ePortfolio Options
The Purpose and type of portfolio will influence the platform used.
Seesaw A free e-portfolio ipad app, Android app and website, has a corresponding parent app for phone or ipad. Very easy to use and has video tutorials. Includes the ability for short blog posts and a recordable whiteboard. Students can upload items easily themselves. At the end of the year the class is archived and a new class is started, student info doesn't transfer to the new class in the free version but can be downloaded. Paid options are available, school version allows transferring students to another class and has a skills checklist. 100 Ways to use Seesaw
Blogs - A Blogger account is available for free as part of G-Suite or blogs can be set up in several of the other options. Can be public or shared via email addresses with limited users. Can add images, upload or embed video, embed audio and most other embeddable items. Can add Labels so posts about a topic or student can easily be located. Can't attach a document but can add links. Viewers can comment easily. Can be combined with another option e.g. Sharing links to posts through Seesaw or a Google Site.
Google Apps for Education (GAFE) - free but easier to manage if used with the free Google Classroom. Sharing is easy to control. Multi-platform. Can use docs, spreadsheets, presentations etc. or a combination. Works nicely with Google Sites
Google Sites - Part of the G-Suite tools. Free.
Easy to use drag and drop editor. Can add docs, images, video easily.Integrates well with other G-Suite tools, Docs, Slides etc. Limited customisation options. You can restrict access to the site.
Powerpoint or Google Slide presentation. Easy to use. Can add video and sound. Can attach docs and add links. If using Office 365 can be shared via a link, otherwise can be emailed or can be attached in another place such as Seesaw or a Google Site. If using Google Presentation it can easily be shared via a link and can get comments/ feedback and privacy is easy to control.
Mahara - My Portfolio - Currently free for NZ schools. More suitable for secondary but some primary schools are using it. Can add images, add links and attach files. Not as easy to use as some other platforms.
Moodle - More suitable for course delivery but some schools use it as an e-portfolio. Free but probably will need to pay someone to set it up and administer it unless there is someone in the school with the expertise and time. Not easy to make it look good.
Other Options
There are a number of paid options eg Linc-Ed available but these can be quite expensive. Check to see if there is a free option that can do what you want first.
Some schools use their SMS eg eTap for reporting purposes.
Seesaw A free e-portfolio ipad app, Android app and website, has a corresponding parent app for phone or ipad. Very easy to use and has video tutorials. Includes the ability for short blog posts and a recordable whiteboard. Students can upload items easily themselves. At the end of the year the class is archived and a new class is started, student info doesn't transfer to the new class in the free version but can be downloaded. Paid options are available, school version allows transferring students to another class and has a skills checklist. 100 Ways to use Seesaw
Blogs - A Blogger account is available for free as part of G-Suite or blogs can be set up in several of the other options. Can be public or shared via email addresses with limited users. Can add images, upload or embed video, embed audio and most other embeddable items. Can add Labels so posts about a topic or student can easily be located. Can't attach a document but can add links. Viewers can comment easily. Can be combined with another option e.g. Sharing links to posts through Seesaw or a Google Site.
Google Apps for Education (GAFE) - free but easier to manage if used with the free Google Classroom. Sharing is easy to control. Multi-platform. Can use docs, spreadsheets, presentations etc. or a combination. Works nicely with Google Sites
Google Sites - Part of the G-Suite tools. Free.
Easy to use drag and drop editor. Can add docs, images, video easily.Integrates well with other G-Suite tools, Docs, Slides etc. Limited customisation options. You can restrict access to the site.
Powerpoint or Google Slide presentation. Easy to use. Can add video and sound. Can attach docs and add links. If using Office 365 can be shared via a link, otherwise can be emailed or can be attached in another place such as Seesaw or a Google Site. If using Google Presentation it can easily be shared via a link and can get comments/ feedback and privacy is easy to control.
Mahara - My Portfolio - Currently free for NZ schools. More suitable for secondary but some primary schools are using it. Can add images, add links and attach files. Not as easy to use as some other platforms.
Moodle - More suitable for course delivery but some schools use it as an e-portfolio. Free but probably will need to pay someone to set it up and administer it unless there is someone in the school with the expertise and time. Not easy to make it look good.
Other Options
There are a number of paid options eg Linc-Ed available but these can be quite expensive. Check to see if there is a free option that can do what you want first.
Some schools use their SMS eg eTap for reporting purposes.
Some questions to ask when deciding on which to use:
Thanks to Anne Sturgess for many of these suggestions.
- Take a look at the Effective Reporting pages on TKI
- Who needs to see it? Will it be public? Just nominated people? Just parents of a student?
- What is the purpose of the e-portfolio?
- How easy is it to view and comment?
- Can some or all pages be password protected if wanted?
- How long will the student have access to their e-portfolio? Is it easily transportable or accessible if they shift schools or leave school?
- How easy is it to share?
- Can I upload documents, images, pdfs, video? Can I embed content?
- How much does it cost?
- How easy is it to organise the way you want it to be?
- How easy is it for your students to add content?
- Can you make it look the way you want it to?
Thanks to Anne Sturgess for many of these suggestions.
