Peter Rees Jones

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Implementing e-Portfolios for Lifelong Learning
in Europe

• Peter Rees Jones
• JISC Lifelong Learning Programme
• CETIS LIPSIG
• University of Nottingham e-Portfolio
• for Lifelong Learning Project
• University of Leeds

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Europe, extending US practice
A US definition of e-Portfolio -

• a collection of authentic and diverse evidence,
  drawn from a larger archive
• represents what a person has learned over time,
  on which the person has reflected
• designed for presentation to one or more
  audiences for a particular rhetorical purpose

The emphasis is on the external purpose -
presentation.
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Europe, extending US practice

• The Netherlands extended the use of e-portfolios
  for self-reflection
• There is very similar personal development
  planning (PDP) practice in the UK -
• a supported process by which an individual
  develops the ability to understand how and what
  he is learning, to set himself challenging but
  realistic goals, and to plan and monitor his
  progress toward them.
• This structured process increases the
  opportunities open to the individual and develops
  the skills and flexibility required for a modern
  economy.

The emphasis in the US definition is on the
external presentation.
Here, there is an equal emphasis on the internal
processes developing the ability of the learner
leading to the presentation.
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Europe, extending US practice

• At European level, Lifelong Learning is seen as
  essential to the Lisbon Process.
• The Europass instruments will provide key parts
  of a lifelong learner record and an essential
  component of e-portfolio.
• There are UK pilots of an e-portfolio to support
  a learner moving from school to college, to
  university and into work.
• A government priority is to ensure that
  initiatives of this kind are available to all
  sections of society.
• There is significant investment at Commission and
  National level in a framework that can make
  Lifelong e-Portfolios a practical reality.

In the US there are no co-ordinated federal
policies to develop e-portfolios above the level
of individual states.
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Distinctive European Requirements

• Lifelong Learning Here, e-Portfolios supporting
  separate episodes of education and employment
  must be able to join up to provide a learner with
  an e-Portfolio throughout life.
• Mobility of Labour across national boundaries
  requires e-Portfolios used in one member state to
  join up with the e-Portfolio a worker uses in
  another.
• Multilinguality Workers should be able to use
  their native language in their Personal
  e-Portfolio even though they increasingly use
  other languages for presenting themselves in
  education and the workplace.

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Distinctive European Requirements
In Europe e-Porfolio tools and services are
needed to -

• Help learners develop their e-portfolios (e.g.
  skills checkers)
• To present e-Portfolios of what has been learned
• To join up separate e-portfolios to support
  transitions between education and employment and
  create an e-Portfolio for Lifelong Learning
• For multilinguality

These tools and services should be taken into
account in a European definition of e-portfolio
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Defining e-Portfolio for Europe
The following propositions are offered to inform
discussion -

• US definitions of e-Portfolio do not take account
  of e-Portfolio tools and services. The active
  services and tools that a learner uses in
  conjunction with the e-Portfolio to review, plan
  and present his development should be included in
  the European definition of e-Portfolio.
• In this way the use of an e-Portfolio can
  increase the opportunities open to any citizen
  and help meet the need of the European economy
  for a highly skilled and flexible workforce.
• National governments and the European Commission
  have an important role to play in promoting the
  use of e-Portfolio throughout society.

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A Technical Starting Point

• XML is an obvious means of exchanging learner
  information.
• The IMS in the Learner Information Packaging
  specification provides XML protocols.
• CEN has agreed that this should form the basis of
  European standards in this area
• BSI has produced a standardised version of IMS
  LIP as the UK Lifelong Learning Profile (UKLeaP
  - BS8788)
• JISC is making a major investment in this area,
  e.g. to add web services carry out a legal
  study.
• Following initial pilots, reference models will
  be developed.
• Leading to pilot implementations.
• For example of an electronic Diploma Supplement.

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An e-Portfolio object Achieving a common
European e-DS
The problem is not just the technology. What
are the requirements?

• How do universities want to make use of the DS?
• What kind of DS might universities want to have
  in 10 years time?
• But what kind of e-DS might a university be able
  to implement in 2006?

An outline set of business process use cases for
the e-DS are being produced within the context of
e-portfolio.
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Levels of implementation

• Minimum (no change to existing ICT Dbs)
• Upgraded (incremental changes in existing systems
  to take advantage of e-DS)
• Optimised (new systems specified to take
  advantage of e-portfolios / PLEs and therefore of
  the e-DS.)
• The same levels apply to the overarching
  e-Portfolio containing such objects

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Extensibility
What should appear as DS programme details?
An employer view
An academic view
Skills
Academic modules
ltcompetencygt
ltactivitygt
Increasingly institutions may need to specify the
learning outcomes or skills achieved by students
ltRDCEOgt
ltactivitygt
ltrelationshipgt
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Supporting transitions to HE - Scenario A
PRPG Personal Review, Planning and Guidance
(Tomlinson recommendation 9)
1. I, the student, am introduced to Personal
Review
e-Portfolio
PRPG
Age 14 Enters Curriculum Unit
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Supporting transitions to HE - Scenario A
2. At age 16, Personal Review helps me decide
what where to study at college

• I register, meet my tutor and continue PDP, a
  type of Personal Review

3. I decide to apply for University
e-Portfolio
PRPG
PRPG
PRPG
tutor
PDP
Univ MIS
PRPG
Applies Univ.
Age 16 Moves to college
Age 14 Enters Curriculum Unit
Age 19 Registers _at_ University
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Implementing Lifelong Learning - Scenario A
Nottingham City passport
Nottingham City passport
Nottingham University e-pars
e-Portfolio for Lifelong Learning
PRPG
PRPG
PRPG
tutor
PDP
Univ MIS
PRPG
Applies Univ.
Age 16 Moves to college
Age 14 Enters Curriculum Unit
Age 19 Registers _at_ University
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Application to 2nd Cycle Pre conditions
Scenario D Use Case 2
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Application to University after 1st Cycle Pre
conditions
Scenario D Use Case 2
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Application to University after 1st Cycle Pre
conditions
Scenario D Use Case 2
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Application to University after 1st Cycle Pre
conditions
Scenario D Use Case 2
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1. I, the applicant, provide a key for the
expert agent to call specified resources
Scenario D Use Case 2
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2. The agent calls and assesses the hard
. evidence
Scenario D Use Case 2
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3. The agent makes a recommendation to the
Recruiter.
Scenario D Use Case 2
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4. The recruiter shortlists the applicant and the
agent calls further soft resources
Scenario D Use Case 2
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4. The recruiter receives customised information
through a an expert tool and assesses against the
job specification.
Scenario D Use Case 2
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6. There is a weakness linguistic ability. 7.
The expert agent fetches the School Transcript
8. The recruiter carries out a detailed
assessment.
Scenario D Use Case 2
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Postconditions - The applicant is offered a
place subject to improving his or her linguistic
skills
Scenario D Use Case 2
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Defining e-Portfolio in Europe
How can you contribute?

• Submit a scenario of your actual or intended use
  of e-Portfolio to -http//www.eun.org/eun.org2/e
  un/en/About_eschoolnet/content.cfm?ov33518lange
  n
• Submit a personal perspective on a national or
  regional development of e-Portfolio to
  p.r.jones_at_adm.leeds.ac.uk
• Complete the survey of your personal use of an
  e-Portfolio provided by EIfEL http//www.qwiki.in
  fo/projects/Europortfolio/surveys/eps1
• If you offer a software product, participate in
  an international review by contacting
  b-h.richardson_at_ntlworld.com

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A map of UK e-Portfolio Scenarios