Evaluation of an eportfolio for the assessment of clinical competence in a baccalaureate nursing program Bernard M. Garrett ⁎, Maura MacPhee, Cathryn Jackson University of British Columbia, School of Nursing, T201-2211 Wesbrook mall, Vancouver, Canada V6T 2B5 summary article info Article history: Accepted 12 June 2012 Keywords: Nurse education eLearning Portfolio ePortfolio Clinical assessment Reflection This paper reports a study undertaken to evaluate the implementation of an electronic portfolio (eportfolio) tool for the assessment of clinical competence in a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. Baccalaureate nursing programs increasingly use information and communications technologies to support student learning, assess and record progress. Portfolio based practice assessment and electronic portfolios represent growing trends to enhance learning via student reflection and self-identification of further learning needs. Using an action-research process, a mixed-methods evaluation strategy explored the efficacy of the eportfolio in its second year of use. Website tracking analytics and descriptive statistics were used to explore trends in eportfolio usage. Instructor and student surveys and focus groups were carried out at the end of the second year. Instructors valued the eportfolios convenience, improved transparency, an improved ability to track student progress, enhanced theory–practice links, and the competency based assessment framework. Students valued accessibility and convenience, but expressed concerns over assessment data openness and processes for standardization. Both groups felt that the eportfolio navigation required simplification. Electronic portfolios represent a technological evolution from paper-based clinical assessment systems. Although there appear to be many student and instructor advantages in using eportfolios, to maximize successful implementation, clinical teachers require additional training in this new pedagogic approach. Strategies to assist an institutional culture shift towards more transparent assessment processes may also need consideration. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Introduction Portfolio-based assessments using traditional paper and binder portfolios have long been used for the evaluation of student perfor- mance, particularly in professional education, and health professional preparation programs (Chabeli, 2002; Diller and Phelps, 2008; Emden et al., 2003; Glen and Hight, 1992; Husoy, 2009; Lettus et al., 2001). These have often been adopted as “alternative” assessment methods to more accurately assess a range of abilities, such as critical thinking, and clinical decision making due to the incorporation of reflexivity (Forker and McDonald, 1996). Indeed, the 1997 Dearing Report on higher education recommended the introduction of a portfolio style progress file for all students in higher education in the UK to promote reflection on their own personal development (Dearing, 1997). Concurrently faculty and students are increasingly using a wide variety of information and communications technologies (ICT) to support teaching and learning, and student portfolios are now migrating towards electronic formats (Anderson et al., 2009; Davis et al., 2010; Pincombe et al., 2010). The University of British Columbia (UBC) School of Nursing developed and implemented our web-based Practice ePortfolio (PeP) in 2009 in order to improve practice assessment for our Baccalaureate in Nursing Science (BSN) students. This built upon an earlier project to explore the value and use of electronic assessment tools to support formative and summative student practice assessment (Garrett and Jackson, 2006). This paper describes a multiple method evaluation study undertaken between 2010 and 2011 with students and instructors to evaluate the PeP. The key questions addressed in this study were: (1) what were students and instructors perceptions of the value of the PeP for assessment of their practice? (2) How well did the design of the tools, their functionality, range of features, and re- liability help in the process of clinical assessment? (3) What was the level of student satisfaction with the tools and their use in meeting their learning needs? (4) What was the instructors' satisfaction with the tools and their use in meeting their needs for assessing students? Background The use of portfolio-based assessment is not new to higher educa- tion, and has been used in a variety of programs, including business and the arts (Anderson et al., 2009; Pincombe et al., 2010; Vernazza et al., 2011). Portfolio-based assessment is an active process that involves collecting, organizing, and reflecting on evidence of achievement of specific learning objectives The concept arose from cognitive and Nurse Education Today 33 (2013) 1207–1213 ⁎ Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 604 822 7443; fax: +1 604 822 7466. E-mail address: bernie.garrett@nursing.ubc.ca (B.M. Garrett). 0260-6917/$ – see front matter © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2012.06.015 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Nurse Education Today journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/nedt