Tessa Forshaw and Rich Braden: Unleash your innovation and creativity with a portfolio

Dr Tessa Forshaw, Founding Scholar of the Next Level Lab at Harvard University and Rich Braden (BSEE and BSCE), Chief Innovation Evangelist at People Rocket are the authors of the book Innovation-ish: How anyone can create breakthrough solutions to real problems in the real world.In this episode, they share what innovation and creativity mean to them, how everyone can be creative and innovative, and how the portfolio comes into play in their classes and also consulting projects. Learn about a couple of the mindsets and moves from their book and the difference between passive reflection and active metacognition.ResourcesProject Zero at Harvard UniversityHarvard Innovation LabsHasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford University, aka d.schoolIDEO CoLabClinton Global InitiativeNEOM projectBook Experiments in reflection: How to see the present, reconsider the past, and shape the future by Dr Leticia Britos CavagnaroThinking routinesRelated episodesLeticia Britos Cavagnaro: Make learning visibleCathy Elliott: Creativity and feedback in assessment portfoliosBob Reuter: Externalise your thinking with portfoliosIngrid D'Souza: Creativity and lifelong portfoliosSubscribe to the monthly newsletter about Mahara and portfolios.Production informationProduction: Catalyst ITHost: Kristina HoeppnerArtwork: Evonne CheungMusic: The Mahara tune by Josh Woodward

Jack Rice, MBA, is the Director of Digital and Extended Learning at Acadia University and the Executive Director of the Maple League of Universities in Canada.In this episode, he shares stories from his various positions where he encountered portfolios and how he's changed his view on the tool and pedagogy to embrace portfolios fully and seeing them as being very important in the future of education.ResourcesJack's publications on EvoLLLutionVoiceThreadAAEEBL Digital Ethics Principles in ePortfolios: DEIBDRelated episodesRita Zuba Prokopetz: Building a learning communityDebra Hoven: The value of self-reflection and peer feedbackDebra Hoven & Margaret Rauliuk: Disrupt the dissertation with an ePortfolioSubscribe to the monthly newsletter about Mahara and portfolios.Production informationProduction: Catalyst ITHost: Kristina HoeppnerArtwork: Evonne CheungMusic: The Mahara tune by Josh Woodward

Christina Mayes, MSc, is the Assistant Director of Digital Support Services, including the Fletcher Jones Digital Portfolio Lab within the Center for the Dominican Experience at Dominican University of California, U.S.A.In this episode, Christina shares how the peer mentors at Dominican support students with questions for their portfolio, career readiness, and navigating college life in general.ResourcesDigital portfolio support at DominicanPeer Mentor Program at DominicanAAEEBL Digital Ethics Task ForceAAEEBL ePortfolio Retreat 2024AAEEBL ePortfolio ReviewElizalde, R., Mayes, C. (2025). Reflective portfolios as a tool for community and belonging, K-12 and beyond [Presentation]. Peralta Online Equity Conference. (presentation slides)Cendon, D., Denk, K., Kuo, K., Mema, L., Nkwadi, S., Nguyen, K., Avila, P., Chen, H. L., Mayes, C., & Mize, M. (2025). Bridging the gap: Insights from student advocates and peer mentors in ePortfolio practice [Presentation]. AAC&U Conference on Learning and Student Success (CLASS), 2025 Forum on Digital Innovation, Puerto Rico.Kecia Denk's penguin radio stationChristina's portfolioRelated episodesSolena Ornelas: Set goals and achieve them with a portfolioStarlight (José) Lain-Straus: The portfolio as impactful practice for studentsKatieAnn Nguyen: Showcase your achievements in a portfolio and be proud of themArturo Flores, Jr.: The portfolio is a reflection of yourselfMatthew E. Mueller: Create and control your own narrative with a portfolioSubscribe to the monthly newsletter about Mahara and portfolios.Production informationProduction: Catalyst ITHost: Kristina HoeppnerArtwork: Evonne CheungMusic: The Mahara tune by Josh Woodward

