Advantages of porfolio

 1.  Students that develop an  ePortfolio will see BENEFITS . . .  from the PROCESS.

• They will discover a valuable exercise in self assessment through the reflection process
• Learning will take on a new depth through the reflection process
• Their self esteem and self-confidence will be enhanced as they take control of their learning. 
• They may develop their own goals for their learning. 
• Assessment of their learning may become more student centered;  the learner is involved and authorized to make decisions about will be evaluated. 
• They will receive more recognition for individual learning abilities and preferences.
• They will learn and begin to practice  a process that will be used in life long and life wide learning pursuits.

    . . . . from the PRODUCT

• They will have a tool for personal development.
• They will have a personal learning record.
• They may receive credit for informal and non-formal learning as well as formal learning.
• They will have direction for career planning.
• They will have a tool for feedback from teachers and peers; feedback in the form of comments, as opposed to marks.
• They will have a concrete way of showcasing strengths to teachers or  future employers.
• They may have needed documentation for prior learning assessment  or program credits.
• They may receive credit towards a course completion or towards  graduation
• They will have an extremely portable tool to use no matter where they are in the world.

2.  Educators that develop their own Portfolio will see BENEFITS . . . from  the PROCESS.

• They will understand the important aspect of the process fully and see that the process is just as important as the product.
• They will be able to empathize with students as they create, find or request their own evidence.
• They will develop an appreciation for the challenges that are experienced while writing a reflective statement that identifies learning.
• They will have the opportunity to explore more fully who they are and what they know and can do.
• They will assess strengths and interests which allows for exploration of career options.
• They will refresh their skills in documenting lifelong learning experiences

. . . from the PRODUCT.

• They will have a record of personal learning with documents that prove formal and informal learning.
• They will be able to demonstrate professional growth and show a commitment to continued learning.
• They will have an organized collection of evidence that can be used as a job search tool if needed.
• They will have a tool to showcase skills and knowledge to their employers when seeking a new position or a promotion.
• They will be able to identify strengths and/or weaknesses to help with future professional development decisions.
• They will be able to assess strengths and make more informed decisions on career options.
• They will have clear documentation to assist with Prior Learning Assessment and be able to link learning to learning outcomes.
• They may even have the evidence needed for PLA credits when pursuing continued education.

3.  BENEFITS to Employers or Corporate Companies that establish a Portfolio Community for their employees . . .  from  the PROCESS.

• Employees will have the opportunity to explore more fully who they are and what they know and can do.
• They will refresh their skills in documenting lifelong learning experiences.  This allows them to bring all of their learning to their daily job challenges.
• They will assess their strengths and interests which will assist them in seeking new opportunities within the company that they are suited for.  This allows a company to retain the most talented staff members.
• A Portfolio initiative would create a “buzz” of interest and excitement resulting in increased staff morale.

  . .  . from the PRODUCT.

• Employees will have a record of personal learning with documents that prove formal and informal learning.  This results in a definite boost of confidence.  
•  A staff with increased confidence will be a more productive staff.
• Employees will be able to demonstrate professional growth and show a commitment to continued learning.  They will have evidence for a requested transfer or promotion.
• Employees will be able to “showcase” their best work and share examples easily and comfortably with each other.  A community of sharing ideas and best practices will be developed within the company.
• Human Resource specialists will have an effective tool to match employees to job position.  They will be able to identify strengths and/or weaknesses to help the staff with future professional development decisions.