Why use an ePortfolio for assessment?

Portfolio-based assessments allow students to show learning, skills, and reflection over time. They support progression, link theory to practice, and help students develop employability skills. This guide outlines three University-supported tools for ePortfolio assessment:

• Microsoft OneNote.
• Microsoft SharePoint.
• Blackboard Ultra Journals.

The guide includes example use cases, known limitations, and practical mitigations. It is designed to help you choose an appropriate tool based on cohort size and assessment purpose. If you need further support, or have specialised needs, the Digital Learning Team can provide advice. Please raise a ticket by completing the iSolutions Request Form and include the following in the description box ‘FAO DIGITAL LEARNING’

General principles for portfolio assessment

Portfolio assessments work best when they are carefully planned. Clear design choices help students understand what is expected and reduce confusion during submission and marking.
The principles in this section will help you design effective portfolio assessments and choose suitable digital tools. They focus on clarity, structure, inclusion, and good assessment practice across different cohort sizes.

Clarity of purpose

• Clearly explain the purpose, expectations, and assessment criteria in the assessment brief.
• State how students should submit their work and how it will be graded.

Structure and flexibility

• Provide templates or prompts to guide students.
• Allow flexibility where appropriate, particularly in small cohorts.

Formative opportunities

• Build in regular low-stakes activities.
• Provide feedback to support student confidence and progression.

Accessibility and inclusivity

• Ensure tools and formats meet accessibility standards.
• Provide alternatives where required.

Data protection and academic integrity

• Avoid requesting sensitive personal data.
• Be aware of limitations in plagiarism detection.

Microsoft OneNote

Microsoft OneNote is part of the University’s Microsoft 365 licence. It allows students to create digital notebooks containing text, images, drawings, media, and links. Each student or group can share their notebook with staff for feedback. OneNote works best for independent and reflective work. Students can use the web or desktop version. The desktop version is often faster but requires reliable syncing – regular manual syncing is recommended as a safeguard.

Case study: small cohort (fewer than 25 students)

Example module: Clinical Skills Development (Year 2)

Task: Students maintain an individual OneNote notebook documenting weekly clinical practice reflections, supported by photos, annotated diagrams, and embedded videos. Staff provide formative comments throughout the semester if access is granted.
Rationale: Works well for smaller cohorts where module leads can feasibly access and comment on each student’s private notebook.

Known limitations and mitigations

Sync and access issues

• Ask students to use OneNote Online for submission.
• Check sharing permissions at the start of the module.

Navigation issues

• Provide a pre-structured notebook template.
• Use clear section and page names.

No Blackboard gradebook integration

• Ask students to export a final PDF.
• Require submission via Blackboard Ultra for grading.

Microsoft OneNote Class Notebook

OneNote Class Notebook is an extension of OneNote. It is suitable for medium-to-large cohorts where staff oversight is required. It provides structure while allowing students to retain ownership of their work. When a Class Team is created, a linked Class Notebook is automatically set up. You can also create a Class Notebook manually using student email addresses. Class Notebook includes:

• Student notebooks for private work.
• A read-only content library for staff resources and templates.
• A collaboration space for shared activities.

Suggested uses for the collaboration space:

• Peer feedback on draft reflections.
• Shared resource collections.
• Group reflective responses to prompts.
• Case study and problem-solving activities.

Case study: medium to large cohort (around 150 students)

Example module: Education and Professional Practice (Year 3)

Task: Students maintain a professional development portfolio within Class Notebook, including weekly reflective entries, evidence of placement activities, and structured responses to prompts provided in the Content Library. Staff can check progress throughout the semester and encourage resource sharing in the collaborative space. Summative assessment is managed through Blackboard Ultra, where students export and submit a final selection of their work.
Rationale: Class Notebook supports scalability compared to standard OneNote, as staff can monitor all students’ work centrally, while students benefit from structured templates and private spaces.

Known limitations and mitigations

Performance issues

• Encourage linking to large files instead of embedding.
• Use multiple notebooks for very large cohorts (over150 students).

No direct Blackboard integration

• Requires PDF export and Blackboard submission.
• Provide clear export instructions.

Complex set-up

• Use standard templates.
• Offer staff training and guidance.

SharePoint

SharePoint allows students to create collaborative portfolio spaces. It is well-suited to group work and project-based portfolios. SharePoint sites can be linked to Class Teams. You can create document libraries with controlled permissions. This allows groups or individuals to maintain private portfolio spaces.

Case study: medium cohort (fewer than 120 students)

Example module: Business Consultancy Project (Final Year)

Task: Student groups (4–6 members) create a SharePoint site as a portfolio of consultancy outputs for an external client. The portfolio includes project plans, data analyses, reflective logs, and final recommendations.
Rationale: SharePoint supports group collaboration, version control, and structured presentation of diverse evidence types.

Known limitations and mitigations

Learning curve

• Instructors to provide an induction session.
• Use a pre-configured site template.

Permissions risks

• Pre-set group membership.
• Ensure staff have owner access.

No integrated marking

• Collect a SharePoint link via Blackboard.
• Record grades and feedback in Blackboard.

Blackboard Ultra Journals

Blackboard Ultra Journals allow students to create reflective entries over time. Journals are fully integrated with the Blackboard Gradebook. They are best suited to large cohorts.

Case study: large cohort (fewer than 300 students)

Example module: Introduction to Management (Year 1)

Task: Weekly reflective journal entries linked to lecture themes. Students respond to prompts and link theory to personal experience. Selected entries are summatively assessed at the end of semester.
Rationale: Scales effectively for large cohorts due to integration with Blackboard and ease of use.

Known limitations and mitigations

Limited formatting

• Set expectations for text-based submissions.
• Ask students to link to external evidence if needed.

Staff workload

• Assess selected entries only.
• Use automated prompts.

Limited peer interaction

• Combine journals with discussion boards for peer learning.