Research Reviews

The use of eportfolios for independent learning would appear to have been partially obscured by the discussion around the wisdom of using electronic and self-regulated systems for recording student achievements. In Europe and North America there has been significant research into the design and use of e-portfolios by experts such as Elizabeth Hartnell-Young, Darren Cambridge and others, especially through the work of the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) in the UK. In fact, two recent books on the topic of digital portfolios may summarise much of this work and provide a simple way forward. The first Digital Portfolios: Powerful Tools for promoting Professional Growth and Reflection by Hartnell-Young and Morriss (2010) (second edition) focusses on professional learning and the second Eportfolios for Lifelong Learning and Assessment by Darren Cambridge (2010) provides a framework for recording achievement and planning.