The Journey to Best Practices: Results of a Two-Year Study of e-Portfolio Implementation in Beginning Composition Courses

In this paper, we present a case of implementing new technology. New technologies are often described or introduced to teachers and administrators in terms of their ideal use. Such accounts of “best practices” often fail to specify the conditions that contributed to success in a particular context. We describe the initial steps in a journey towards best practices, discussing the implementation path for electronic portfolios in beginning composition courses at the University of Washington. We highlight changes in the learning environment and classroom practice that emerged as critical for advancing along the trajectory toward an effective implementation of eportfolios. This case identifies variables for other institutions to consider as they introduce eportfolios or other new technologies.