Nursing Students' Perspectives on ePortfolios: Themes and Preferences Compared with Paper-Based Experiences

ePortfolios play an important role in tertiary education globally in the 21st Century. Several studies have advocated for the implementation of ePortfolios on the basis that they have the potential to integrate technology whilst making learning visible and meaningful for students. However, rarely is the implementation of ePortfolios, considered from the students' perspective. The development of web-based learning resources including ePortfolios platforms are often driven by software developers with an extensive degree of technical expertise, rather than teachers and educators and, without acknowledging potential difficulties this may create for students (Andrews & Cole, 2015; Beckers, Dolmons, & Merriënboer, 2016; Cordier et al. (2016); Leacock & Nesbit, 2007; Nam & Smith-Jackson, 2007). The aim of this study was to explore students' perspectives on the value of an ePortfolio platform in the final year for nursing students in the Bachelor of Nursing programme in a New Zealand tertiary institute. The data for this study were obtained through focus group sessions. Thematic analysis identified four themes from the data which were the importance of ease of use, feedback, transparency, and the role of supporting technology. This study aligns with previous literature in demonstrating students' preference for the use of ePortfolios but extends our knowledge by considering the value of ePortfolios from students' perspectives.