1. CONNECTING THE DOTS
Meghan Aubé and Kate Stewart
T E R M “ C O N N E C T I N G T H E D O T S ” C O M E S F R O M A R T I C L E B Y C H E N , G R O C O T T A N D K E H O E :
H T T P S : / / E R . E D U C A U S E . E D U / A R T I C L E S / 2 0 1 6 / 3 / C H A N G I N G - R E C O R D S - O F - L E A R N I N G - T H R O U G H - I N N O V A T I O N S - I N -
P E D A G O G Y - A N D - T E C H N O L O G Y
P H O T O C R E D I T : A L M O S B E C H T O L D O N U N S P L A S H
3. 3
THE ETHOS AND PHILOSOPHY OF E-PORTFOLIOS
Doing
Experiential
learning
Making
Social media,
artifacts, identity
building
Reflecting
Engaging with
others and sharing
learning
“Connecting the dots” – term comes from Helen Chen, Lisa Grocott and Ashley Kehoe’s online article: https://er.educause.edu/articles/2016/3/changing-records-of-learning-through-innovations-in-pedagogy-and-technology Idea: Pedagogical innovations such as e-portfolios represent a shift away from a “check box” approach towards an integrative process of “connecting the dots.” Goal/outcome = evidence-based learning that is integrated, agile and personalized
KATE & MEGHAN
Learner-focused: who we work with, their goals, etc.
UBC ExL serves lifelong learners: the folks we work with may be very different in terms of age and background, but they have a few things in common:
They are self-motivated
They are outcome-focused; e.g. they want a job in a specific industry, they want to prepare for university, etc.
They expect an educational experience that blends academics/content and application
They are looking to stand out/distinguish themselves from their peers
Specific examples of learners:
Teens and adults who want to (and have succeeded in) start careers in the video game industry
Mid-career professionals upgrading communications skills to become eligible for a promotion
Teens attending pre-university summer programs
KATE
Learning and assessment with e-portfolios is as much about the ethos and experience behind creating a portfolio as the object itself; even programs that don’t have a portfolio component per se can benefit from this approach
Ashley Kehoe's reconceiving of the "e" in e-portfolio -> refers not just to the electronic medium but also experience, engagement, and evidence.
-> informal, experiential learning often more meaningful to students, but less likely to be reflected in traditional forms of assessment
For Gen Z learners especially, bringing a variety of experience to their learning is vital to prepare for flexible futures: rise of automation and a rapidly changing job market/climate means this generation likely to pursue multiple career paths => benefit from the “joining the dots” approach – integrating different learning experiences and bridging theory to practice
Gen Z = first generation born into a digital world. Key values = self-direction, independence, entrepreneurialism.
Sharing learning through a variety of channels, including social media, is a way to document and display experiences and engage with others around learning that has happened (eg. transnational advocacy campaign for FGL – logo, slogan, Instagram hashtag)
Reflection is integral to the process of learning through a variety of experiences – studies in metacognition show that reflection = key driver in academic performance (i.e. see https://teachingcommons.stanford.edu/teaching-talk/eportfolios-and-self-reflection-powerful-pedagogical-tools-learning)
MEGHAN
Because time is limited, I’ll give one example of what this looks like for the game writing program. Some learners have developed a full portfolio only from the courses; others have taken 1-2 courses to develop specific skills and add to an existing portfolio. In all cases, these learners rely on what they create in the courses and on their portfolios to get work.
The program itself is designed to give learners the opportunity to build their portfolio throughout. So, each activity in each course results in an artifact that learners can integrate into a portfolio to showcase a specific skill. However, to create a strong portfolio learners also need to do a few additional things that are assessed:
carefully select which artifacts to include (including pieces written/developed outside of the courses)
Respond to feedback on pieces developed for courses and edit/revise accordingly
Know how to tailor their portfolio for different types of studios and roles
Formal assessment comes from an industry perspective, and takes into account both the content of the portfolio and the personal brand.
KATE & MEGHAN
Benefits, challenges, what we’ve learned
MEGHAN:
Designing a program or course around portfolio creation puts a different focus on the course – the content becomes necessarily more problem-based and requires an outlet for application
Assessment for a program or course with a portfolio component requires a balanced approach that looks at the learning that has taken place and judges the final product by how well it serves the end goal (e.g. job seeking), rather than how well the product matches assignment criteria (which can be done separately, when each artifact is submitted)
Portfolios are holistic and give a clearer picture of growth, development, and agility, especially if kept and reflected on for a long period of time
Learner experience is often improved, since program ethos, design, and assessment are focused on a specific outcome in line with what the learner seeks and expects
KATE:
Challenges = scalability, security, privacy, creating common standards/transparency in assessment. However, benefits = huge. Critical need for agility in pedagogical practices + alternative credentials that align with the ever-changing job market. Need for individual learner to collate and retain ownership over the evidence as unlikely that a single program/institution will possess a full record of these diverse experiences
Chen, Grocott and Kehoe = “To deliver on the promises of personalized learning, it is important to recognize that measurement directs behavior” - If GPAs are our most visible form of achievement, then checking off grades becomes the main focus. But given that a university education includes more than a series of disparate experiences, we need to embrace ways of “connecting the dots” and considering ways in which institutions can integrate academic and experiential learning.