Assistant Research Professor in Principled Innovation Dr Bea Rodriguez-Fransen works at the  Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University (ASU), focusing on its Principled Innovation Infrastructure for Discovery and Engagement initiative.In early 2025, Bea published the book Education and decolonial futures in the Philippines: Perspectives for educators and practitioners in which she introduces the decolonial design futures framework that she developed. It is an extension of design thinking to suit working with Indigenous and marginalised communities better.Bea introduces the decolonial design futures framework along with the decolonial portals and related ideas in this episode, tying them in particular to reflection and how educators can make use of the techniques and frameworks that she's developed, tested, and elaborated on through her work with different communities.Additional resourcesMary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning InnovationPrincipled innovation frameworkBea's TED World Theater talk 'Unlocking Indigenous knowledge: A new path for education'Young African Leaders InitiativeDesign Justice NetworkCostanza-Chock, S. (2020). Design justice. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.Paulo FreireCervantes, C. L. G. (2025). The Filipino experience of Kutob: Understanding culturally-informed hyper-intuition. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies Advance Publication Archive, 113.Rank, H. (1976). Teaching about public persuasion, In: Daniel Dietrich (ed.). Teaching about doublespeak. Illinois: National Council of Teachers of English.ORID frameworkRodriguez-Fransen, B. (2024). From “Little Brown Brother” to Filipino genocide: A critical discourse analysis of the Philippine-American War’s impact on Modern Filipino colorism. Journal of Colorism Studies; Windsor Mill, 5(1), 1–22.Quimpo, N. G. (2020). Colonial name, colonial mentality and ethnocentrism. Public Policy, 4(1), 1–49.Related episodesChristine Slade and Kevin Kelly: Digital ethics principle DEIBDKevin Kelly & Kristina Hoeppner: Digital ethics principles and UDL guidelinesSubscribe to the monthly newsletter about Mahara and portfolios.Production informationProduction: Catalyst ITHost: Kristina HoeppnerArtwork: Evonne CheungMusic: The Mahara tune by Josh Woodward

Marie 'Bernie' Fisher, SFHEA, AFHERDSA, BA/BSc, Grad Dipl Ed, MA, MA (Hons), is a PhD candidate at the University of New England in Australia. She's been creating portfolios and supporting students create their own for many years in and outside of academia. As a member of the ePortfolios Australia Organising Committee, she's been involved in community engagement and support.In this episode, Bernie takes us on her portfolio journey and shares what is important to her in her portfolio practice, what some of her methods and ways are to reflect meaningfully, and how she supports others with reflection.ResourcesAAEEBLHERDSAEportfolio Forum, 12-13 November 2025PARE sessionsShut Up & Write!Fisher, M. (2024, August 13). Look in the mirror and what do you see [Presentation]. AAEEBL Annual Meeting.Bernie's publicationsGibbs, G. (1988). Learning by doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods. Oxford Brookes University.Mezirow, J., & Taylor, E. W. (Eds.). (2009). Transformative learning in practice: Insights from community, workplace, and higher education. Jossey-Bass.Related episodesAllison Miller: The portfolio is a processBob Reuter: Externalise your thinking with portfoliosSubscribe to the monthly newsletter about Mahara and portfolios.Production informationProduction: Catalyst ITHost: Kristina HoeppnerArtwork: Evonne CheungMusic: The Mahara tune by Josh Woodward

Dr Suzanne Schibeci is the Work-Integrated Learning Partner at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, supporting students, faculty, and employers with the administration and running of work-integrated learning (WIL) experiences.In this episode, Sue shares how she's using portfolios to help her students reflect on their WIL experiences that take them outside of the university. She talks about what works for her and what some challenges are.ResourcesAAEEBL Digital Ethics in ePortfolios Task ForceEportfolio Forum 2025: Revolution, Evolution, ResolutionSTAR method by Michael PellSchibeci, S. (2025). Enabling students to identify and develop employability skills during work-integrated learning experiences. AAEEBL ePortfolio Review, Summer/Fall, 30–34.Related episodesMike Altieri: Use reflection bot Riff for deeper and more meaningful portfolio reflectionLeticia Britos Cavagnaro: Make learning visibleMark Brady: Journal regularly for profound insightSubscribe to the monthly newsletter about Mahara and portfolios.Production informationProduction: Catalyst ITHost: Kristina HoeppnerArtwork: Evonne CheungMusic: The Mahara tune by Josh Woodward

Prof. Dr. paed. Dipl.-Math. Mike Altieri is a professor of Media Didactics in the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Media, and Computer Science at Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Amberg-Weiden (OTH Amberg-Weiden) in Bavaria in Germany. He teaches in the Master's programme in Educational Technology and leads the research project Dreiklang.Projekt Dreiklang is funded by Stiftung Innovation in der Hochschullehre and contributes to the improvements in using portfolios in Germany in higher education.In this interview Mike shares how he uses the artificial intelligence reflection bot Riff with his students to encourage deeper and more meaningful reflection in their portfolios and how he incorporates his students' work in their portfolios into his lectures.ResourcesMike's OTH web pageSign-up for free access to the Dreiklang ePortfolio starter kit (some information is in English)Publications by the Dreiklang project teamMap of institutions using portfolios in Germany (and beyond). This map is in the early stages. Get in touch with Mike if you want to be listed.Blog post introducing Riff: 'Reflecting with AI: A Tool to Develop Human Intelligence'Recordings of the AAEEBL AI webinar series, including recording 'Supporting reflection through an AI powered reflection bot'Related episodesChristina Stollner & Romy Hösl: Portfolio support for educators and learnersDr Leticia Britos Cavagnaro: Make learning visibleProf Dr Paul Libbrecht and Prof Dr Wolfgang Müller: Support your portfolio learning with AISubscribe to the monthly newsletter about Mahara and portfolios.Production informationProduction: Catalyst ITHost: Kristina HoeppnerArtwork: Evonne CheungMusic: The Mahara tune by Josh Woodward

