The hierarchical structure of an ePortfolio

I came across a very thought provoking paper: http://www.tojned.net/pdf/tojnedv01i04-05.pdf  by Assit. Prof. Dr. Nilgün TOSUN, Trakya University, Faculty of Education, Edirne, TURKEY, head of Computer and Education Instructional Technologies Department and thesis advisor to M. Fatih BARIŞ, a teacher at Tekirdağ Technical and Vocational School, Tekirdag, TURKEY. As you can see from this diagram, the versatility of the ePortfolio can allow for divers uses of artefacts as opposed to the traditional linear way of working.

In mainstream education this could be taken even further by replicating the above graphic for every subject a child might be studying.  And then the logic really comes into play.  Consider a simple essay for a Technology homework:  It could firstly be a simple description of how an artefact is constructed as part of the initial homework.  That same essay could also be used as evidence of learning strategies, research skills, referencing etc.  It could also be used as evidence of collaboration or enquiry of experts or 'other adults'. It could similarly be used as an exercise in reflection or evaluation. 

And yet again, some of these various artefacts, from different subject areas could also be used within different personas.  And so it goes on.  I am sure that readers could add a dozen different examples of the 're-purposing' of artefacts.

Admittedly, Baris' paper was written from a very academic perspective and several assumptions are made which do not necessarily apply to mainstream education.  However, I must give praise where praise is due.  Thanks again, Dr. Nilgün Tosun and Fatih!

Well, what do you expect?

The layout of an ePortfolio is critical. But for whom? A potential employer does not have time to browse through one's self-congratulatory essays when looking for just one characteristic. One might be looking for clear skills in organisation or an eye for detail. Another might be looking for literary excellence or previous leadership experience.

Faculty might well expect a similar style and layout from all students - it's so much easier to find the latest essay that requires feedback or to check out a learner's progress. But, unfortunately, such regimentation does not sit easily with the concept of the ePortfolio being 'Learner-owned'.

I think, therefore, that it is essential that one's ePortfolio is easily 'navigable' - that separate sections and subsections have some logic. Perhaps colour-coding will help the reader.

As my previous two posts have alluded, I am in the process of compiling a collection of ePortfolios in order to help learners (or teachers) decide on their own particular format - and whether, for that matter, the software that they have chosen can deliver the layout and navigation they need.

Looking at the examples that I have posted here I suggest that we should consider a number of questions:

Does this eP reflect the character of the owner?
Does the software allow for accessibilty controls?
Are all graphics properly credited?
Is the use of language appropriate for the audience?
Is the balance of rich media appropriate?
Is the balance of content right for a prospective employer?
Is the eP well organised and easy to navigate?
Is reflection used to display the strengths of the learner?
How is informal or extra-curricular prior/experiential learning documented?
Does the ‘Life Story’ reinforce the claims of the learner?
Does the eP display a vision for ‘my future’?
Are peer-review/feedback/mentoring tools used effectively?
Is the eP truly 'portable'?
What’s missing?

If you have examples of ePortfolios that I can attach to my list, please let me know!

Garbage in, garbage out

As long as I can remember within my teaching career, the acronym, GIGO, has not been far from my lips when describing the data-processing activities of some of my students. Students should be clear in their own minds concerning the nature and purpose of data, how they should organise its storage and how they should present their findings. What is true for the collection and storage of data and its subsequent analysis is equally true of ePortfolio management.

This idea came to me as I read the recent Campus Technology article by Trent Batson, 'Reviewers Unhappy with Portfolio 'Stuff' Demand Evidence'. His opening paragraph illustrates the problem:

“Enough is enough,” say faculty members reviewing portfolio reports that resemble scrapbooks. “Where is the analysis?” they ask. “Where is the thinking?” Evidence-based learning concepts offer a way to re-frame the portfolio process so it produces meaningful and assessable evidence of achievement.

As I have repeatedly said, "The ePortfolio is not a pantechnicon of all of one's learning but rather that selection of artefacts, with explanation and reflection, that is appropriate for a selected audience."

The following comment that I made in response to Trent's article might sound a bit dogmatic, but I do feel for the faculty members who are struggling to make sense of poorly presented work:

"It's not so much that the ePortfolio can do so many things (and more) but that the learner should be capable of writing for a particular audience - after all we even teach 10yr-olds about 'audience'. Certainly, the ePortfolio as an application should be capable of allowing the learner to organise and present selected artefacts with reflections etc - I would not even look at an ePortfolio that did not recognise this simple courtesy. However, the conclusions that I reach following Trent's excellent article are simple: Faculty should know what they are asking of the students in the first place and secondly, should be providing appropriate guidance before allowing this mess to occur."