Driving e-learning, e-assessment and e-portfolio innovations in the higher education and vocational education and training sectors: Challenges and Solutions
This document discusses challenges and solutions related to innovations in e-learning, e-assessment, and e-portfolios in higher education and vocational training. It outlines some key challenges, such as poor quality e-learning materials and issues with authentication, online quizzes, and teacher professional development. It then provides examples of innovative practices using e-portfolios and e-learning from various institutions. Finally, it discusses strategies for sustaining technological innovations, such as having senior leadership support, making the business case, and ensuring adequate resources, infrastructure, policies and technical support are in place. The overall message is that while challenges exist, institutions can promote acceptance of innovations by being strategic, learning from pilots, and continually reviewing outcomes.
Developing a technology enhanced learning strategySarah Knight
This presentation was presented jointly with Sarah Davies at University of East London on the 15th January 2014 as part of the Changing Learning Landscapes programme of support.
Academic Staff Development in the Area of Technology Enhanced Learning in UK ...eLearning Papers
This paper reports on a study on staff development in the area of technology enhanced learning in UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) that took place in November, 2011. Data for this study were gathered via an online survey emailed to the Heads of e-Learning Forum (HeLF) which is a network comprised of one senior staff member per UK institution, leading the enhancement of learning and teaching through the use of technology. Prior to the survey, desk-based research on some universities’ publicly available websites gathered similar information about staff development in the area of technology enhanced learning. The online survey received 27 responses, approaching a quarter of all UK HEIs subscribed to the Heads of e-Learning forum list (118 is the total number). Both pre-1992 (16 in number) and post-1992 Universities (11 in number) were represented in the survey and findings indicate the way this sample of UK HEIs are approaching staff development in the area of TEL.
Presented on behalf of the Australian Government, Department of Education, Skills and Employment and for the Ministry of Education for the Government of India. On the 20 November 2020
Abstract: Over the last 20 years distance, and now online learning, has evolved in unexpected and unprecedented ways due to the emergence of a variety of factors. These include but are certainly not limited to the advent of social media, the strengthening of wireless internet, particularly to internet optimised mobile devices, a new wave of learning management systems and the emergence of online productivity tools. There is now a strong emphasis on the role of standards within the online offering of courses, that has led to institutions being able to mediate the quality of their offerings, providing new levels of consistency and equivalence, which has risen in importance in the wake of the outbreak of COVID-19 globally. These contemporary ways of looking at online and distance learning means that there is an opportunity to consider new models of teaching that allow for more active, collaborative and authentic forms of student engagement that shift the emphasis away from teaching to learning and preparing student for the future of work. The Australian Council on Open Distance and e-Learning’s (ACODE) role, among other things, is to provide institutions with guidance and expertise on these new approaches in the distance and e-learning fields, while advocating and promoting best practise amongst its members.
Webinar slides - What makes a successful e-learning project?Brightwave Group
As part of a series of webinars hosted by e.Learning Age to celebrate the winners of the E-Learning Awards 2012, Brightwave and Clyde Valley Learning Development Group share the success of their recent project that has become the largest peer-managed shared service learning project in the UK, delivering over £9 million in savings.
Developing a technology enhanced learning strategySarah Knight
This presentation was presented jointly with Sarah Davies at University of East London on the 15th January 2014 as part of the Changing Learning Landscapes programme of support.
Academic Staff Development in the Area of Technology Enhanced Learning in UK ...eLearning Papers
This paper reports on a study on staff development in the area of technology enhanced learning in UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) that took place in November, 2011. Data for this study were gathered via an online survey emailed to the Heads of e-Learning Forum (HeLF) which is a network comprised of one senior staff member per UK institution, leading the enhancement of learning and teaching through the use of technology. Prior to the survey, desk-based research on some universities’ publicly available websites gathered similar information about staff development in the area of technology enhanced learning. The online survey received 27 responses, approaching a quarter of all UK HEIs subscribed to the Heads of e-Learning forum list (118 is the total number). Both pre-1992 (16 in number) and post-1992 Universities (11 in number) were represented in the survey and findings indicate the way this sample of UK HEIs are approaching staff development in the area of TEL.
