Who Owns the ePortfolio

Most learners are very familiar with the concept of ownership. How many children have you heard say, "THAT'S MINE!" Even as adults, we own our car, our clothes, and our house. Ownership is a fundamental human right so to speak. Yet, when it comes to learning and education, we go against the grain. In the grand scheme of things, it only makes sense that students would want to have ownership over their learning experiences and progress. Right?

When it comes to student eportfolios, the power of ownership can't be understated. By allowing students to take control of their own learning, we give them the power to develop a stronger sense of agency and responsibility for their education. Most importantly, it's something that belongs to them - not their teacher, not their school district, nor anyone else. 

So why is ownership of the ePortfolio so important? Well, it’s important because it gives students control over their learning process - something that is often taken away from them in traditional educational settings. When students have ownership over their portfolios, they are more likely to be engaged in the process and take pride in what they produce. Student eportfolios can provide a wealth of data that can be used to inform instruction and improve outcomes. 

Something that can be very difficult to implement is the overhauling of the assessment process

to take into account creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. Creativity and out-of-the-box thinking are important for a number of reasons. For one, they allows educators to better engage with their students. When students are encouraged to be creative and think outside the box, they are more likely to be engaged in their learning and less likely to become bored or apathetic. With that said, our students own the ePortfolio. Education as whole just needs to stop trying to dictate what is written.