Portfolios to Webfolios and Beyond: Levels of Maturation

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Introduction

• Webfolios may have the most significant effect on education since the introduction of formal schooling.
• This article will chronicle the journey from paper and e-portfolios to webfolios and it will define five levels of maturation. 
• A taxonomy for the “Determination of Levels of Maturation” is included and can be used to ascertain a particular educational institution’s level of maturation and concomitantly, provide a conceptual guidance framework for attaining the highest level of maturation. 

Defining the Levels of Maturation

• By analyzing and categorizing eight physical and theoretical qualities inherent in the portfolio/webfolio processes and applications the authors have determined the five Levels of Maturation.
• As well, the authors have considered six value-oriented issues associated with the portfolio/webfolio processes and applications in establishing each of the Levels of Maturation.
• By applying these criteria to the portfolio/webfolio process and application, we have been able to identify five Levels of Maturation.
• Different programs within educational institutions can operate at various levels of maturation simultaneously.

Determination of Level of Maturation

Figure 1. provides a series of affirming statements that when assessed with a “Yes” this is present or a “No” this is not present, can be used to ascertain an educators or an educational institutions’ Level of Maturation.

Maturation Level 1 – Scrapbook

• Their portfolio is simply a collection of selected assignments completed in a course or awards they received along the way.
• The organization of the student portfolio is chaotic.
• The feedback students receive on their Level 1 portfolios is usually limited to comments and grades displayed on the work samples.
• Student decisions on what to include in the Level 1 portfolio depends on the student and how she or he feels about a particular work sample.
• At best, the student provides a time-based context for each item in the scrapbook.
• Other than a collection device, the portfolio may be of no other value to the student.
• The Level 1 portfolio is of little value to the educator and of no value to the educational institution.  The Level 1 portfolio or scrapbook process does not assure digital equity and scrapbooks are relatively expensive as they are difficult to maintain, organize and distribute and the student must continually develop a new one each time he or she updates it.

TABLE 1. provides a summary of qualities used to describe portfolios, e-portfolios and webfolios at Maturation Level l – Scrapbook.

Maturation Level 2 – Curriculum Vitae

• At Level 2, a cadre of educators or the institution itself has identified a curricular framework or template that will help students to organize and construct their portfolios.
• The educational authority determines the organization of the Level 2 portfolio and students merely conform to this organization as a matter of making it through the program.
• The items that will appear in the Level 2 portfolio will range from the scrapbook type entries to multi-media presentations in the e-portfolio and webfolio versions.
• The student’s heuristic process is limited to the confines of the template provided by the institution or program.
• While the organization of the Level 2 portfolio does provide some contextual clues about the artifacts, the student provides most of the context as she or he describes each item and how it meets some standard or program requirement.
• The Level 2 paper and e-portfolio must be hand delivered to interested others.  The webfolio version enjoys the ability to be electronically transmitted anytime and anywhere.
• The value to employers and students is high.
• The value to educators is moderate as they will instantly be able to see if students can generate work samples that address institutional standards or program requirements.
• The Level 2 portfolios are of low value to the educational institution. The Level 2 portfolio or curriculum vitae does not assure digital equity when displayed in the paper or e-portfolio versions.  The Level 2 webfolio version allows the educational institution to ensure every student has equitable access to communication and information resources, and the learning opportunities that are provided within the webfolio system.   The paper and e-portfolio versions of the Level 2 portfolio are relatively expensive as they are difficult to maintain and organize and the student must continually develop a new one each time he or she updates it.  The Level 2 webfolio’s expense is low as the student can assign and reassign access to a variety of constituencies, she or he can modify items within the webfolio system and they are instantly updated for all to see, and there is no delivery cost to the student.

TABLE 2. provides a summary of qualities used to describe portfolios, e-portfolios and webfolios at Maturation Level 2 – Curriculum Vitae.

