ePortfolios: a personal space for learning

1
ePortfolios a personal space for learning
? Shane Sutherland University of Wolverhampton
Development Director, Pebble Learning
2
(No Transcript)
3
this is a powerful personal learning
environment
but, all this software takes a lot of setting
up, configuring and maintenance. At the present
time, it is probably beyond the average learner
(or teacher). The argument for a Personal
Learning Environment application is to provide
easy access to a range of services, applications
and functionality for learners. There is a danger
that we create a new form of the walled garden.
If the PLE is to be developed as an application.,
it needs to be easily configured to allow the use
of personal tools and applications instead of the
default settings. Graham Attwell
4
ePortfolio Systems (Personal Learning Spaces)
are the kind that belong to the learner not the
institution they are populated by the learner
not their examiner they are primarily concerned
with supporting learning not assessment they are
for life-long and life-wide learning not a single
episode or a single course they allow learners
to present multiple stories of learning rather
than being a simple aggregation of competencies
and, importantly, access to them is controlled by
the learner who is able to invite feedback to
support personal growth and understanding.
5
An eportfolio is a purposeful aggregation of
digital items - ideas, evidence, reflections,
feedback, data etc - which present a selected
audience with information about the subject of
that eportfolio. The subject may be a person
and/or persons the author may be the subject
and/or someone involved in their learning or
assessment the audience may be human and/or
machine. Note these digital items need not come
from a single repository or system. If
distributed a series of access permissions need
to enable access rights to cascade from the
eportfolio presentation to these assets (pictures
on Flickr, videos on YouTube, qualifications
thro' MIAP?) The information presented in an
eportfolio may be for the purposes
ofAssessmentAccreditationApplicationAdvance
mentAppraisalArticulation... and many other
purposes
- An 'eportfolio' is just a presentation. It is
nothing more than an e-collection of stuff. The
folio is the bit which suggests that it has been
put together for a specific purpose.
6
Hard MIS Data
1
Individually Constructed
Institutionally Constructed
2
3
7
4
6
5
8
Rich Personal Data

• Official Transcript

5. Assessment
2. Individual Learning Plan
6. PDP / CPD / Professional Accreditation
3. UCAS Application
7. Job Application
8. Personal Story of Learning
4. Vocational Qualification
7
ePortfolio Systems OR Personal Learning Spaces

• A tool designed with the express purpose of
  collecting, aggregating and presenting a single
  use/purpose eportfolio might reasonably be
  described as an ePortfolio System.
• this does not mean that the items it uses need be
  contained within that system. It will probably
  also contain tools for sharing and managing.
• A tool designed to plan for, think about, and
  review learning to facilitate communication and
  collaboration to archive items created or
  selected by the user to link to items and data
  distributed across other systems and to allow
  the creation of multiple eportfolio presentations
  for myriad purposes and diverse audiences
  might reasonably be called a Personal Learning
  System (though I much prefer space).
• - how is this different to an eportfolio system?
  I think that the eportfolio system is defined by
  its single use/purpose (evidencing competency to
  qualify/practice). The personal learning system
  is defined by its focus upon supporting learning,
  particularly collaborative or social learning.

8
Potential barriers to eportfolio use
Issue
Solution
Many users are still terrified of technology
Make it easy on the eye and easy on the mind
Some users will need support in writing
meaningful records for their eportfolio
Design simple wizard-like forms to provide some
scaffolding
More learning takes place outside the institution
than inside
Make it course, qualification and context
independent
Different audiences will expect different kinds
of portfolios
Portfolios are only evidenced based stories.
Allow any kind of story writing
Users will only use an eportfolio when they have
to
Not if its interesting, social, easy to use and
personal
9
Flexible, useable tools
Meaningful Activities
Meaningless Activities
Inflexible, single purpose tools
10
I have also learnt how to use the pebblePAD and
webfolio which will be useful for the future. It
is feels more rewarding seeing work set out in
order with links and so on, on a webfolio than
just paper. It is also easier for the reader as
they can link straight to websites and jump back
and forth from different research if they need to
clarify something. Religious Studies Student (UoW)
Personal Development Planning (PDP) is .. ...a
structured and supported process undertaken by an
individual to reflect upon their own learning,
performance and / or achievement and to plan for
their personal, educational and career
development. LTSN Circular 06/02 QAA Guideline
on Progress Files
The action planning tool really helped me think
about what I was trying to achieve... the ability
to get feedback from the tutor throughout it was
excellent Chaz (3rd yr Video Arts)
11
We would share war stories from the frontlines
of teaching and by discussing and commenting on
each others journeys as teachers we were
becoming reflective writers and practitioners
without even knowing it! PGCert Students
(University of Wolverhampton)
Weve been astounded by the difference it has
made to users reflections on their
learning Sarah Pennock (Leeds NTI)
The fact that everything is in one place makes
it really easy to use Ive used it for much more
than I expected toJames FE Lecturer/CertEd
Student
12
I find it hard to write things with structure,
PebblePAD seems to help me put down what's in my
head in some sort of order. I like the way you
can use it as a personal diary but also share it
with your friends. I'm quite liking it, and I'm
using it! Midwifery student (JISC ELP Project)
I think PebblePad rocks! It is quite fun telling
other people about your feelings inside. You can
add links to your favourite pictures and websites
too Laura (John Wilkinson Primary School)
What I like most about it is its flexibility as
a tool that students can make their
own.Lecturer (JISC ELP Project)
13
I have 'shared' it with Irene to show to the
CILIP accreditation board already. She thinks
it's fab!
I also shared it with Kevan Buckley who is my
mentor for the PG Cert. He is very impressed!!
I'd be honoured for you to show it to people, I'm
sooooo pleased with it, I want the whole world to
see!!!!!
14
To be quite honest, at the start, I thought
making the webfolio was going to be a chore, but
once I got into making the system I found that it
was quite interesting, as I was finding out new
things. It was more of a challenge to understand
and make the webfolio, because I was determined
to make the webfolio to the best of my ability. I
definitely believe that this has allowed me to
gain more development skills. I believe that the
way the webfolio is made all depends on the
person, if they make the time and effort to
develop it more
I think that I am proud of everything that I
have created, this is because I gave up quite a
bit of time to get the webfolio complete. I am
particularly proud with my section on Action Plan
and Swot Analysis I think that I gained more
information about myself by doing this. I think
my webfolio contains all the relevant information
required for someone to know all about me.
Sunita, 2nd year Computing student
15
Tag
Ability
Create
Scans
Pictures
Achievement
Edit
Files
Action Plan
Movies
Experience
Review
Sounds
Asset
Transcript
Meeting
Thought
CV
Blog
WebFolio
Proforma
Shared
Profile
Published
ePortfolio Asset Store
Exported
Printed