PLEs and ePortfolios - what's the difference?

Slide 1: http://flickr.com/photos/margoconnell/1370918398/ my PLE, VLE or...? PLE's : ePortfolios What's the difference, and why are they such a hot topic at the moment?

Slide 2: MY EPORTFOLIO? MY PLE?

Slide 6: What Others Say (using Google)

Slide 7: Netvibes:

Slide 8: What’s the Difference? • Eportfolio: tailored for purpose, designed for specific audience • PLE: warts and all; primarily personal use with peer network

Slide 9: PLE (Wikipedia): • Personal Learning Environments are systems that help learners take control of and manage their own learning. This includes providing support for learners to – set their own learning goals – manage their learning; managing both content and process – communicate with others in the process of learning – and thereby achieve learning goals.

Slide 10: PLE (Wikipedia): • may be composed of one or more web-based services. • integration of both formal and informal learning episodes into a single experience • the use of social networks that can cross institutional boundaries • use of networking protocols (Peer-to-Peer, web services, syndication) to connect a range of resources and systems within a personally- managed space.

Slide 11: ePortfolio (Wikipedia): • An electronic portfolio, also known as an e-portfolio or digital portfolio, is a collection of electronic evidence assembled and managed by a user, usually on the Web. Such electronic evidence may include inputted text, electronic files such as Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF files, images, multimedia, blog entries, and hyperlinks. E- portfolios are both demonstrations of the user's abilities and platforms for self-expression, and, if they are online, they can be maintained dynamically over time. Some e- portfolio applications permit varying degrees of audience access, so the same portfolio might be used for multiple purposes.

Slide 12: Multiple Sites or One? http://flickr.com/photos/bru/129437516/ • “small pieces loosely joined” (Weinberger: Unified Theory of the Web) • Will employers be willing to search all your ‘small pieces loosely joined’? • Can you take it with you? (portability)

Slide 13: Are social software sites like MySpace and Facebook PLEs? Can they be used as e-portfolios? (one student said yes; one employer said yes)

Slide 14: Who owns the content? (does this matter?) • MySpace – “does not claim any ownership rights in the text, files, images, photos, video, sounds, musical works, works of authorship, or any other materials (collectively, \"Content\") that you post to the MySpace Services.” • Ning – no data • Facebook: “are the proprietary property of the Company” • ELGG - “We claim no intellectual property rights over any material you provide to the Elgg.org service.”

Slide 15: The halfway solution (the compromise) • The institution provides the service (Archer College) • Can an organisation provide lifelong access?

Slide 16: If you use the read/write web you already have an eportfolio whether you know it or not! • employers already checking sites like MySpace, searching Google, etc • Digital Literacy: think about what you share, and the implications

Slide 17: Danah Boyd: • social networking sites are SOCIAL! And not connected with study…. • But, the boundaries between work and play have been blurred • Is this an age issue? Will young people change their perspective as they start working?

Slide 18: WHAT you know or WHO you know? Or HOW you know it? • Will employers make this leap?

Slide 19: Why are they such a hot topic at the moment? • People don’t know what to do with them! • They reflect a new way of assembling knowledge • Should they be as anarchic as a typical MySpace site, or more measured as in ELGG? • Boundary between work and play (formal and informal) is blurred • Is it an institution’s responsibility? • Should they be portable with lifelong access? • Who owns the content? http://flickr.com/photos/13866173@N00/166572859/

Slide 20: You: • If you were applying for a job right now what would you want to show to a potential employer? • How would you want to display your skills and experience?

Slide 21: You are an employer assessing a potential candidate for a job Are you: B. willing to explore ‘small pieces loosely joined’? (ie explore multiple sites) C. Would you prefer a distilled eportfolio D. Would you prefer a good old fashioned resume on paper? E. Would you prefer an electronic resume? F. Or would you just search the web? (Google, MySpace, etc)

Slide 22: What would I do? • Depending on the degree of IT skills of the employer I would either – Create a Word doc with links to relevant content – Or create a Wiki with links to relevant content • That is, I would create a purpose specific document for that ‘event’.