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Compare features – Mahara and OneNote (ClassNotebooks) for e-portfolios

Mahara

A dedicated and supported e-portfolio tool at the University of Bath. Mahara allows staff and students to build an online collection of reflections and digital artefacts. Staff can build and share templates to support reflective learning. All staff and students can access the software using their University log in.

Key features
  • staff and students can develop their own templates or page layouts
  • staff can copy templates to individual students or to groups
  • students take ownership of their portfolio and choose when to share it with staff and peers
  • students can submit work for review and formative feedback
  • The portfolio is locked for feedback comments until staff release it back to the student for editing
  • provides tools to develop a CV and for task planning
  • students can share work with external contacts e.g. prospective employers

For more information and case studies read our Mahara e-portfolios page

One Note Class Notebook

An online notebook for taking personal, collaborative and meeting notes, part of the Office 365 suite. Class Notebook allows staff to distribute content for students to work on (individually or in groups). Shared content can be form the basis of a reflective portfolio.

Key features
  • less flexibility to design 'page templates' than in Mahara - though you can share templates as documents
  • content library provides an easy way to share content with students
  • students can submit work for formative review (though there is no formal 'locked for feedback' period)
  • staff can provide feedback comments (these appear in real time and can be deleted by students)
  • can be used alongside MS Teams for easy online collaboration, including synchronous meetings and shared document editing
  • allows students to develop digital skills in an interface familiar to Office 365 users
  • students can use tools in a similar way to working in a professional environment

For more information and case studies read our Microsoft OneNote and Class Notebooks page

 

Themes

  • Online learning
  • Reflective learning
  • Collaboration
  • Assessment for learning
  • Digital literacies and employability

Guidance

Mahara eportfolios

OneNote Class Notebook

Copyright information

Bath Blend Baseline

UK Professional Skills Framework

Contacts

For advice on choosing an e-portfolio tool to enhance learning, teaching and assessment contact the TEL team: tel@bath.ac.uk

Choosing a tool

An e-portfolio is an online collection of reflections and digital artefacts (such as documents, images, blogs, resumés, multimedia, hyperlinks and contact information). Learners and staff can use an e-portfolio to demonstrate learning, skills and development and record achievements over time to a selected audience. In addition, an e-portfolio can be used to enhance employability, to present and showcase their accomplishments and expertise to potential employers, facilitate reflection on career aspirations and prepare themselves for job interviews.

Mahara is an e-portfolio tool. OneNote ClassNotebooks is not an e-portfolio tool, but can be used as one.

Take a look at our detailed feature comparison to help you select a tool which works in your context.

A note on summative assessment

Neither Mahara nor Class Notebooks include direct assessment features (such as grading tools, managing extensions, similarity checking etc).

For summative assessment of Mahara e-portfolios, we recommend that students upload a link to their Mahara portfolio to a Moodle assignment submission point. For summative assessment of OneNote portfolios, students can export their notebook as a PDF for upload to a Moodle assignment submission point (although there are some known issues converting symbols to PDF).