Presented on behalf of the Australian Government, Department of Education, Skills and Employment and for the Ministry of Education for the Government of India. On the 20 November 2020
Abstract: Over the last 20 years distance, and now online learning, has evolved in unexpected and unprecedented ways due to the emergence of a variety of factors. These include but are certainly not limited to the advent of social media, the strengthening of wireless internet, particularly to internet optimised mobile devices, a new wave of learning management systems and the emergence of online productivity tools. There is now a strong emphasis on the role of standards within the online offering of courses, that has led to institutions being able to mediate the quality of their offerings, providing new levels of consistency and equivalence, which has risen in importance in the wake of the outbreak of COVID-19 globally. These contemporary ways of looking at online and distance learning means that there is an opportunity to consider new models of teaching that allow for more active, collaborative and authentic forms of student engagement that shift the emphasis away from teaching to learning and preparing student for the future of work. The Australian Council on Open Distance and e-Learning’s (ACODE) role, among other things, is to provide institutions with guidance and expertise on these new approaches in the distance and e-learning fields, while advocating and promoting best practise amongst its members.
Webinar slides - What makes a successful e-learning project?Brightwave Group
As part of a series of webinars hosted by e.Learning Age to celebrate the winners of the E-Learning Awards 2012, Brightwave and Clyde Valley Learning Development Group share the success of their recent project that has become the largest peer-managed shared service learning project in the UK, delivering over £9 million in savings.
To refresh our courses one first needs to pause and take stock
Our digital ecologies are changing because the way we are wanting to teach and examine is changing. Moving forward, we see L&T using new and more engaging forms of technology, designed to help our students not just learn disciplinary skills, but to find new ways of engaging with their peers. Improvement is a deliberate act that involves planning and execution. We need to find the new tools and techniques to help us with our teaching. We will look at some possible affordances you can enjoy when you are ready to pause and take stock.
Upside down:Staff and student led digital learning strategies in UK HEIsdebbieholley1
Authors:
Marketa Zezulkova, Debbie Holley & David Biggins
The tensions of UK Higher Education environment metrics (cf Research Excellence Framework (REF), Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF)) can be seen in drivers of digital change at institutional in UK Universities. The increasing measurement and importance of student outcomes and learning gain (TEF) requires institutions to show the impact of their work, both internally and across sector benchmarks.
It is within this context that we conducted a mixed method study exploring technology enhanced learning strategies and their applied frameworks and toolkits. The first two phases of research comprised a quantitative survey with 36 participants, subsequent content analysis and resulted in a draft framework (Biggins et al 2017). This framework has now been explored in the third and last phase through semi-structured interviews with the TEL leaders from seven UK HE institutions.
Our preliminary findings indicate that to meet the requirements and demonstrate the externally set indicators of educational quality, technology enhanced learning (or digital learning) strategies and toolkits are often developed without academic staff and students’ input. The three emerging themes relevant to the Participation through Learning Technology theme suggest that:
(1) Educators are seen as providers rather than end users. The perceived TEL benefits for students have no or less comparable benefits in terms of the educators’ work and life, a change in this policy could impact institutions in terms of the UK Teaching Excellence Framework criteria Teaching Quality (TQ2) valuing teaching.
(2) Students are treated as receivers and users, rather than active participants in institutional TEL strategies and developments, a change in this policy in institutions has the possibility to address the Teaching Excellence Framework Employability and Transferable Skills Student Outcomes and Learning Gain (SO2), in terms of ' students acquire knowledge...that enhances their personal/professional life'
(3) Immediate students’ learning is prioritised over both educators’ and students’ life-long learning and digital capability/competence/literacies development. Here we argue that students of course need to develop skills that prepare them the world of work, but there is wider societal benefit in overcoming the digital divide. Our research suggests the Teaching Excellence Framework policy driver of Employment and Further Study (SO1) encourages a short term perspective of 'students achieve their educational and professional goals, in particular....to highly skilled employment.'
