it to cause us to question the usefulness and importance of ePortfolios in learning and beyond” (Jafari, p xxxiv). Fundamental problems about choice and compulsion, motivation, ownership and individual learning styles are not, in my view, adequately addressed in this book.
As a reference manual it works well, although more coherent front matter (author information and affiliation, keywords, abstract and page numbers all in one place) would make it easier for browsers to identify chapters of particular interest. Overall, Handbook of Research on ePortfolios is a welcome contribution to the body of global ePortfolio practice.
About the Reviewer
Jen Ross is an ePortfolio practitioner and researcher in the School of Education at the University of Edinburgh.
Please note: Book reviews are provided for guidance only. The views expressed in the reviews are the personal opinions of the reviewer alone. They do not represent the views or opinions of the Higher Education Academy Subject Centre for Information and Computer Sciences, its staff or agents.
