A DIDACTIC LOOK ON THE INTRODUCTION OF E PORTFOLIOS IN A PRODUCT DESIGN COURSE

While e-portfolios are well established in several countries (57 % of U.S. colleges use e-portfolios), they are rarely found at German universities in courses on product design. Consequently, the use and applications of e-portfolios are new and unknown for students and lecturers alike. Fear about contacts with new technology, scepticism, inhibition thresholds, and technical as well as organisational barriers are therefore inevitable. In this paper, we dedicate ourselves to the fundamental analysis of the existing initial e-portfolio situation. This is done using a course on project-based product design for engineers at our university. In addition to the opinions of students and lecturers, the analysis also considers the perspective of administrative departments. Based on this, didactic strategies for the introduction of e-portfolios in the product design course will be developed. These strategies refer to the following three phases: preparation, implementation, and evaluation. The following factors have emerged as crucial for the successful implementation of e-portfolios: a comprehensive personal introduction, extensive information material that can be accessed at any time, continuous guidance, a clear structure and work instructions, room for flexibility and creativity to foster learners' individual strengths, and exchange and feedback between learners and teachers.