It is now widely accepted that the ultimate goal of learning in a global society is the acquisition of ‘adaptive expertise’ (Timperley, Ell and Le Fevre, 2017) or ‘adaptive competence,’ i.e., the ability to apply meaningfully learned knowledge and skills flexibly and creatively across different contexts. While schools are key sites for the building of adaptive competences (De Corte, 2012), including the competences to embed digital technology in teaching, learning and assessment (UNESCO, 2018), a recent OECD report (2015, p. 3) notes that ‘the reality in our schools lags considerably behind the promise of technology.’ While there is an expectation that teachers are proficient in the use of digital technology, in the classroom, the reality is that this is not always the case (Gao et al, 2011; Tondeur et al. 2017). Furthermore, while teachers regularly report their own use of digital technology, they often restrict its use to preparation rather than exploring it as a pedagogical tool (Slaouti and Barton, 2007). The narrow use of digital technology by novice teachers in particular may be attributed to the ‘praxis shock’ or ‘transition shock’ that they encounter when entering the profession (Korthagen, Loughran, & Russel, 2006). Admiraal et al. (2017) suggest that novice teachers need role models for technology integration on two levels: Teacher educators modelling how technology can be used effectively in subject teaching and cooperating teachers acting as role models and mentors for pre-service teachers by integrating technology in their subject teaching. However, the dearth of positive role models at teacher education institutions as well as on school placement has been found to limit student teachers’ capacity and currency in becoming digitally literate (OECD, 2010). Provision of continuing professional development for teacher educators (Austin et al., 2018; Kelchtermans et al., 2018) is fundamental to developing digital competence, as is collaboration with leading experts including those from industry (Zipke, 2018).

In the Irish context, there is a real commitment to exploring ways in which digital tools such as eportfolios can enhance teaching and learning across the continuum of education (Brown et al. 2017). Informed by the UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers (UNESCO, 2018) which underlines the role of technology in transforming education and in contributing to sustainable development (UNESCO, 2015 and OECD, 2018; 2019), the Irish Digital Learning Framework (DES, 2017) provides a comprehensive set of digital competencies for teachers. Building on the Digital Strategy for Schools (DES 2015, p. 31) and mapped to Looking at Our Schools (DES, 2016), this framework highlights the need to ‘develop teachers’ knowledge, skills and confidence to embed ICT more into their pedagogy and practice.

The potential offered by evolving technologies has enabled eportfolios to ‘go beyond the limits of paper-based portfolios’ (Theodosiadou and Konstantinidis, 2015, p. 18) and has triggered a move towards the use of multi-modal approaches to portfolios in education. Growing attention within the higher education landscape on quality and on the measurement of learning through outcomes-based assessment has further increased eportfolio practice in higher education around the world (Eynon and Gambino, 2017). A growing body of evidence suggesting that eportfolio-based assessment enables students to integrate their learning and make connections between modules in an authentic and meaningful way (Buente et al., 2015; Eynon; EUfolio project (2013-2015); Gambino, 2017; Morreale et al., 2017), as well as fostering a sense of community and collaboration with peers (Barbera, 2009; Bolliger and Shepherd, 2010), while at the same time empowering students to learn in a self-regulated way (Alexiou and Paraskeva, 2010; Jenson, 2011; Nguyen and Ikeda, 2015) have all contributed to the move towards eportolio-based teaching and learning. 

This case study reports on the development of an e-portfolio in initial teacher education as a mechanism towards documenting learning, fostering reflection and building key digital competencies both at the individual teacher and wider school community level. It is based on interviews with 10 student teachers, 10 co-operating teachers, 10 university tutors and an analysis of the reflective diaries of 10 student teachers. Research on the use of mobile technology in initial teacher education is limited. However, in today’s rapidly changing academic environment, increasing numbers of teacher education institutions are realising the potential of digital portfolios as a tool for students to construct and manage their own learning experience. digital portfolios provide the link between learners’ social and personal experiences and their academic and work-related aspirations (Jisc, 2008) and as such represent a powerful tool for documenting and managing one’s own learning over a lifetime in ways that foster deep and continuous learning (Jenson & Treuer, 2014). This case study gleaned insights into how learning and pedagogical knowledge development of student teachers can be supported by the development of digital portfolios while on school placement in collaboration with cooperating (host) teachers. A purposive sample was selected from an open call to students who had a willing co-operating (host) teacher and an interest in developing resources, tutorial videos and digital portfolios using the Microsoft Ecosystem. Elements of the Microsoft Ecosystem that facilitate the enactment of the Digital Learning Framework (DES, 2017) were identified and used by students to enhance their digital competencies. The study was guided by the following research questions that were adapted to the sub-groups as appropriate:  What are the benefits of a digital portfolio over a paper-based portfolio?  What are the essential elements of a digital portfolio?  How does creating a digital portfolio help your development as a teacher?  What digital competencies do you need to create a digital portfolio?  How well are you being supported by the university/school to create and maintain a digital portfolio for teaching, learning and assessment? Taking cognisance of Goodson and Sikes’ (2010) observation that ‘adequacy is dependent not upon quantity but upon the richness of the data…’ (p. 23) the number of participants in this study was small and there is no intent to generalise from the study. Rather the study sought insights to produce tentative generalisations which may influence future deliberations on policy and practice.

The data analysis followed a grounded theory methodology (Glaser & Strauss, 1967; O'Donoghue, 2018). Using an inductive analysis, three main themes emerged from the research in relation to the interplay between technology and teaching and learning: 1. The creation of a more inclusive teaching and learning environment. 2. The fostering of collaborative practice between student teachers and co-operating. 3. The deepening of school-university partnerships. While research into the use of digital portfolios is limited in the European context, this small-scale study supports the view that digital portfolios can support a more inclusive teaching and learning environment, foster collaborative practice between student teachers and co-operating teachers and deepen school-university partnerships. While challenges did present including the resource-intensive nature of this intervention, the investment of time and the difficulties faced by schools with a poor technological infrastructure, the collaborative nature and reach of this intervention as well as its capacity to democratise the teaching and learning environment provide a powerful argument for testing the study on a larger scale. A notable outcome from the study is that some student teachers’ use of digital portfolios and digital technology during school placement toppled the typical co-operating teacher/student teacher hierarchy, placing the student teacher as mentor to the co-operating teacher. This was particularly true of the recent move to remote learning as a result of Covid-19. Consequently, this study is timely given its potential to contribute to the knowledge base on how digital portfolios and digital technology may enhance at-distance teaching and possibly inform some actions arising from the recently published Digital Education Action Plan: Resetting education and training for the digital age (European Commission, 2021).

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