Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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59. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the development of e-portfolios being used for the junior certificate cycle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47322/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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It is envisaged that the school work component of the new junior cycle programme which may involve assignments, projects, case studies, oral activities and written pieces could lend itself very well to the use of electronic portfolios. Assessment of short courses, which are also a feature of the new Junior Cycle programme, could also lend itself to the use of ePortfolios. In view of this potential, my Department is exploring ways in which eportfolios can facilitate the implementation of junior cycle in schools.

Officials have met with a number of industry representatives to discuss requirements and also my Department along with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) – Technology in Education (formerly NCTE) and the State Examinations Commission (SEC), are participating in a European Commission funded eportfolios project.

There are six other EU countries (Austria, Cyprus, Slovenia, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Spain) involved in the EUfolio project with a view to developing a common specification for the use of ePortfolios in second level education. As part of the project a number of post primary schools will shortly be invited to participate in a pilot. The pilot will be useful in informing our thinking on how eportfolios can be used in the junior cycle programme.