Building Leadership Capabilities in a Postgraduate Degree: Unpacking the Lear...ePortfolios Australia
This presentation aims to share how the learning process of curation, reflection and evidencing of learning outcomes were used as an approach to showcase the learning product of an assessment task through storytelling in a postgraduate Leadership unit at the Deakin Business School. In addition, we will share particular insights to the ‘iterative’ and ‘agile’ approach taken to continuous improvement of the assessment task over three trimester offerings of the unit, based on the lived experiences of a multi-disciplinary unit team. Further, discussion on the learning design and educational technology platform selected and how it was integrated, scaffolded and supported in the design, development and delivery of the unit will be presented.
Using ePortfolios in teacher PD to build capacity Jo Elliot and Chie AdachiePortfolios Australia
With the increasing focus on graduate employability within higher education, ePortfolio activities present an opportunity to work with students on reflective practice and digital fluency for lifelong learning. However, universities must invest in building teachers’ capacity to confidently embed portfolio activities through the use of technologies. In this presentation, we will describe how we designed trials of two new ePortfolio platforms to build staff capacity, by incorporating these trials into courses for teaching staff and educational designers. We will also discuss the opportunities and challenges presented by such innovation projects through the lens of staff development.
Educational technology & higher education, Digital Learners, Net generation, E-content, Web based Learning, Self Instructional Materials (SIM), Blended Learning, Mobile Learning, Flipped Classroom,
Presented at Learn 2009 about how E-learning is being embraced by different HE institutions in Sri Lanka and how various projects are supporting e-learning.
PRE-SERVICE AND IN-SERVICE TRAINING OF TVET TEACHERSOECD CFE
Presentation by Dr. Nguyen Quang Viet, Viet Nam, at the 9th OECD Southeast Asian Regional Policy Network on Education and Skills 11-12 October 2017, Ha Noi, Viet Nam.
More information: http://www.oecd.org/employment/leed/employmentesssa.htm
Data driven innovation for student success (Studiosity Symposium 2017)Studiosity.com
Empowering cross-institutional collaboration to drive holistic approaches to student success that leverage the power of student centered analytics and prepare our graduates for the new world of work
Keynote:
Associate Professor Jessica Vanderlelie
Innovative Research Universities Vice Chancellors’ Fellow, Australian Learning & Teaching Fellow
Students First 2020 - Creating a comprehensive student support ecosystemStudiosity.com
As we continue this year's online Symposium series, we were joined by Professor Angela Hill, DVC Education at ECU and Professor Rowena Harper, Director, Centre for Learning and Teaching at ECU, who generously shared Edith Cowan's in-depth and dedicated approach to student support.
Session Chair: Prof Judyth Sachs, Chief Academic Officer, Studiosity
To refresh our courses one first needs to pause and take stock
Our digital ecologies are changing because the way we are wanting to teach and examine is changing. Moving forward, we see L&T using new and more engaging forms of technology, designed to help our students not just learn disciplinary skills, but to find new ways of engaging with their peers. Improvement is a deliberate act that involves planning and execution. We need to find the new tools and techniques to help us with our teaching. We will look at some possible affordances you can enjoy when you are ready to pause and take stock.
Upside down:Staff and student led digital learning strategies in UK HEIsdebbieholley1
Authors:
Marketa Zezulkova, Debbie Holley & David Biggins
The tensions of UK Higher Education environment metrics (cf Research Excellence Framework (REF), Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF)) can be seen in drivers of digital change at institutional in UK Universities. The increasing measurement and importance of student outcomes and learning gain (TEF) requires institutions to show the impact of their work, both internally and across sector benchmarks.
It is within this context that we conducted a mixed method study exploring technology enhanced learning strategies and their applied frameworks and toolkits. The first two phases of research comprised a quantitative survey with 36 participants, subsequent content analysis and resulted in a draft framework (Biggins et al 2017). This framework has now been explored in the third and last phase through semi-structured interviews with the TEL leaders from seven UK HE institutions.
