Exploring students' demonstration of professional work integrated learning through e-portfolios

E-portfolios have demonstrated a capacity to enhance students' learning, and in particular, to enhance work integrated learning (WIL). Professional bodies in Australia require construction management and nursing students to engage in practical/clinical placement experiences as a requisite component of the undergraduate degree. This paper considers the potential e-portfolios have in documenting the skills gained from WIL experiences. This paper presents the findings of the initial phase of a national study to development of a learning framework that encourages reflective learning during work based activities. It then explains how this framework can be incorporated in e-portfolios and used in assisting students to link the knowledge gained from their placement/industrial experiences with the theoretical concepts learnt at university. Data gathered on students' responses to the use of e-portfolios will be used to show the advantages and disadvantages of e-portfolios for this application.