Maturation Level 3 - Curriculum Collaboration between student and faculty

• At Level 3, paper and e-portfolios do not exist.
• The items in the Level 3 webfolio can either be part of a working or a showcase webfolio and the student makes this determination.
• The context for Level 3 webfolios is rich with input from educators, students and the educational institution itself.
• The delivery of the student’s webfolio to educators, mentors or employers is instantaneous with the permission to access their work.
• The value of the Level 3 webfolio is high for students, educators and employers.
• The Level 3 webfolio’s probability of digital equity is highly likely, as the educational institution will ensure every student has equitable access to communication and information resources, and the learning opportunities provided within the system.
• The expense of the Level 3 webfolio is low as the student can assign and reassign access to a variety of constituencies, she or he can modify items within the webfolio system and they are instantly updated for all to see, and there is no delivery cost to the student. 

TABLE 3. provides a summary of qualities used to describe webfolios at Maturation Level 3 – Curriculum Collaboration between student and faculty.

Maturation Level 4 – Mentoring Leading to Mastery

• Level 4 webfolios are organized by curricular requirements and electives or standards that are established by a cadre of educators or the institution; but they also allow students to generate their own portals for displaying work samples and achievements within the same curricular structure or institutional standard.
• Work samples and achievements can either be part of a working or a showcase webfolio.
• The Level 4 webfolio context is even richer than preceding levels as there are descriptions from educators, students, and the educational institution and from student generated webfolio items.
• The delivery of a student’s webfolio is instantaneous when he or she gives permission to various groups of registered users to access work samples and achievements.
• The Level 4 webfolio is of high value for students, educators and employers.
• The educator benefits greatly from the ability to repeat and enhance instructional implementation by copying course syllabi and assignments from one semester to the next, each time enriching the content through additional resources and new curricular initiatives.
• The probability of digital equity is highly likely at Level 4 as the educational institution will ensure every student has equitable access to communication and information resources, and the learning opportunities provided within the webfolio system. 
• The expense of the Level 4 webfolio is low as the student can assign and reassign access to a variety of constituencies, she or he will modify items within the webfolio system and have them instantly updated for all to see, and there is no delivery cost to the student. 

TABLE 4. provides a summary of qualities used to describe webfolios at Maturation Level 4 – Mentoring Leading to Mastery.

Maturation Level 5 – Authentic Evidence as the Authoritative Evidence for assessment, evaluation and reporting

• At Level 5 webfolios are organized by curricular requirements and electives or standards established by a cadre of educators or the institution; and students can generate their own portals for displaying work samples and achievements within the same curricular structure or institutional standard. 
• Work samples and achievements can either be part of a working or a showcase webfolio.
• The delivery of a student’s webfolio is instantaneous when he or she gives permission to various groups of registered users who access the student’s work samples and achievements. 
• The Level 5 webfolio is of high value for students, educators and employers.
• The value to the educator is high as he or she benefits greatly from the ability to repeat and enhance instructional implementation by copying course syllabi and assignments complete with links to standards and departmental goals and other taxonomies, like higher order thinking, from one semester to the next, each time enriching the content through additional resources and new curricular initiatives. 
• The value to employers is high as they are able to view the students’ showcase portfolios with the benefit of contextual clues from the institution, the syllabi, the assignments, help, resources, assessment criteria, and student generated descriptions of their achievements. 
• The value to the educational institution is high as there is enhanced communication, involving multi-media messages, between the student, the teacher, mentors, and significant others such as recruiters and employers.
• The probability of digital equity is highly likely at Level 5 as the educational institution will ensure every student has equitable access to communication and information resources, and the learning opportunities provided within the webfolio system. 
• The expense of the Level 5 webfolio is low as the student can assign and reassign access to a variety of constituencies, she or he will modify items within the webfolio system and have them instantly updated for all to see, and there is no delivery cost to the student.

TABLE 5. provides a summary of qualities used to describe webfolios at Maturation Level 5 – Authentic Evidence as the Authoritative Evidence for assessment, evaluation and reporting.

Conclusion and References