PEARL
About the Research
Though this may not be a comprehensive database, it reasonably represents the landscape of literature available to the typical practitioner or researcher.
Research Categories
As we embarked on this research and began compiling this database, we developed categories that emerged within ePortfolio scholarship to help us better describe and understand the landscape of literature and the broader trajectory of the field. All articles you find on this website are tagged with a research category (and if it isn't yet, it will be soon--we're always working behind the scenes!). Read more about the categories by selecting each tile below to expand the descriptions.
DescriptiveDescriptiveAn argument for the use of ePortfolio, often citing learning theory: (a) may present data from other findings but does not present original data; (b) may present an example of ePortfolio in use for a specific program or course but these examples are descriptive and do not present data. Overall, no original data are presented and analyzed using appropriate research methods.
TechnologicalTechnologicalPresents data and models on the structure and usability of ePortfolio platforms, or provides description of a platform. Both empirical investigations and descriptive papers are included in this category, although they are primarily descriptive.
Empirical: AffectiveEmpirical: AffectivePresents original data, quantitative and/or qualitative, addressing the students’ or teachers’ feelings and opinions about ePortfolio. These studies do not examine the impact of ePortfolio on student outcomes.
Empirical: Assessment and EvaluationEmpirical: Assessment and EvaluationPresents original data, qualitative and/or quantitative, on assessing ePortfolios (e.g., a rubric for assessing students’ ePortfolios) or some other assessment or evaluation (e.g., evaluation of program capability to implement ePortfolio, needs assessments) that does not focus on investigating effects on student outcomes or perceptions about ePortfolios. This category primarily includes empirical tests of measurement tools and rubrics.
Empirical: OutcomesEmpirical: OutcomesPresents original data, qualitative and/or quantitative, on student outcomes. “Outcomes” can include learning/achievement as well as other measured constructs (e.g., motivation, reflective practice, self-regulation). This category also includes research on evidence-based pedagogical practices focused on improving the efficacy of ePortfolio.
This website's advanced search will give you access to a database of ePortfolio literature, which includes the peer-reviewed articles we have been able to locate and access through our institutional library searches and open-access journals. Though this may not be a comprehensive database, it reasonably represents the landscape of literature available to the typical practitioner or researcher.
- We included only refereed journal articles, as our purpose has been to locate and compile "evidence" that has been formally reviewed by experts in the field. Thus, no books, conference presentations, white papers, etc., can be found on this site.
- If you find that we are missing a peer-reviewed article, kindly recommend publications through our Collaborate page.
Note on Categorization Method
If a study addresses both Empirical, Affective and Empirical, Outcomes research questions, the article is categorized as Empirical, Outcomes.
This is a researcher-imposed hierarchy within the coding scheme.
Read the 2013 article that prompted the design of this website
Take a look at this International Journal of ePortfolio article for more about our mission, the initial sample of articles, and the resulting research categories.