Greenberg, G. (2004) ‘The digital convergence: extending the portfolio model’

Greenberg, G. (2004) ‘The digital convergence: extending the portfolio model’ [online], Educause Review, vol. 39, no. 4 (July/August), pp. 28–36. Available from: http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERM0441.pdf (accessed 8 September 2008)

Greenberg refers to three distinct portfolio types. These may be digital or non-digital in nature. The showcase portfolio, where “organization occurs after the work has been created.” is symptomatic of the traditional artists portfolio, typically intended for presenting finished artefacts to an employer or client, although also to peers or a wider audience (it could be argued that an exhibition of work is a portfolio).

With a structured portfolio, “a predefined organization exists for work that is yet to be created.” Interestingly, this type of portfolio has a fundamentally different purpose to the showcase variety in that it aims to democratize content by organizing it in a uniform and predeterminate way, thus ‘leveling the playing-field’. Depending on the audience, this may be useful when wishing to compare the skillsets of applicants for a course, for example, or when ascertaining whether the owner has the necessary aptitude to proceed in some other context.

Finally, the learning portfolio is where “organization of work evolves as it is created.” This statement summarizes the capacity for reflection, critical appraisal and development within a recorded format and is essentially the concept of PDP that we are familiar with in education. Greenberg relates this to an art and design context, suggesting that in its most traditional form this portfolio type is comparable to an artist’s sketchbook. The key strength of this portfolio is that “work evolves over time as tasks are identified, worked on, and completed in response to the author’s changing interests, requirements, and understanding.”

Having identified these three core portfolio principles, the author goes on to advocate the opportunities that an e-portfolio presents in terms of integrated assessment and ongoing peer connections through both educational and professional career.

Greenberg is positive about the “digital convergence of text, graphics, sound and video” and the engaging opportunties this presents to stakeholders. However, I have several concerns about this: 1) That in art and design contexts the medium for artefact representation (i.e. for assessment not just presentation) is often intrinsic to its affect on the audience. 2) The diverse range of skills required to effectively produce multimedia content. 3) That an e-portfolio by its nature is structured, and therefore the scope to produce the personalized content necessary in art and design as suggested in the showcase portfolio is difficult to achieve.