Our preliminary findings indicate that to meet the requirements and demonstrate the externally set indicators of educational quality, technology enhanced learning (or digital learning) strategies and toolkits are often developed without academic staff and students’ input. The three emerging themes relevant to the Participation through Learning Technology theme suggest that:
(1) Educators are seen as providers rather than end users. The perceived TEL benefits for students have no or less comparable benefits in terms of the educators’ work and life, a change in this policy could impact institutions in terms of the UK Teaching Excellence Framework criteria Teaching Quality (TQ2) valuing teaching.
(2) Students are treated as receivers and users, rather than active participants in institutional TEL strategies and developments, a change in this policy in institutions has the possibility to address the Teaching Excellence Framework Employability and Transferable Skills Student Outcomes and Learning Gain (SO2), in terms of ' students acquire knowledge...that enhances their personal/professional life'
(3) Immediate students’ learning is prioritised over both educators’ and students’ life-long learning and digital capability/competence/literacies development. Here we argue that students of course need to develop skills that prepare them the world of work, but there is wider societal benefit in overcoming the digital divide. Our research suggests the Teaching Excellence Framework policy driver of Employment and Further Study (SO1) encourages a short term perspective of 'students achieve their educational and professional goals, in particular....to highly skilled employment.'
Building Leadership Capabilities in a Postgraduate Degree: Unpacking the Lear...ePortfolios Australia
This presentation aims to share how the learning process of curation, reflection and evidencing of learning outcomes were used as an approach to showcase the learning product of an assessment task through storytelling in a postgraduate Leadership unit at the Deakin Business School. In addition, we will share particular insights to the ‘iterative’ and ‘agile’ approach taken to continuous improvement of the assessment task over three trimester offerings of the unit, based on the lived experiences of a multi-disciplinary unit team. Further, discussion on the learning design and educational technology platform selected and how it was integrated, scaffolded and supported in the design, development and delivery of the unit will be presented.
Using ePortfolios in teacher PD to build capacity Jo Elliot and Chie AdachiePortfolios Australia
With the increasing focus on graduate employability within higher education, ePortfolio activities present an opportunity to work with students on reflective practice and digital fluency for lifelong learning. However, universities must invest in building teachers’ capacity to confidently embed portfolio activities through the use of technologies. In this presentation, we will describe how we designed trials of two new ePortfolio platforms to build staff capacity, by incorporating these trials into courses for teaching staff and educational designers. We will also discuss the opportunities and challenges presented by such innovation projects through the lens of staff development.
Educational technology & higher education, Digital Learners, Net generation, E-content, Web based Learning, Self Instructional Materials (SIM), Blended Learning, Mobile Learning, Flipped Classroom,
Presented at Learn 2009 about how E-learning is being embraced by different HE institutions in Sri Lanka and how various projects are supporting e-learning.
PRE-SERVICE AND IN-SERVICE TRAINING OF TVET TEACHERSOECD CFE
Presentation by Dr. Nguyen Quang Viet, Viet Nam, at the 9th OECD Southeast Asian Regional Policy Network on Education and Skills 11-12 October 2017, Ha Noi, Viet Nam.
More information: http://www.oecd.org/employment/leed/employmentesssa.htm
PRE-SERVICE AND IN-SERVICE TRAINING OF TVET TEACHERS
Similar to Driving e-learning, e-assessment and e-portfolio innovations in the higher education and vocational education and training sectors: Challenges and Solutions
Data driven innovation for student success (Studiosity Symposium 2017)Studiosity.com
Empowering cross-institutional collaboration to drive holistic approaches to student success that leverage the power of student centered analytics and prepare our graduates for the new world of work
Keynote:
Associate Professor Jessica Vanderlelie
Innovative Research Universities Vice Chancellors’ Fellow, Australian Learning & Teaching Fellow
Students First 2020 - Creating a comprehensive student support ecosystemStudiosity.com
As we continue this year's online Symposium series, we were joined by Professor Angela Hill, DVC Education at ECU and Professor Rowena Harper, Director, Centre for Learning and Teaching at ECU, who generously shared Edith Cowan's in-depth and dedicated approach to student support.
