Using the free version of Folios for course or program assessment?

[HaleyKinder]

We want to provide a way for school divisions to use e-portfolios for course or program assessments. Currently, we have the free version of Folios enabled in our instance of Canvas. Has any other institution been able to use this tool for either type of assessment? If so, how? If not, what do you use instead?

FYI - We are very new to Canvas

[gemma_sinclair]

We are in the process of moving to Folios (from older ePortfolios feature). Folios are not linked to courses, so Teachers cannot view student portfolios unless students provide the link to the Teacher, e.g. in an assessment submission.  

[JamesSekcienski]

We follow a similar process with the free version.  Students use Portfolium to create their portfolio and submit a shared link in a Canvas assignment. How do I generate a link or embed code to share my projects? 

[mbmacdonald · Accepted solution]

I don't think either of the previous responses really answer the user's question.

The free version of Portfolium (AKA "Folio" "Student ePortfolios" etc - what is the actual name of this product???) is NOT intended for program evaluation. That *is* the major distinction between the free version and the paid version.

The free version is for the user (the student) the create an ePortfolio that looks somewhat like a LinkedIn profile. It doesn't even have to be linked to their Canvas account at all (in fact to really establish that link requires action from both the LMS admin and each student).

Right now I am attempting to have some students use the free version to create portfolios for a variety of purposes. One feature that I find really lacking is that students can upload "Projects" (generally each artifact represents a single "project") but there is no way to organize or categorize the projects

[GideonWilliams]

Hi Hayley

We are using Folios and have set up the 'integration' to upload assignments to them - appreciate your post is a little while ago but happy to chat about our work.

Gideon

[WenZhang1]

We are currently using the free Folio via Canvas LMS as well, and finding it very difficult to manage due to the lack of gradebook integration and necessary admin. features. Curious to know how you set up the "integration" at your institution, Gideon. 

[GideonWilliams]

I'm not sure 'set up' and 'integration' are quite the right words as it just involved pressing a button or two. I'll reply in more detail later in the day when I have a moment..

[kylecage0]

I am totally confused by the naming conventions as well. There's the "ePortfolios," tool, which is the older portfolio solution that's kind of like a wiki that also includes the ability to download as a zip file. The Canvas Student Guides provide detailed documentation for this tool: https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Student-Guide/How-do-I-use-the-ePortfolio-Getting-Started-Wizard-...

Then there's Canvas Student ePortfolios, which used to be called Portfolium. Instructure acquired Portfolium in 2019, and sometime within the last year or so, they renamed it to Canvas Student ePortfolios. You won't find documentation for it in the regular Canvas Student Guides because I guess it's technically a separate product? I'm basing this on the fact that the documentation is in the Canvas Student Pathways and ePortfolios category: https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Student-Pathways-and/ct-p/portfolio?tab=recent

Canvas Student ePortfolios is the Portfolium network (the URL for a user's profile is still portfolium.com), and the "Folio" item in the account menu is the Portfolium/Canvas integration that allows users to import Canvas assignments to their Portfolium portfolios. There is absolutely no documentation in the Canvas guides that mentions "Folio." We still have both options in our user account menus.

I'm struggling to understand when to use which product. For example, in our BSN program, students have to submit a final portfolio in the capstone course. Items included in this portfolio are certain assignments from previous courses as well as some training completion certificates. Seems like either the "ePortfolios" tool or the "Canvas Student ePortfolios" aka Folio aka Portfolium would work. 

What am I missing? What are the pros and cons of each?

[mbmacdonald]

To make things more confusing, at one point my institution *did* have a license for the paid version of Portfolium. We had a call with one of the Portfolium account reps, and they told us to delete that old product (the old ePortfolios tool), indicating to me that the product would be discontinued. But it remains, along with its confusing documentation.

[GideonWilliams]

I posted in response to the Product Updates blog on The Journal to ask for more specific feedback and details for launch. Folio (free version) is not really fit for purpose and does not meet a range of students needs. There has been no development in the free version and we really need to see something as quickly as possible.