ePortfolios are often described as tools that support student reflection, ownership, and the ability to make sense of their learning over time. At their best, they allow learners to bring together evidence, track their progress, and tell their own academic or professional story ((University of Waterloo Centre for Teaching Excellence, 2026). But in practice, the term ‘ePortfolio’ is sometimes applied to tasks that do none of those things.

In this presentation, I reflect on cases where teams describe their assessment as ePortfolio work, but the design gives students little chance to reflect, personalise, or shape their own learning. In some cases, the task involves completing a series of fixed assignments grouped together on a digital platform, but it gives students no real say in how it is put together or what it means. It might tick the submission boxes, but that is not what an ePortfolio is meant to be.

There is real momentum behind using ePortfolios in higher education, and a lot of great work is being done. But there is also a need to pause and ask: do we all mean the same thing when we say ‘ePortfolio’? Does the assessment design align with the purpose of an ePortfolio? If we want students to reflect or take ownership of their learning, the structure has to actually support that. Calling it an ePortfolio does not make it one.

Often, this happens with the best of intentions. Teams want to innovate, meet institutional goals, or engage students in new ways. But without a shared understanding of what an ePortfolio actually is, the result can fall short of what students need (Lewis, 2019).

This presentation is for anyone involved in digital assessment, learning design, or academic development. It is an invitation to take a step back and ask what this tool is for, and whether we are designing in a way that actually supports students to use it well. Because in the end, not everything in a folder is an ePortfolio. And that difference matters.

University of Waterloo Centre for Teaching Excellence. (2026). ePortfolios explained: Theory and practice. Retrieved from https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/catalogs/tip-sheets/eportfolios-explained-theory-and-practice

Lewis, L. (2019). A critical reflection on ePortfolio as a teaching tool. Educational Provocations. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1230237.pdf