New wine into old bottles?

Or is it old wine into new bottles?  Anyhow, the above graphic amused me because it illustrates the old didactic 'me in charge' approach to teaching and learning rather than the constructivist approach to learning that allows some degree of individuality of learning, at one's own best speed, using a variety of tools and learning styles.

This is Oh, so true of ePortfolios.  On my Scoop/it! site (  http://www.scoop.it/t/eportfolios-examples )  I try to display a number of real active ePortfolios, not so much as to say which is right or wrong but to raise discussion.  One comment made is that most of the examples are somewhat 'old fashioned, little more than a CV.' and this is so true.  what I am waiting to see is a new breed, or 'Second Generation ePortfolio' which demonstrates the true dynamic potential of the ePortfolio as being the best tool for collaboration, peer-review and 'interuptive feedback'.  eFolio, to my mind is the perfect tool to make this all happen.

Secondly, I have another Scoop.it! site ( http://www.scoop.it/t/eportfolios-worldwide  ) which attempts to collate some of the best apps or tools that might help this approach to learning.

An Introduction to ePortfolios

An Introduction to ePortfolios (3.25 mins)

A nice presentation focussed on preparation for the job-interview. The problem is that an ePortfolio can be used for so many other things. It would be good to see such a clear and straightforward approach being used to present on 'constructivism', feedback, peer-review etc. Another presentation could deal with using the one set of artefacts spread across different personas.  And yet another, more delicate activity, might be an illustration of how Faculty put together an Institution ePortfolio.

eFolio and the top 10 Added Values

I was recently asked, "What is the Added Value of your eFolio system?"  -  and that got me thinking.  It's not so much the saving of money, but that IS a major advantage, it is all the other extras that go to make up an effective product that does not need the "Oh, by the way, this will also cost you..."  The picture of the sliding block puzzle says it all.  There are many different issues to setting up an ePortfolio system and all of these need to be slid into place from an otherwise incoherent jumble of bits.

So here is my list of the top 10 Added Values of eFolio:

1. Pride of ownership of a unique ePortfolio
2. Institutional identity through bespoke banner
3. True low-cost Lifelong and Lifewide ownership
4. No problems of conventional portability
5. Ease of access by readers/assessors through clear menus
6. Ability to switch on/off a range of feedback tools on any page
7. Ability to integrate other web-based tools/services
8. Ability to create multiple views of "self"
9. Ability to use selected artefacts for alternative personas
10. 10 years experience of eFolio providing 24/7/365 educational support

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!

Lifewide? What do you mean?

Recently I was asked this very question, 'What do you mean by Lifewide?' I have noticed before that others have used the term 'Lifewide' without really defining what it means.

There are at least three different aspects whereby I would describe an ePortfolio as being Lifewide:

1. All learners have multiple personas and should be able to display differing aspects to different audiences concurrently. For instance, I may be applying for two different jobs, one requiring a very professional format as an educator and yet another side of me, that of a bearded environmentalist wanting to escape academia and work for a charitable organisation. The two are not very compatible!
   



2. Secondly, the software itself should be capable of moving with the steadily maturing young learner, ‘through multiple metamorphoses’. This requires a simple easy-to-use tool which even the youngest student can use and yet has the capability of highly professional or complex multi-media presentation. Some years ago I attempted to illustrate this as on my website: http://www.maximise-ict.co.uk/eFolio-01.htm
   



3. Even within one persona, there are many different facets to that learner. Eg a college student does not just follow one course of study – his tutors want to know something of other aspects of his life, what clubs he attends, his out of college activities, his family circumstances, his part-time job. All of these go to make up the whole ‘width’ of the person.

I have also put together a random collection of sample ePortfolios for discussion purposes which might help the thoughtful reader: http://www.scoop.it/t/eportfolios-examples How many of the 'examples' that I list are capable of showing different 'views' to different audiences.

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!

The Perfect Example?

Following my last post, Barbara Nicholls asked the challenging question concerning the 'Perfect ePortfolio'. Let me start by repeating my belief that an ePortfolio should be 'Lifelong, Lifewide and for Learning and Leisure'. Secondly, my observation upon studying many hundreds of ePortfolios is that they generally appear to ignore many principles of constructivism - of team working, responding to a mentor's advice, of asking for feedback. Is it that institutions are trying to bolt on new technologies onto traditional pedagogies?

Firstly, it is probably the institution that introduces the eP concept and that generally based upon one discipline or subject. BUT, as soon as the eP is controlled by a single discipline it will tend to be little more than an assessment tool and preclude all the other exciting things that a young student is capable of doing.

On the other hand, the 'learner owned' eP could contain little more than the confused renderings of a Facebook account or the directionless accounts of a 'Dear Diary' blog.

By the time that the eP becomes the showcasing pride and joy of the young graduate looking for employment, some of the earlier peer to peer classroom stuff might well be considered a bit immature and the learner may not include evidences of such nascent learning, valuable as it might well be.

And then, again, as is the case with some of my examples by older professionals, they tend to display a very polished if somewhat conservative presentation which can provoke nothing but awe and admiration.

Recognising, therefore, that the eP is invariably engineered for a single audience, we might never see the "perfect eP". However, we, as teachers, ARE interested in the learner's Life Story, of the 'multiple metamorphoses' of the eP from cradle to grave - and this is a 'big ask'.

Maturely constructed ePortfolios that include all of the above are probably impossible to find. Even if teachers in Primary schools had the right software and vision many years ago, and even if numerous institutions later the learner’s ePortfolio had survived multiple transitions with various interoperability standards it would be rare for a mature learner to display all the hidden pages of an ‘evolutionary’ ePortfolio. Unfortunately, this may be the reason why we rarely see 'long-term reflection'.

The only way to encourage learners to demonstrate this sort of ePortfolio longevity would be through the establishment of some sort of competition – but even then people might be too shy to step forward.

I think, therefore, that at any stage of a learner’s career their ePortfolio should demonstrate as many ePortfolio ‘skills’ as possible. What is evident in my selected Scoop.it examples is that no one example includes ALL the potential skills for that context. As alluded to in my opening paragraph, it may be that we will not see the 'perfect ePortfolio' until we acquire a completely new cohort of teachers capable of creating a 'whole-school' constructivist culture.

The potential total of ‘skills’ for any stage throughout lifelong and Lifewide learning would make an interesting matrix – but that might be another post!