Zeegen, L. (2008) ‘Design graduate’s survival guide’, Computer Arts 151, 2008, p.37

Zeegen (2008)

Zeegen, L. (2008 ) ‘Design graduate’s survival guide’, Computer Arts 151, 2008, p.37

A section of the article on post-graduate employment for creative arts practitioners focuses on portfolios. The author comments on a the need for students to represent a range of skill dimensions through the portfolio, reflecting its complexity and scope for purpose. Zeegen states, “Anyone viewing your body of work should be able to comprehend your take on design, visualise your aspirations as a designer and get a real flavour of what motivates and interests you.” These three facets alone illustrate the challenge of visually articulating abstract skill types in a tangible form.

Pereira de Eça, M.T.T. (2005) ‘Using Portfolios for External Assessment: An Experiment in Portugal’ International Journal of Art and Design Education

Pereira de Eça, M.T.T. (2005) ‘Using Portfolios for External Assessment: An Experiment in Portugal’ International Journal of Art and Design Education, [online] 24 (2), pp209-218 Available at: http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdf?vid=12&hid=17&sid=777a562f-9e26-4aa2-b4bd-69173d0ad022%40SRCSM2 (accessed 22 October 2007)

The article describes the findings of an initiative to assess single portfolios for secondary level art and design students. Portfolios are described as being any of a folder, exhibition, work-journal, CD, webpage. The assessment criteria used are significant, as they are indicative of the needs of the course, align with the needs of the subject culture, but are also acknowledged as being “subject to common interpretation by users.” (p.211) These were:

• Record personal ideas, intentions, experiences, information and opinions in visual and other forms.
• Critically analyse sources from visual culture showing understanding of purposes, meanings and contexts.
• Develop ideas through purposeful experimentation, exploration and evaluation.
• Present a coherent and organised sample of works and a final product revealing a personal and informed response that realises their intentions.
• Evaluate and justify the qualities of the work.

The findings describe the positive aspects of this experiment; “The assessment instrument integrated a wide range of methods of inquiry, media and domains of art and design,, allowing students o develop personal projects in which they could personalise social issues and reveal important cognitive and metacognitive skills.” (p.213) It is interesting that these themes have emerged in light of activity that did not specify portfolio mode.

What this did surface however was a highly significant observation pertaining to the representation of student work in digital modes: “Digital reproductions of students’ studio art works are not appropriate for fully appreciating and discussing the visual characteristics of portfolios, expect perhaps when the student’s chosen media is itself digital.” (p.214)

Drew, S., Stevens, A. & Haughton, P. (2007) Electronic PDPs for Art, Design and Media: Their Use and their Assessment, Sheffield Hallam University

Drew, S., Stevens, A. & Haughton, P. (2007) Electronic PDPs for Art, Design and Media: Their Use and their Assessment, Sheffield Hallam University [Online report] Available at: www.shu.ac.uk/research/cre/Electronic%20PDP/Website/base%20model/CasestudyD&T%20amended.doc (accessed July 20 2007)

The focus on electronic personal development portfolios is made clear from the outset, and the case studies that have driven the research findings acknowledge this. The work identified some key findings from consultation with employers in relevant fields. This included the emergence that there was an increasing trend for applicants to make first contact via email, but that employers do not view a portfolio until interview.

It also emerged from the employer perspective that portfolios needed to be focussed in order for them to stand out from the crowd, show individuality and emphasise originality and creativity. It was also suggested that PDP content was, although not expected by employers, generally found to be occurring in employees and was seen as a personal activity. A tension also emerged between worked presented being of potential commercial value.

There is some ambiguity about the role of PDP for employability, and although the report does discuss PDP with employers, it highlights the gap between PDP in education and for employment purposes, stating, “E-PDP tends to be located on professional practice modules.”

Tarnowski, M., Knutson, M., Gleason, E., Gleason, C., & Songer, E. (1998) ‘Building a Professional Portfolio’ Music Educators Journal, 85 (1), pp17-20+38

Tarnowski, M., Knutson, M., Gleason, E., Gleason, C., & Songer, E. (1998) ‘Building a Professional Portfolio’ Music Educators Journal, 85 (1), pp17-20+38

The article is a nearly a decade old but iterates some of the key needs for a professional portfolio (music teacher). The author describes this type of portfolio as needing three facets: 1) professional development, 2) teaching abilities, 3) personal and professional attributes. There is also an indication for the need for audio elements within the music educator’s portfolio, digital portfolios lending themselves to this multimedia requirement.

Burgoyne, P. (2004) ‘Experience Necessary’ Creative Review, March 2004, p10

Burgoyne, P. (2004) ‘Experience Necessary’ Creative Review, March 2004, p10

This short editorial from the popular art and design publication, Creative Review, describes the magazine’s focus for the month, work placement. It highlights the importance of placement in enabling graduates to get work in art and design, but also acknowledges the other elements of employability. “Placements, along with the right personality and a portfolio that demonstrates the ability to think conceptually as well as handle type and images competently, are the essential ingredients for any graduate CV.”

