Identification of staff training and development needs.

This interim report will present the findings to date of current practice in using and maintaining an electronic portfolio (ePortfolio) for personal development planning across the tertiary education sector that have implications for staff development. A review of the current literature and a series of staff interviews have consistently identified a number of key issues relating to current and future ePortfolio practice which require serious consideration by institutions within higher and further education within a staff development programme. The terminology used to refer to an ePortfolio is also discussed in an attempt to differentiate between an ePortfolio as a process and an ePortfolio as a software program. Recommendations are made for staff development in current learning and teaching practice that include the use of reflection and “story telling”. Additional areas for consider are: assessment; blogging;legal issues and an institution’ rationale for use on an eportfolio.