IntegratiONS
Portflow: the e-portfolio solution for Brightspace
Portflow is the Learning Experience portfolio that seamlessly integrates with Brightspace.
What is Portflow for Brightspace?
Portflow is a plug-in (LTI app) for Brightspace. In Portflow, students can visualize their development progress and account for it under their own control by collecting evidence, requesting feedback from teachers, fellow students and experts, and creating an assessment file. Teachers can provide students with the necessary scaffolding.
Everything takes place within the familiar environment that Brightspace offers, so that users benefit from both a barrier-free visual integration and a seamless functional connection. This synergy offers many advantages for students and teachers. For example, Portflow can be found within the main menu of Brightspace, making an extra account unnecessary.
Why is an e-portfolio tool an added value for Brightspace?
Brightspace is one of the most popular Learning Management Systems in the world. The system contributes to a positive learning experience by, among other things, organizing subject-related information, assignments and tests in a clear and user-friendly way.
However, one could also think of situations in which the LMS alone does not provide all the desired functionalities. Think, for example, of visualizing learning objectives, compiling an assessment portfolio and providing targeted (multimodal) feedback.
A digital portfolio such as Portflow adds functionalities to Brightspace that are essential for putting educational concepts such as programmatic assessment into practice.
How does the integration between Portflow and Brightspace work?
Below, we describe the key features and functionality that are unique to Portflow.
Portflow integrates deeply with Brightspace. Portflow’s goal is never to compete with existing LMS functionality, but rather to complement the LMS with additional valuable functionality and workflows. This deep synergy allows end users to experience Brightspace and Portflow as one seamless whole.
Import Brightspace assignments, including attachments, feedback and rubrics
Portflow is accessible via Brightspace's main menu
Seamless assessment process, thanks to Brightspace's powerful possibilities
Portflow enables snapshots (locked copies of parts of the portfolio) to be submitted to a Brightspace assignment, allowing graders/instructors to assess the submitted portfolio using the powerful grading tools that are supplied within Brightspace.
Reduced administrative burden through uniform user management with Brightspace
With deep integration based on certified LTI Advantage (1.3), Portflow relies on Brightspace’s existing user management, including authentication and provisioning. This significantly reduces the amount of administration that would usually be required for a standalone tool.
The combination of Portflow & Brightspace at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences
In line with their new education and assessment policy drawn up in 2022, the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (HvA) aims to give students more control over their own learning process. This requires a tool that gives students ownership and supports them in their development.
The HvA chose Portflow because it appeared to best suit their desire for a uniform, but flexible solution that is fully integrated with their current LMS Brightspace, helps to fulfill the modern educational vision and is prepared for future developments in education. In collaboration with Drieam, Portflow was successfully implemented throughout the institution. Now Portflow, in combination with the LMS, plays an important role in encouraging student ownership and involvement in their own learning journey.
“The LMS is the heart of our education, but it has its limitations. It is built to share information from the teacher to the student, but not the other way around. There was a gap in providing an environment where the student can work independently. The essence is that we wanted a development and assessment portfolio that is generically applicable but also serves as an extension of the LMS. We wanted to connect those two worlds.”
Pieter van Langen, Domein Lead Education at the ICT Department @ Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences
Are you looking for e-portfolio software for Brightspace?
Put the student in the driver’s seat with Portflow! Curious about how Portflow works in practice? Book a demo and discover what Portflow can do for your institution.
Read more about Portflow for Brightspace
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Portflow resources
