Switch Portfolio

E-portfolios are digital folders that are used in didactically and technically innovative learning environments. Students can create and manage them themselves with the help of e-portfolio software. Compared to social network profile pages, Switch Portfolio offers more features, more design freedom and better data protection.

Switch Portfolio is based on the modular open-source project Mahara, which was originally developed as a user-centric addition to the learning platform Moodle. The software manages artefacts, generates views and controls access to data. Artefacts are documents that provide evidence of acquired skills (e.g. seminar paper, study diary, photo of a final thesis, video recording of a presentation, diploma, certificate). Views are amalgamations of artefacts into logically related units (e.g. interim seminar report, final report of a diploma thesis, application). Community features allow users to share specific content for a specific audience.

To use Switch Portfolio, the university must subscribe to the service. The initiative for the use of e-portfolios usually comes from programme heads, lecturers or e-learning managers. If Switch Portfolio is used locally, users can access local support. Switch Portfolio can be accessed directly via portfolio.switch.ch or indirectly via the school’s own platform. This requires a Switch edu-ID account or an AAI login. An account is automatically opened on the first login.

Currently, Switch Portfolio can only be used in conjunction with a Switch edu-ID account or AAI login. With a Switch edu-ID account, Switch Portfolio can even be used after your studies, for example as a tool for career planning.