Canvas Portfolio: Showcase Student Learning

Important: The legacy Canvas ePortfolio tool will remain available until June 30, 2026. After this date, only Canvas Portfolio will be available. Students and instructors using the legacy tool should plan to export their content before the retirement date. Contact canvas@uiwtx.edu for questions about the retirement of these tools.

Canvas now includes a redesigned portfolio tool that makes it easier for students to showcase their growth and for instructors to assess learning over time. Canvas Portfolio replaces the legacy ePortfolio tool with an enhanced interface, more flexible features, and tighter integration with Canvas workflows.

This new tool supports both student-led showcase portfolios and instructor-assigned evaluation portfolios, giving you the flexibility to use portfolios in ways that best serve your teaching and assessment needs. Whether you're tracking competency development across multiple courses or helping students build a professional portfolio, Canvas Portfolio provides the tools to make it happen, all within Canvas.

Portfolio: Overview

Key Features of Canvas Portfolio

Skill Tagging: Tag portfolio evidence to specific competencies and learning outcomes
Collaboration Tools: Students can add teammates to showcase group work and collaborative projects
Portfolio Preview: Easily share and review portfolios with customizable access controls
Progress Tracking: Monitor learner progress on assigned portfolios throughout a term or program
SpeedGrader Integration: Assess portfolio assignments within existing grading workflows
Export Options: Students can export their portfolios to keep their work after graduation

Real-World Use Cases

The new Canvas Portfolio supports diverse institutional and student needs:

Programmatic Assessment: Track student competencies across multiple courses for program evaluation and accreditation
Career Readiness: Students build job-ready portfolios showcasing skills and accomplishments for potential employers
Capstone Projects: Document multi-stage projects with reflections, drafts, and final deliverables
Service Learning: Collect evidence of community engagement and reflective practice
Graduate School Applications: Showcase academic work, research, and professional development

Two Types of Portfolios

The new Canvas Portfolio offers two distinct portfolio types to support different use cases:

Showcase Portfolios are student-created spaces where learners tell their own stories and highlight growth beyond the classroom. Students can include coursework, co-curricular activities, personal projects, and reflections to build a comprehensive view of their learning journey.
Evaluation Portfolios are instructor-assigned portfolios that support structured assessment and competency tracking. Instructors can create portfolio assignments, tag evidence to specific skills or outcomes, and track learner progress over time—all integrated with familiar Canvas tools like SpeedGrader.

Benefits at a Glance

For Instructors

Seamless integration with Canvas courses and SpeedGrader
Create flexible portfolio assignments that support individual and programmatic assessment
Tag evidence to skills and competencies for outcome-based evaluation
Track learner progress across single or multiple courses
No need to learn a separate tool or manage additional logins

For Students

Collect work, reflect on growth, and tell your academic story in one place
Build personalized portfolios that mix coursework, co-curricular activities, and personal projects
Tag skills and competencies to demonstrate learning outcomes
Share portfolios securely with instructors, advisors, or potential employers
Export portfolios for future use after graduation

For UIW

Connect portfolios to departmental competencies for holistic evaluation
Account admins can gain visibility into learner progress and learning effectiveness across programs
Support accreditation efforts by collecting evidence across departments

Getting Started with Portfolio

Watch the Overview Video

Portfolio Overview Video

Accessing Canvas Portfolio

Canvas Portfolio is accessible from the Global Navigation menu in Canvas. Select the Portfolio link.

Alternatively, Portfolio is available as an option within the user account navigation menu. Select Account and choose Portfolio.

The first time Portfolio is launched, each user will be prompted to Authorize the tool to access your Canvas account. This is a one-time pop-up. Select Authorize to continue to the product.

Resources for Instructors:

Resources for Students:

Transitioning from Legacy ePortfolio

If you currently use the legacy Canvas ePortfolio tool, you have until June 30, 2026 to export your content. After this date, the legacy tool will be retired and content will no longer be accessible.

Exporting Your Legacy ePortfolio Content

To download and save your existing ePortfolio content:

Access your legacy ePortfolio from the Account menu in Canvas
Follow "How to export content from Canvas Student ePortfolios/Folio as a student?" in the Canvas Community guide
Save your exported files to a secure location

Compatible file formats for re-uploading to Canvas Portfolio include: DOC, DOCX, ODT, PAGES, PDF, TXT, XLS, XLSX, ODS, NUMBERS, JPG, JPEG, GIF, PNG, TTF, MP3, AAC, OGG.

Portfolio: Frequently Asked Questions

When will the legacy ePortfolio tool be retired?

The legacy Canvas ePortfolio tool will be fully retired on June 30, 2026. After this date, only Canvas Portfolio will be available.

What happens to my existing ePortfolio content?

Content in the legacy ePortfolio tool will not automatically transfer to Canvas Portfolio. You must export and download your content before June 30, 2026. You can then re-upload compatible files to the new Canvas Portfolio tool.

Can students share their portfolios with people outside of Canvas?

Yes. Students can generate shareable links to their portfolios with customizable privacy settings. They can also export their portfolios for use outside of Canvas in a popular file formats, should they leave the university.

How do instructors grade portfolio assignments?

Portfolio assignments integrate directly with SpeedGrader, so you can assess them using your existing grading workflow. No additional tools or interfaces are required

Where can I learn more about Canvas Portfolio?

Visit the Canvas Portfolio announcement or explore the Portfolio Feature FAQ for detailed information.