Prof Dr David Hicks is a Professor of History and Social Science Education at Virginia Tech in the U.S.A. He's been teaching with portfolios for over 20 years supporting teacher candidates on their journey to become professionals.In this episode he talks about how he and his team integrate portfolios into a capstone course in the teacher training programme at Virginia Tech (VT), what scaffolds they employ, and how the supports in place help students create portfolios that emphasise reflection. The basis of his portfolio work is folio thinking and the ePortfolio development framework that he and his team have developed over the course of time.ResourcesHicks, D., Allen, A., & Evers, S. (2025). Folio thinking in teacher education: A case study on the evolution of reflective ePortfolio assignments. AePR ePortfolio Review, Winter / Spring 2025, 19–29.Parkes, K. A., Dredger, K., & Hicks, D. (2013). ePortfolio as a measure of reflective practice. International Journal of ePortfolio, 3(2), 99–115.Penny Light, T., Chen, H. L., & Ittelson, J. C. (2011). Documenting learning with ePortfolios: A guide for college instructors. Jossey-Bass.Connect with Virginia Tech School of Education in the College of Liberal Arts and Human SciencesLinkedInInstagramFacebookXRelated episodesRita Zuba Prokopetz: Building a learning communityDebra Hoven: The value of self-reflection and peer feedbackBob Reuter: Externalise your thinking with portfoliosClick through to the show notes for the transcript.Subscribe to the monthly newsletter about Mahara and portfolios.Production informationProduction: Catalyst ITHost: Kristina HoeppnerArtwork: Evonne CheungMusic: The Mahara tune by Josh Woodward

Dr Lindsay Richardson is the Educational Technology Manager in the Teaching and Learning Services Department at Carleton University. She is also an Adjunct Professor and Contract Instructor in the Department of Psychology at the university.Lindsay has been using portfolios in large introductory psychology courses with 200 to 450 students. Students create 'success portfolios' which they also grade themselves based on a rubric. In this interview, Lindsay talks about why she introduced portfolios into her courses and how she is navigating the use of generative AI.ResourcesDr Lindsay Richardson and Dr Ashley Thompson's podcast 'Agile Ed': Exploring learner-centred education fuelled by curiosity and critical thinkingStudents as Partners ProgrammecuPortfolio, Carleton University's instance of MaharaUngrading and alternative assessments, a resource from York UniversityRelated episode: Cathy Elliott: Have fun, be flexible, and encourage feedback in your portfolioSubscribe to the monthly newsletter about Mahara and portfolios.Production informationProduction: Catalyst ITHost: Kristina HoeppnerArtwork: Evonne CheungMusic: The Mahara tune by Josh Woodward

In this episode, Mahara project lead Kristina Hoeppner, MA, takes a brief look back at 15 years on the Mahara team at Catalyst IT. She pulls out a few instances of portfolio use. This is only a tiny selection and by no means a full representation of what is happening in the portfolio community as you can see from the many stories that we share on this podcast.ResourcesLearning management system MoodleMoodleMoot Global 2025Library management system KohaKohaCon 2025Bret Eynon, Laura Gambino (2018): Catalyst in action: Case studies of High-Impact ePortfolio practiceRecording of Mahara Hui Online on 10 June 2025 on the Mahara YouTube channelMorgan Gresham, Megan, Mize, Sarah Zurhellen (2023). High-impact practices and third spaces: Connecting across disciplines. Across the Disciplines, 20(3–4), 157–176.AAEEBL Digital Ethics Task Force and Digital Ethics in ePortfolios principlesAAEEBL YouTube channelePortfolios Australia and upcoming Eportfolio ForumChris Cormack (2025): Data sovereignty in Aotearoa: Navigating how to protect our digital taongaPresentation 'Portfolios: Integral to your programmatic assessment approach'Janine Quiding, Miriam Laidlaw, Tabitha Parker, Kristina Hoeppner (2020): Portfolios come full circle in the world of workJanine Quiding, Miriam Laidlaw, Tabitha Parker (2022): PDRP at WaitematāRelated episodesAndrea Ghoneim: Learn transversal skills through portfoliosLisa Donaldson: From 0 to 6,000 in six weeksChristina Stollner & Romy Hösl: Portfolio support for educators and learnersDiKuLe: Planning and decision making guide for portfoliosChahira Nouira: Use a portfolio to give students space and time to reflectMahara 25.04 and how a feature makes it into MaharaSubscribe to the monthly newsletter about Mahara and portfolios.Production informationProduction: Catalyst ITHost: Kristina HoeppnerArtwork: Evonne CheungMusic: The Mahara tune by Josh Woodward