Butler, P. (2006) A Review of the Literature on Portfolios and Electronic Portfolios

Butler, P. (2006) A Review of the Literature on Portfolios and Electronic Portfolios [Online] Available at: https://eduforge.org/docman/view.php/ 176/1111/ePortfolio%20Project%20Research%20Report.pdf (accessed 23 July 2007)

2006 review of literature on e-portfolio research with some focus on art and design specific e-portfolio use. The most significant points emerging relate to the purpose and use of e-portfolios and from where these are driven. (Purposes: what an e-portfolio is designed for. Uses: What e-portfolios are actually used for.) Although there are several interpretations of the purposes of e-portfolios, they essentially range from, at one end of the scale, a process / learning portfolio to, at the other, representational / showcase.

Art and design specific analysis is based on a relatively small sample of literature but indicates a subject-oriented preconception that is also evident in other fields. For art and design this is that the portfolio is fundamentally a collection of visual work, often supported with reflective / explanatory information.” (Blaikie et al., 2004)

The review highlights benefits associated with electronic portfolios: skill development; evidence of learning; feedback; reflection; psychological benefits; assessment; artefacts; maintenance; portability and sharing. (p11)

Perry, M. & Medler, A. (2004) Marketing your Creativity: New Approaches for a Changing Industry, Lausanne: AVA Publishing

Perry, M. & Medler, A. (2004) Marketing your Creativity: New Approaches for a Changing Industry, Lausanne: AVA Publishing

The authors have written the book for graduates who are readying themselves for employment in the design sector. They talk about the changing face of employment in the sector describing, “client spending on marketing activity is undoubtedly down and permanent jobs in the industry have suffered, freelance is more buoyant.” (p38) The authors offer an alternative ethos for enhancement employment opportunities, suggesting interdisciplinary awareness and diversity of skill-base being key elements.

The book describes ways that graduates can market themselves for employment. Digital portfolios – CD or web based – are first on the agenda and assert a need for easy to access and readily compatible content the key. A number of other approaches are listed; digital direct mail, email, multimedia, but the portfolio is seen as a fundamental tool. “Turning your traditional portfolio into a digital portfolio opens up all kinds of doors or you.” (p54) And the authors re-state the need for individuality and asserting the “brand of you.”

Booth, H. (2004) ‘Products of Placement’ Design Week, 18 Mar 2004, pp22-23

Booth, H. (2004) ‘Products of Placement’ Design Week, 18 Mar 2004, pp22-23

The author describes a portfolio as being a vital element in the arsenal of a graduate in their search for employment. The article describes exemplary processes from the student perspective to getting a job. Invariably this involves the development of a flexible and portable portfolio; “I wanted them to see I understood what makes a good idea.” The article also highlights the need for expression of individuality and personality in graduate portfolios, re-affirming the basis of design industries being selected themselves on their stylistic approaches.

Another student experiences also identifies peer assessment of a representational portfolio as having facilitated employment opportunities. However, the focus of the article does show that ‘reciprocal’ placement is perceived as playing a far more important role in seeking and gaining employment.

Ball, L. (2007) Electronic PDPs for Art, Design, Media and Communications. Workshop at HEA-ADM e-PDP conference, 21 May 2007, Sheffield Hallam University

Ball, L. (2007) Electronic PDPs for Art, Design, Media and Communications. Workshop at HEA-ADM e-PDP conference, 21 May 2007, Sheffield Hallam University

Workshop exploring the employer and professional perspectives towards the use of electronic PDPs for art, design, media and communications facilitated by Linda Ball. The session highlighted a number of key issues, including the crossovers between e-portfolios and PDP, essentially steering away from the constraints inherent with close-knit definition.

The data shared for the workshop provides a flavour of the feedback from employers in the fields of product design, film and media production, metalwork and jewellery, and multimedia and communication design. This information demonstrates the simliarties and divergences between recruitment processes in diverse vocational fields.

Eisenmann, S. (2006) Building Design Portfolios: Innovative Concepts for Presenting your Work, Gloucester MA: Rockport

Eisenmann, S. (2006) Building Design Portfolios: Innovative Concepts for Presenting your Work, Gloucester MA: Rockport

The author considers the concept of a portfolio from the perspective of a creative professional. The orientation of her perspective is based on her own experience of generating a portfolio, and the observation of others’ development. There is quick and focussed recognition of the wide range of media available to generate a portfolio of evidence, “send me your URL is beoming a more common response than send me your CV.”

Some sections dedicated to the concepts of a professional portfolio, and how content for graduates can often be heavily weighted by work undertaken as a student, sometimes suggesting the influence of a tutor. The author also describes other skills and competencies that a portfolio can be used to demonstrate, some of which are those of the author, some are more generic.