E-Portfolios and Digital Identity: Some Issues for Discussion

As awarding bodies modernise their procedures and incorporate elements of e-assessment into their qualifications, e-portfolios are emerging as a popular method of allowing candidates to display their abilities. All major United Kingdom awarding bodies now accept evidence from e-portfolio products for at least some of their qualifications. Although there is a substantial body of emerging literature looking at how e-portfolios can be used and the practical implications of increasing provision, issues of identity and privacy with widespread use of e-portfolio products are rather less well explored. This article highlights the two dominant paradigms of e-portfolios – e-portfolio as assessment and e-portfolio as story – before exploring the concept of identity, particularly in relation to authentication, within an e-portfolio. It also considers the concept of ‘emplotment’ as defined by Ricoeur as a means of making sense of the narrative identity created. The article examines the implications and issues for awarding bodies associated with personal identity, privacy and surveillance which are raised by the widespread use of e-portfolios. It goes on to suggest some areas for further investigation and exploration.