An ePortfolio, which stands for "electronic portfolio" is a digital compilation of materials presented to a specific audience chosen by its creator, offering evidence of an individual's learning and skills. This ePortfolio can contain documents, images, videos, and reflective content that provides a comprehensive representation of an individual's accomplishments and who they are. It can be likened to a digital scrapbook that not only showcases the work or products generated but also traces an individual's journey and development over time. In the current digital landscape, where online presence and digital proficiency are imperative, an ePortfolio serves as a valuable investment in one's learning, career, and personal growth. It is a versatile tool with numerous applications in the professional and educational realms, aiding students, educators, and job seekers in achieving their goals and excelling in the digital age.
Here are some suggestions for what to include in an ePortfolio.
The content of a portfolio will depend on the type of profession you have. For example, a teacher's ePortfolio will be quite different from that of an artist. It also depends on the purpose for which it is designed. In other words, creating an ePortfolio for educational purposes is not the same as creating one to showcase your career progression or for job hunting. However, regardless of the type of portfolio you need, here are some general tips to consider when creating yours:
Select your most outstanding work: although it may be tempting to include everything you've done in your career or the studies and projects you've undertaken, make sure to choose works that highlight your most relevant skills and abilities.
Consider file size: ePortfolios can be quite large, so if you need to upload it, optimize it so that it doesn't exceed 5MB.
Avoid plagiarism under any circumstances: Include only original work and give credit to the individuals who served as references or collaborated with you.
Steer clear of controversial or polarizing content: Try to select works that won't make your audience uncomfortable or even angry. For example, choosing political or sensitive topics usually doesn't yield favorable results.
Here, I show you some tools to create an online portfolio
1. WordPress: is an online platform that allows you to create an online portfolio, store text, designs, images, and videos in one place, and showcase your talent, especially if you are a web developer. It is intuitive, user-friendly, and offers a free version.
2. Behance: is a popular tool among designers and visual artists that allows you to upload and share previous work with recruiters and potential employers. It also encourages the creation of connections and networking with other creative minds.
3. Instagram: can be a great tool to showcase your talent, especially if you are a photographer, videographer, visual artist, or social media professional. It allows you to easily share your projects with recruiters.
4. InDesign: is an Adobe software that allows you to create online catalogs or books with text and images. Documents can be exported as PDFs and attached to job applications, making it suitable for photographers, models, editorial designers, and writers."
5. Flickr: is a favorite tool among photographers that provides a customized online feed to showcase outstanding photographs, links to social media, and a professional profile.
6. Squarespace: is similar to Wordpress, however, it offers the opportunity to create a website at a minimal cost and showcase skills in UX, UI, design, photography, writing, video, and other interactive media. It also allows you to create product catalogs and link to social media.
7. Issuu: is a platform for professionals such as architects, industrial engineers, and various types of designers, allowing the creation of online magazines or books with a clean and professional appearance. Documents can be flipped through like printed materials.
8. Adobe Portfolio: is included in the Adobe Creative Cloud subscription and provides various designs for creating a visually appealing portfolio.
Now you know what a professional ePortfolio is and how to create one using various online tools. Are you inspired to create your own? What do you think? Leave your comments.
References
Harapnuik, D (2023, September). What is an ePortfolio. It’s About Learning. https://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=5977
Harapnuik, D (2023, September). ePortfolio. It’s About Learning. https://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=5973
Wandas, T. (2023, October 6). ¿Qué es un Portfolio Digital? Definición, Ejemplos y Guía. ResumeLab. https://resumelab.com/es/orientacion-profesional/portfolio