Testing Guide for Evaluation Portfolios

[#1]

Test Guide - Evaluation Portfolios (Institution-led Assessment)

This guide walks you through setting up and testing an Evaluation Portfolio—from instructor setup to learner submission and feedback.

Step 1: Portfolio Setup & Assignment

For Admins/Instructors

1. Create an Evaluation Portfolio

   • Navigate to Portfolios via the global navigation bar in Canvas.

   • Click Create Portfolio and select Create Evaluation Portfolio.

     • Note: If you don’t see the option, ensure you're enrolled in at least one course with an Educator role. Evaluation Portfolios require instructor-level permissions.

2. Assign the Portfolio to Courses

   • Select one or more Canvas courses.

   • Learners enrolled in these courses will be automatically added to the portfolio.

3. Define Portfolio Details

   • Enter a title and instructions for the portfolio.

   • Upload a cover image to provide context for learners.

4. Set Up Evidence Requirements

   • Choose required Canvas assignments from the linked courses.

   • Add custom evidence types, such as projects, extracurriculars, or work experience.

   • Write specific instructions for each requirement.

   • Tag each item with the skills it’s intended to demonstrate.

   • Organize the requirements into sections (e.g., by term, topic, or learning theme).

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Step 2: Learner Workflow & Submission

For Learners

1. Access the Evaluation Portfolio

   • Go to Portfolios from the global navigation bar in Canvas.

   • Open the assigned Evaluation Portfolio.

     • Note: Evaluation Portfolios include a progress bar on the dashboard and within the portfolio view to help track completion.

2. Review the Portfolio Structure

   • Explore the sections and review the evidence requirements assigned by your instructor.

3. Submit Evidence

   • Submit content that aligns with the assigned requirements. You can include:

     • Text entries (e.g., essays, summaries)

     • Uploaded media (images, audio, video, PDFs — max 25MB each)

     • Reflections on learning or growth

     • Collaborative work that highlights team contributions

4. Track Progress

   • Use visual indicators to monitor which items are in draft, submitted, or completed status.

   • Click Save as Draft to continue working privately.

   • Click Submit for Review to send evidence to your instructor for feedback.

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Step 3: Educator Review & Feedback

For Instructors

1. Access Assigned Portfolios

   • Open the assigned Evaluation Portfolio to view overall progress.

   • Review completion status for the group or individual learners.

     • Note: Only the educator who created the Evaluation Portfolio can review and manage portfolio evidence submissions.

       • However, if the Evaluation Portfolio includes linked Canvas assignments, those can be reviewed by other instructors depending on how the assignments were configured in the course.

2. Review and Provide Feedback

   • Open each submission to review evidence.

   • Leave direct feedback and identify areas for improvement.

   • Allow learners to revise and resubmit as needed.

3. Mark Evidence as Complete

   • Use the Complete status to confirm acceptable submissions.

   • Grade any linked Canvas assignments through SpeedGrader.

   • Once marked complete, any associated skills will be displayed in the learner’s portfolio.

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Step 4: Portfolio Completion & Export

For Learners

1. Respond to Feedback

   • Review instructor comments.

   • Revise and resubmit evidence as necessary.

2. Complete All Requirements

   • Ensure all required evidence has been submitted and approved.

3. Review Earned Skills

   • View any demonstrated skills in your portfolio.

4. Export or Share the Portfolio

   • Export your portfolio as a PDF or HTML file.

   • Share it via a public link or on professional platforms like LinkedIn.

[pat_graham]

Students cannot see the portfolio created after following the steps in the section:

Step 1: Portfolio Setup & Assignment
For Admins/Instructors

A portfolio does not automatically show up for a student.  Is this the same for all others in the EAP, or just us at the Cornell Beta site (https://cornell.beta.instructure.com/accounts/1/external_tools/12693?launch_type=global_navigation or https://cornell.beta.instructure.com/users/38/external_tools/12693)

Thank you,

Pat Graham

[alexjeancharles]

In "Step 2: Learner Workflow & Submission," my test learner cannot access "the assigned Evaluation Portfolio"
Once my test learner goes to the Portfolio from the global navigation bar, the assigned Evaluation Portfolio doesn't appear.

[dave_barber]

I am having the same issue as Pat.  I can follow the testing workflow for the instructor, but when I try to access the portfolio as a student through the assigned Canvas course I do not see any portfolios.  In fact the student view seems to contain all the same options as the instructor.  I wonder if, in our case at least, the issue is due to the fact that I can only test the student side when "masquerading"... you cannot access courses on our beta server when logged in as a student.

[Dalma_Schnell]

Hi @pat_graham, @alexjeancharles and @dave_barber,

Thanks for flagging this — I can help clarify what’s likely happening.

When testing the learner view, please make sure the following conditions are met:

• The test learner is enrolled in a Canvas course as a learner.

• The course is published and contains at least one assignment.

• The learner has accepted the course invitation.

• The same Canvas course is included in the assigned Evaluation Portfolio.

Also, on all instances, masquerading works well for viewing learner accounts, as long as the above setup is correct.

[FayeB]

Please can I check whether this solved the problem for you @pat_graham @dave_barber @alexjeancharles as I am having the problem reported above, and I have met all of the requirements listed in @Dalma_Schnell's post.

Thanks

[DSimounet]

Hi @Dalma_Schnell! I am having an issue creating an evaluation portfolio. I was added to a published course with a published assignment as an instructor. When I get to the "assign the Portfolio to courses" step the tool is telling me that there are no courses to display.

[Dalma_Schnell]

Hi @FayeB, thanks so much for raising this! Could you please share some screenshots and details of the issue you’re seeing? We’re happy to look into it and help troubleshoot.

[Dalma_Schnell]

Hi @DSimounet,

Just marking this for myself that this has been solved as per our conversation.

For others’ awareness, some of our early adopters who used the tool before the Feature Preview launch required us to reconfigure the LTI tool due to changes introduced with the launch.

[FayeB]

@Dalma_Schnell when I raised this with Canvas support, the issue was that the test students we were using also had teacher role on other Canvas courses. Currently, only students who are solely students can access the portfolios.

For us in HE this may be an issue. For instance, some of our teaching staff (who are instructors on courses) are also students (as our staff are encouraged to also study courses within the university as part of CPD). 

[dorgant]

I just set up the Portfolio in a sub-account this week for testing. I've set up an evluaiton portfilo within a course I've placed in said sub-account and assiged it to the course. I can see that it's assigned to my test student account in the course. This is what I see as the instructor:

 

 this is what I see with my test student account: