Introduction

Portfolio Template - Introduction

Creating a portfolio can be complicated and lead to very different results for your users. You can create a portfolio template to make working with the portfolio easier. This contains operating instructions and placeholders for content and provides a layout. Even a large group of users can use a template to create consistent portfolios.

Users can add to or modify a portfolio based on the template as they wish. Therefore, the template is always just a first step.

With portfolio templates, you can...

  • ...Specify the portfolio's structure: Create a layout and placeholders for content. The users fill in the placeholders or automatically fill in with data from ILIAS (e.g., personal data, speaking lesson dates, or acquired competencies).
  • ...unify the visual appearance: Define a page layout. Make difficult tasks such as creating tables easier for users.
  • ...Embed work instructions: Deposit text for your users explaining what to do.
  • ...Create blogs automatically: Create a blog in the portfolio template for your users.

What is the difference between a portfolio and a portfolio template?

The template is created in the Repository and does not serve as a portfolio. Instead, it serves as an example, layout model, or work instruction for other users, who can create their portfolios based on the template.

This means that the content in portfolio templates is always just a placeholder or instruction for others but never interesting in its own right as a portfolio. Of course, it is also possible for you, as a template creator, to use it for your portfolio. Conversely, it is also possible to convert an elaborately designed portfolio into a template so other users can use it.

How can other users use a portfolio template?

How can users use a portfolio template for their portfolio?

The template can then be selected by users when adding a new portfolio. The prerequisite for this is that the portfolio template is online. There are three ways to create portfolios and use the template:

Via the Personal Desktop:

  • In the Personal Desktop menu, open the Portfolio item.
  • Click on the Add Portfolio button.
  • ILIAS will open a new page.
  • Enter a title and check the Create from template option. Select the appropriate template from the
  1. Portfolio Template drop-down menu.
  2. From Repository:
    Navigate to the template in the Repository.
    Open the template.
    Click the Create Portfolio from Template button.
    Enter a title. The template is already selected in the Portfolio Template drop-down menu.        
    Note: The "Creating a new portfolio from a template" action guide explains the necessary procedure in more detail.

About an exercise:

  • Prerequisite: a portfolio has been set as a submission in an exercise.
  • Click on the Create Portfolio button in the exercise.
  • ILIAS will open a new page.
  • Select the desired portfolio template.

Using an existing portfolio as a template

Using an existing portfolio as a template

You have already created a portfolio on the Personal Desktop that you like. You want to create a template from this portfolio and then provide it to your users as a basis for their work.

Prerequisites:

  • You have already created a portfolio that you want to turn into a template.
  • You have the right to create a portfolio template.
  1. Click the Add new object button.
  2. Select Portfolio template.
  3. ILIAS opens a new page.
  4. Under Option 1: Create New Portfolio Template, give the template a title, and add a description if needed.
  5. Select the portfolio you want to use as a template in the Portfolio section.
  6. Click the Create Portfolio Template button.
  7. ILIAS transfers the contents of the portfolio to the new template.

Creating a new portfolio from a template

Creating a new portfolio from a template

You want to create your portfolio from an existing template.

  1. Open the portfolio template.
  2. If any tabs are displayed: Open the Info tab. If no tabs are displayed, skip this point.
  3. Click the Create portfolio from the template button.
  4. ILIAS opens a new page.
  5. In the Add Portfolio form, under Title, give your portfolio a name.
  6. Activate the Create from Template radio button and select the desired template from the drop-down menu.
    Note: The template you selected in step 1 is activated by default.
    Note: You can also create your portfolio without a template.
  7. Click the Create button.
  8. If the selected portfolio template includes a blog or competencies, additional steps may be required:
    Blog: Select whether you want to create a new blog, use an existing blog, or not include a blog as provided by the template (remove the blog page).
    Competencies: If applicable, check the boxes in front of the enumerated competencies to add them to your Personal Desktop.
  9. ILIAS reports that the new portfolio has been created and opens the Content tab. You can now add content to your portfolio.

Note: Portfolios may be required as a submission format of an exercise. If you want to create a portfolio in an exercise from a template, consider the following action guide: Portfolio: Creating and Delivering from a Template.

Special Contents of Portfolio Templates

Introduction: Designing Templates and Special Features

You can insert various content on a portfolio template's pages, which is applied when the template is used. There are three major groups of content:

Normal page content: This will be displayed to your users exactly as you type it.

  • If you insert media items or texts via the page editor, users of the template will see exactly this content in their portfolio. They are suitable for work instructions and processing notes, for example. Participants can then adjust or delete the content later in their portfolio.

Placeholders: You create these in the template, and users later fill them with individual content.

  • Placeholders relieve the users of a template from structuring the portfolio independently. By using placeholders, you have already decided what goes where. Learners later only see the hint text "Click here to insert xy" and have fewer decisions.
  • You have the following placeholders available: Placeholder text, Placeholder image/media, and Placeholder certificate.

Data from ILIAS: These are not filled in the users' portfolios but automatically by ILIAS.

  • The following variants are available to you: Personal data of users, acquired competencies, office hours dates of a teacher or another contact person, and listing of all courses in which a user is a member.

Insert placeholder text

You can include placeholders for text in the portfolio template so that users can later use a pre-made page layout. It is also possible to include a pre-made table.

You want to include a placeholder for text in your portfolio template.

Prerequisite: You have already created a page and are in the Edit tab.

  1. Click on the plus sign [+] at the desired position on the page.
  2. Select Insert Placeholder from the drop-down menu.
  3. ILIAS opens a new page.
  4. Select the Placeholder Text option and enter how much space (in pixels) the placeholder should take up on the page under Height.
  5. Click on the Insert button.
  6. ILIAS creates the placeholder and displays it on the page.

