An eportfolio design theory supporting ownership, social learning, and ease of use

The goal of this project is to improve portfolio software design. Using learning and portfolio literature, I created a design model that predicts user adoption using the constructs of ownership, social learning, and ease of use. Based on these constructs, I programmed a new portfolio system as a plug-in to an existing opensource social networking system. The tool was designed to support users' feelings of ownership. It also encouraged them to learn from their peers through the use of tag-based page pop-ups shown in the editing screen. Ease of use was improved over traditional portfolio tools by using a simpler tree-based organization. Students in the School of Information Systems and Technology at Claremont Graduate University used the tool to submit a portfolio for their Fall 2008 courses. Students enrolled in an MBA "Management of IT" course at Woodbury University also used the tool to submit weekly pages for their assignments. All students found the resulting system easy to use, and extensively used the social learning features. Students reported that being able to see peer work was a new experience that helped them learn the material. Survey results supported the design model, showing that ease of use, social learning, and ownership are critical variables in predicting user satisfaction. Students learned alternate ways to approach their work by seeing peer content. Future work shows promise in promoting higher standards by showcasing top content, as well as in helping students become intellectually engaged with their peers.