According to the American Association of Colleges and Universities, ePortfolio are recognized as a High-Impact Practice (HIP) that helps students make meaning across experiences. Now, Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences students have opportunities to create their own ePortfolios. 

Whether compiling course-related materials or documenting volunteer experience, students who create an ePortfolio can engage in meaningful reflection of their past work while making learning visible.

Madeline Grace Britton Smith, a political science major, shared that, "Since completing the Professional ePortfolio course, I have used my portfolio to connect with professionals in the legal field, including attorneys and policymakers who align with my interests."

"It has served as a dynamic representation of my academic and professional journey, allowing me to showcase my work in a way that goes beyond a traditional résumé," she added. "Through my portfolio, I have been able to demonstrate my research, writing and leadership experience, which has sparked meaningful conversations and networking opportunities. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with many professionals appreciating the ability to view my work in a structured and accessible format."

There are numerous opportunities for Fulbright College students to create an ePortfolio at the U of A; read on to learn about some. 

Fulbright Student Success Offers a Career-Focused ePortfolio Course

The Professional ePortfolio course (ARSC 32003) has students work on their professional branding by fine tuning their resumes, working on their LinkedIn profiles and building a professional website on WordPress to showcase their skills.

Lynn Meade, teaching associate professor in student success, said, "In this class, students will spend a lot of time thinking about who they are and what strengths they have to offer. They learn to make connections between classroom and extra-curricular learning and their professional futures."

"At the end of the class, students not only walk away with a meaningful portfolio full of well-curated examples of their work, but, more importantly, they walk away with increased confidence in their abilities and in their marketability," she added. 

Meade created an Open Education Resource Book, Building a Professional Portfolio, to support the course that is free to students in the class and is also available for anyone to use.

School of Journalism Uses ePortfolios in Several Courses

According to Dave Bostwick, teaching associate professor and associate director of the School of Journalism and Strategic Media, "The campus ePortfolio system is a wonderful course tool."

"Starting in the second week of our Media Writing course (JOUR 10303), students regularly post assignments throughout the remainder of the semester," he added. "This helps students gain online publishing skills and allows instructors to track their progress."

"We also use the ePortfolio system in our Storytelling for Today's Media course (JOUR 20003). Students submit an about page, blog posts, podcasts and a video based on their selected topic. By the end of the course, they can have their own functioning website," he said.

Word Languages and Digital Humanities Studios Offers ePortfolio Workshops

These ePortfolio workshops are led by Digital Humanities Studio staff and student researchers. The comprehensive workshop includes a presentation with instructions on setting up the ePortfolio, as well as hands-on practice with creating the posts as assigned in Italian courses.

Students are taught how to create pages, posts and how to use the WordPress functions -- such as uploading videos, images and customizing each page.

The Italian program replaced final exams with ePortfolio creation, where students build a website over the course of their studies (up to four semesters), reflecting on various assignments while gaining critical digital abilities that will have an impact far beyond language-learning.

Department of Music Integrates ePortfolio Into Its Curriculum

ePortfolios are also supporting future music educators in documenting their growth and professional development.

Freshman students in the Introduction to Music Education course create their ePortfolios as a way to track their learning, post assignments and reflect on their journey toward becoming music teachers.

As they progress through the program, students continue adding materials, including lesson plans, teaching videos and reflections from field experiences. During their in-school residency semesters, they finalize their portfolios, ensuring they are a comprehensive representation of their skills and experiences.

According to Daniel Abrahams, coordinator of music education and associate professor of music, "These completed ePortfolios serve as valuable tools during the job application process, allowing students to showcase their teaching philosophy, classroom experience and musical expertise in a structured and accessible format."

ePortfolio Support Available for Students

The U of A adopted WordPress as its official platform and currently hosts 2,616 active sites. Camilla Shumaker and Rory Sims of the Campus WordPress team manage the portfolio.uark.edu website and assist students with trouble-shooting any technical issues that may arise. Any U of A student can use the site and build an ePortfolio.

A 2021 study from the American Association of Colleges and Universities found that nine in 10 employers reported that they appreciate an ePortfolio in the hiring process.

Caroline Collins, a communication major, shared that, "I've used my ePortfolio the most during my application and interviewing processes. It's given me a platform to showcase my skills and capabilities in a way that my resume couldn't. I've received feedback from multiple people who were impressed that I, as a college student, have an ePortfolio. They've told me it sets me apart."

If you are a faculty member interested in using ePortfolios in your class, email tips@uark.edu to discuss WordPress support.

If you would like to be included in future discussions, articles and presentation opportunities on the topic of ePortfolios, reach out to Lynn Meade.