Session Chair: Prof Judyth Sachs, Chief Academic Officer, Studiosity
Broadening access to stem programs through technical college articulation pro...David Stone
Southern Polytechnic State University has been offering distance education within the State of Georgia since 1996, when the State of Georgia's first online graduate program was developed (Master of Science: Quality Assurance).
Over the course of the past 17 years there have been changes made to the structure, administration, and processes that have been used to support distance education guided by our special purpose mission.
The presentation will provide a description of how the original efforts were established, the design of the original efforts, structure, and goals, as well as provide an overview of how the initiatives changed over time. The current state of online learning and a discussion of future directions will be provided. Through the use of original documents, meeting minutes and other data sources the presentation will provide a view into the evolution of the distance education program.
Enabling and enhancing student learning and support through technologyJisc
A presentation from Connect More 2020 by Peter Francis, deputy vice-chancellor, Northumbria University.
In recent months universities have rapidly implemented significant and often unplanned changes to the ways in which education is delivered. In large part, the nature of such changes will be temporary, although the significance of such changes may be longer lasting.
But this has also allowed universities to explore opportunities that otherwise may not have been considered. One can foresee that many universities will need to focus more time and energy on their approach to technology for student learning, and as a result their digital leadership. Yet technology on its own is not the solution; it is an enabler.
In this session Peter will reflect briefly on his own institution's journey towards technology-enhanced learning and support, one that encompasses a broad array of technological developments, and involved many colleagues and students, the aim of which is the delivery of a high-quality and inclusive student experience for all.
A presentation to the staff of the University of South Africa as part of a Benchmarking Activity around Technology Enhanced Learning, using the ACODE Benchmarks. Conducted for the Institute for Open and Distance Learning (IODL)
Developing a strategy for flexible learning programmes at NorthTecVasi Doncheva
Case Study presented at Future Learning and the Digital Conference June 2013 Auckland, New Zealand
Developing a strategy for flexible learning programmes in your organisation:
• How to develop and implement an institute wide strategy
• How to lead change initiatives and embed them into institutional practice
• Ways to effectively use technologies to engage and inspire learners and create accessible learning opportunities
• Tips on how to effectively integrate technology strategically into teaching and learning
Presentation to the University Alliance Teaching and Learning Network Meeting by Jisc on Learning and teaching reimagined and Powering higher education
Making the business case for digital health: Cost ModelsJSI
This was presented as part of a panel at the ICT4D Conference
in Lusaka, Zambia in May 2018.
The cost of digital health interventions has often been seen as a barrier to scaling and sustaining programs. High training costs for health workers is a factor. But, many uses of digital health can increase quality of care and efficiency while simultaneously offering cost savings. MCSP built on this model to strengthen the case for mPowering Frontline Health Workers. The model was updated to include new costs for digital content management, creation, and maintenance which showed a potential cost savings of 20-40%.
The CIT-eA presentation at the SQA event 'Assessment Tomorrow' Edinburgh 2015 - 9th e-Assessment Conference, 29th January. The presentation describes the approach the project is taking and presents an outline of the toolkit that is in preparation.
