Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

2025

DOI

10.60770/a2xe-fv33

Publication Title

Digital Resilience of ePortfolios During and Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons for the Future

Pages

66-78

Abstract

This chapter explores ePortfolios as a resilient practice in higher education during periods of disruption. Drawing on the Support principle from the Digital Ethics Principles in ePortfolios, developed by the Association for Authentic, Experiential, and Evidence-Based Learning’s (AEEBL’s) Digital Ethics Task Force, the authors argue that the student resilience fostered by ePortfolio practices can only be achieved successfully if ePortfolio programs are implemented and supported in a way that makes them resilient as well. Two case studies from Old Dominion University (ODU) in the United States and The University of Queensland (UQ) in Australia demonstrate how both institutions embedded ePortfolio pedagogy across curricular and co-curricular contexts through centralized, well-resourced support systems that sustained student engagement and learning continuity during the rapid transition to online and hybrid learning necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Survey data from North America, Australia, and New Zealand complement these case studies, highlighting both the strengths and challenges of resilient ePortfolio implementation. While survey respondents reported diverse support roles and modalities, they also noted a lack of institutional recognition and compensation for ePortfolio professionals, underscoring the need for formal acknowledgment of the labor underpinning the resilience of ePortfolio implementations. The findings affirm that when supported by intentional pedagogical design and institutional investment, ePortfolios foster student agency, reflection, and adaptability, all of which support their resilience as learners and, in the future, as professionals. As higher education continues to face disruptions, from technological shifts to enrollment challenges, sustained support for ePortfolio ecosystems will be essential. Institutions must prioritize not only technological infrastructure but also the professional development and recognition of those who lead and sustain ePortfolio initiatives. In doing so, they cultivate ethical, inclusive, and future-ready learning environments that empower both educators and learners.

Rights

© 2025 by Mpho-Entle Puleng Modise and Norman Vaughan.

This scholarly work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License, except where otherwise noted.

Original Publication Citation

Bowker, S., Cicchino, A., Kelly, K., Hoeppner, K., Mayes, C., Mize, M., Slade, C., Schibeci, S., & Zurhellen, S. (2025). Demonstrating the resilience of ePortfolios in times of disruption: Two international case studies. In M.-E. P. Modise & N. Vaughan (Eds.), Digital resilience of ePortfolios during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons for the future (pp. 66-78). https://pressbooks.openeducationalberta.ca/digital-resilience-eportfolios/chapter/03/

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