The Interfolio Blog

This week we came across one of the best higher ed technology prediction lists we've seen yet this year (and last). Mark Smithers takes a great look on his blog at technologies that can and will be used in the classroom and beyond, and specifically predicts how these technologies will change or increase in use, and why they are important. Take a look for a great read.

One of the predictions we found most interesting was the second on Mark's list: Portfolios. Or more specifically, ePortfolios. We blog a lot about this topic, partially because we offer a Portfolio service to our customers, but also and more importantly, because we feel very strongly (and agree with Mark) that online portfolios are going to be a major part of creating personal brands in higher ed.

Personal branding might not be something you're discussing regularly in classes or in meetings with you adviser today... but it should be. The higher ed job market continues to decline dramatically, and one of the core ways job and grad school applications can differentiate themselves from the masses is to concentrate on building a strong and cohesive personal brand, online. Online portfolios are more than a collection of work, they allow visitors to your site to read your work, learn more about what you are about outside of the classroom, and interact with multimedia (video of you teaching, audio of a lecture or presentation you gave, etc.) that they would not otherwise get from an application or hard copy portfolio.

Mark predicts that one of the major technology players, perhaps Google, will start to offer an online portfolio service in the coming year, and that may be true. But if you're waiting around for Google to start building your Portfolio, don't. There are services, like ours, that exist today and are a great way to build a professional presence online and share you work and experience with the people that matter. We look forward to keeping an eye on this trend as it unfolds this year, and if you're wondering what other trends to watch, take a look at Mark's post.