Yrkesdidaktiske tilnærminger til bruk av ePortfolio i barne- og ungdomsarbeiderfaget

The article is based on empirical data from an innovation and research project aimed at improving documentation and learning systems in vocational education and training. It focuses on how ePortfolio pedagogy can be utilized in the field of childcare and youth work to promote coherence and continuity throughout the four-year educational program. An electronic portfolio system, hereafter referred to as an ePortfolio, is a digital tool or system used to document, reflect upon, and showcase students’ learning and development in both school- and work-based learning situations. The field of childcare and youth work was established as a separate vocational education pathway under the Reform '94 initiative. Following the introduction of the curriculum renewal (2020), there is now an increasing expectation that students and apprentices take the lead in their own learning processes. This entails reflecting on their own performance and identifying learning needs. Vocational teachers and workplace mentors face the challenge of preparing students for complex and dynamic work environments, which often involve the use of new technologies. The profession is primarily linked to the public sector, involving work in kindergartens, schools, after-school programs, and youth clubs, and covers the age range of 0–18 years. The results show that using ePortfolios as a digital learning tool effectively connects school-based and workplace-based training. Implementing ePortfolio pedagogy can enhance students’ professional identity and pride, making the training more meaningful. However, this requires close collaboration between teachers and training offices. Using ePortfolios as a documentation and learning tool bridges the gap between different learning arenas and upholds the curriculum framework’s principle of self-directed learning. Both upper secondary schools and training offices have increasingly adopted digital learning platforms where students’ individual ePortfolios are stored and further developed by the students themselves.