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Saturday 18 July 2009

e-Portfolios - A Common Approach?

For some time now the e-Portfolio thinking and research in New Zealand has intrigued me. The clear thinking by such as Paul Seiler is enabling a 'greenshoot approach' to e-Portfolios not, as far as I am aware, seen in other countries. See, 'ePortfolios - Celebrating Learning'.

In this context I was very impressed by the clear logic of Jamin Lietze who in response to the report listed some interesting ideas about a whole country using a common approach to e-Portfolio practice:

"If we all used one tool then schools/teachers will have:

"1) Flexibility (They can use this one tool to add what they like into it to meet the individual needs and while maintaining student choice, voice and ownership.)

"2) Better communication (Students/Teachers would use "one language" and so work together easier across levels and ages developing their ePortfolios.)

"3) Efficiencey (Professional development is made easier because we are all using the same language and focusing on the one tool.)

"4) Better consistency (One school or teacher will not be considered lower than another because they did not have the expertise or financial support to develop superior ePortfolios. Everyone will have the same building blocks.) "

It should be noted that this was the very scenario in which the original Minnesota eFolio project developed over six years ago. In Minnesota everyone throughout the whole state has free access to eFolio. I just wonder if RBCs in the UK or even countries in Europe would dare to face this challenge and investigate the UK availability of eFolio?

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