You want to create a table that users will fill in.

  1. Click the plus sign [+] at the desired location on the page.
  2. Select Insert extended table in the selection menu.
  3. ILIAS opens a new page. Make the settings for the table.
  4. Then click on Save.

ILIAS inserts the table and displays it in the page editor. There is now a plus sign [+] in each cell:

  • Click on one of the plus signs [+] and select Insert text to insert headings, for example.
  • Click on one of the plus signs [+] and select Placeholder Text to insert a placeholder at this position.
  • These cells will need to be filled in later by users.
  • Insert all placeholders as desired.

Insert placeholder image/media.

You can include a placeholder for images or media in the portfolio template so that users can use a pre-built page layout later. Users can then use this placeholder to upload images and videos quickly.

You want to create a placeholder for images/media in a portfolio template.

Prerequisite: You have already created a page and are in the Edit tab.

  1. Click on the plus sign [+] at the desired position on the page.
  2. Select Insert placeholder in the selection menu.
  3. ILIAS opens a new page.
  4. Select the Placeholder Image/Media option and enter the space (in pixels) the placeholder should take up on the page under Height.
  5. Click on the Insert button.
  6. ILIAS creates the placeholder and displays it on the page.

Insert placeholder certificate

You want to include a placeholder for a certificate in the portfolio template. After clicking on this placeholder, your participants can later select which certificates they want to add. The prerequisite for this is that the participants have already obtained certificates in ILIAS and added them to their workspace.

Prerequisite: You have already created a page and are in the Edit tab.

  1. Click on the plus sign [+] at the desired position on the page.
  2. Select Insert placeholder in the selection menu.
  3. ILIAS opens a new page.
  4. Activate the checkbox in front of the Placeholder Certificate and enter how much space (in pixels) the placeholder should take up on the page under Height.
  5. Click on the Insert button.
  6. ILIAS creates the placeholder and displays it on the page.

Have personal data inserted automatically

You want to add the personal data (of the respective user) to a portfolio template.

Prerequisites:

  • Users allow access to their data.
  • You are in the edit view of a portfolio template page.
  1. Click on the plus sign [+] at the desired position on the page.
  2. Select Insert personal data from the drop-down menu.
  3. Select the Automatic option to display all data that has also been shared in the personal profile.    
    You can also select the Manual option to share only certain data.
  4. Click the Save button.
  5. ILIAS opens the edited page, including the added placeholder for the personal data.

Have competencies inserted automatically

You want to add a placeholder for competencies to a portfolio template.

Prerequisites:

  • Competencies are enabled and created on your ILIAS installation. If necessary, contact your technical lead.
  • You are in the edit view of a page in a portfolio template.
  1. Click on the plus sign [+] at the desired position on the page.
  2. Select Insert competencies in the selection menu.
  3. Select the desired competency from the drop-down menu. This should be a competency that other users of your template have also obtained or can obtain.
  4. Click on the Select button.
  5. ILIAS opens the edited page, including the added placeholder for the competencies. After creating a portfolio from the portfolio template, the competencies of the respective portfolio user will be displayed here.

Have office hours automatically inserted

You want to add a placeholder for office hours to a portfolio template.

Prerequisites:

  • In the portfolio template, users have created office hours in their calendars. Otherwise, only an empty calendar is displayed.
  • You are in the edit view of a page in a portfolio template.
  1. Click on the plus sign [+] at the desired position on the page.
  2. Select Insert office hours in the selection menu.
  3. ILIAS opens a new page.
  4. Activate the checkbox in front of the Automatic mode.
  5. Click on the Select button.
  6. ILIAS opens the edited page, including the added placeholder of the office hours.

Have my courses inserted automatically

You want to add a list of all courses (of the respective user) to a portfolio template.

Prerequisites:

  • Users are already members of at least one course. Otherwise, the list will be empty when the template is used. The respective user can then delete it.
  • You are in the edit view of a page of a portfolio template.
  1. Click on the plus sign [+] at the desired position on the page.
  2. Select Insert my courses in the selection menu.
  3. ILIAS opens the edited page, including the added placeholder for course memberships.

Making Settings and Releasing a Template

Putting a portfolio template online so that others can use it

You want to put your portfolio template online so other users can use it.

  1. Open the Settings tab in the portfolio template.
  2. Under Availability, select the Online checkbox.
  3. Optional: If you want to share the template for a specific period, select a start date and an end date under Time-limited availability.
  4. Click the Save button.
  5. ILIAS reports "Changes saved". All users with Read and View permissions can now use the portfolio template.

Allow comments

Giving other users the right to comment on your portfolio is possible. If you set the corresponding setting in a portfolio template, it will be enabled by default for all portfolios based on it.

You want comments to be allowed by default when portfolios are created using your template.

  1. Open the Settings tab in the portfolio template.
  2. Under Properties, select the Public Comments checkbox.
  3. Click on the Save button.
  4. ILIAS reports "Changes saved". For portfolios created with your template, comments are now allowed by default. However, users can change this setting in their portfolios independently.

Show profile picture in the portfolio.

It is possible to display the portfolio owner's profile picture next to the portfolio's title. If you set the corresponding setting in a portfolio template, it will be enabled by default for all portfolios based on it.

You want the profile picture of the users of your template to be displayed by default.

  1. Open the Settings tab in the portfolio template.
  2. Under Properties, select the Show profile picture checkbox.
  3. Click on the Save button.
  4. ILIAS reports "Changes saved". Portfolios created with your template display the user's profile picture by default. However, users can change this setting in their portfolios independently.