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What is Canvas Portfolios?

Canvas has introduced Canvas Portfolios, a tool that allows students to collect, organize, and reflect on their work in one place. It helps instructors assess learning over time while also giving students a way to showcase their growth and achievements.

Portfolios can be used for both structured assessment and student-driven presentation of work, making them flexible for a variety of teaching and learning goals.

Why Use Canvas Portfolios?

  • Track student growth over time
  • Encourage reflection and deeper learning
  • Assess skills, competencies, or outcomes
  • Support capstone or milestone projects
  • Provide students with a professional showcase of their work

Types of Portfolios

Evaluation Portfolios

These are typically created and guided by instructors. They are ideal for assessment purposes, such as tracking progress, evaluating competencies, or collecting required artifacts across a course or program.

Showcase Portfolios

These are more flexible and presentation-focused. Students (or instructors) can curate selected work to highlight achievements, making them useful for sharing with peers, instructors, or external audiences.

Ideas for Using Portfolios

In a Course

  • Weekly or unit reflections with selected assignments
  • End-of-course learning summaries
  • Project-based learning documentation

For Programs or Departments

  • Capstone projects
  • Competency or outcomes-based assessment
  • Accreditation evidence collection

For Students

  • Career or internship showcases
  • Professional portfolios
  • Transfer or scholarship applications

Getting Started

To begin using Canvas Portfolios, you can create either an Evaluation or Showcase portfolio depending on your goals. Once created, students can add artifacts, reflections, and organize their work into meaningful collections.

For step-by-step instructions, visit the official Canvas guides:

Need Help?

If you have questions or would like help thinking through how to use portfolios in your course or program, feel free to reach out by emailing ecat@montana.edu—we’re happy to help!