ACODE’s work on benchmarking, the eMM model and TEL standards and frameworksCharles Darwin University
Feature presentation at the TEQSA Occasional Forum Series: Quality Assurance of Online Learning. Tuesday 27 November, 9:00am – 3.30pm Deakin Downtown Level 12 Tower 2, 727 Collins Street, Docklands, Melbourne 3008
Similar to Driving e-learning, e-assessment and e-portfolio innovations in the higher education and vocational education and training sectors: Challenges and Solutions (20)
Reimagining student learning journey with ePortfolios Panos Vlachopoulos Arda...ePortfolios Australia
https://mqoutlook-my.sharepoint.com/personal/arda_tezcan_mq_edu_au/_layouts/15/onedrive.aspx?id=%2Fpersonal%2Farda%5Ftezcan%5Fmq%5Fedu%5Fau%2FDocuments%2FePortfolio%2FePortfolios%20Australia%2020x20&originalPath=aHR0cHM6Ly9tcW91dGxvb2stbXkuc2hhcmVwb2ludC5jb20vOmY6L2cvcGVyc29uYWwvYXJkYV90ZXpjYW5fbXFfZWR1X2F1L0VwMF9KYWRjc3NKR3FmV0dxYlRPV0NzQkVKNGlucnFPZEpibkMxY1p2WVFXMmc%5FcnRpbWU9aFd6eDlXdVQyVWc
Eportfolio is an integral part of the implementation of Macquarie University’s award-winning Bachelor of Arts (BA) Transferable Skills Framework (TSF). BA students can directly correlate their academic work to real job requirements - connecting their learning (both inside and outside of the classroom) with career opportunities. The TSF is designed to make explicit connections between coursework and employability skills, assisting students in recognising the capabilities they gain during their educational journey. The ePortfolio tool is intertwined with the coursework, where students can curate a digital showcase of their curricular and other achievements, projects, and competencies. This presentation will narrate the story of integrating an ePortolio and associated pedagogy across the BA. The focus will be on the activities undertaken to ensure a programmatic implementation of an ePortfolio and the lessons learned from the first year of implementation.
The journey of implementing the right digital platform for a student-centred,...ePortfolios Australia
"Macquarie University worked with students, academics, and major industry partners including the NSW Government, Accenture, Hays, EY, Deloitte, Adobe, and CBA in reimagining the Bachelor of Arts degree which won the Employability Award at the Australian Financial Review (AFR) Higher Education Awards 2020. The outcome of this voyage resulted in the creation of an innovative, transformative, and capability-driven Transferable Skills Framework that is embodied in the curriculum by integrating lifelong learning aspects with a strong emphasis on pedagogy, employability, and digital fluency.
To deliver these aspects, the University conducted a comprehensive technology landscape assessment which followed an enterprise-level implementation of a digital ePortfolio platform. A digital ecosystem was established by amalgamating ePortfolio technology with education design and employability. In this panel session, the discussion will be centred around the critical aspects of implementing a befitting digital ePortfolio system and ways to leverage it in support of enhancing lifelong learning."
In my presentation I am going to talk about the importance of having an Eportfolio for IT students and IT graduates. The focus is mainly on using GitHub as a platform for IT students to build their portfolio efficiently to present what they are good at to potential employers. In this presentation I will talk about how recruiters target specific candidates on GitHub. Also, there will be a comparison between Graduates GitHub’s portfolios and those who are stablished in their careers. Also, will provide some examples of how students or recent graduates can showcase their understanding of particular topics, or their interest in a particular field to make it as easy as possible for their prospective employers to understand their areas of expertise.
A reflective look back at the first 9 Eportfolio Forums - Key themes and topi...ePortfolios Australia
This will be the 10th Eportfolio Forum. This key milestone provides an opportunity to review what the key themes and topics have been over the previous nine Forums to determine what activities have dominated eportfolio practice, and how that might influence the future of eportfolio practice.
Digital Ethics Principles in ePortfolios: Version 2: Resource development by ...ePortfolios Australia
The Digital Ethics ePortfolio Task Force for the Association for Authentic, Experiential, & Evidence-Based Learning (AAEEBL) continued to bring together international ePortfolio scholars and practitioners to establish research-based digital practices for ePortfolio stakeholders, including institutions, students, educators, and administrators. Phase one developed an online interactive resource, Digital Ethics Principles in ePortfolios: Version 1, which outlines strategies, scenarios, and resources around ten principles. This second iteration adds additional principles related to ePortfolio evaluation practices; practices that encourage diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging; and visibility of labour. In Digital Ethics Principles in ePortfolios: Version 2, revisions to the original ten principles integrate information regarding eProfessionalism and legal issues that can intersect with ePortfolio practice. The original online visual interface has also been upgraded. This expanded version of the principles document continues to articulate explicit and applicable practices relevant to ePortfolio creators, educators, platform creators, and administrators of programs and institutions with ePortfolio requirements.
An exploration of third year BA Culinary and Gastronomic Science student expe...ePortfolios Australia
The benefits of reflective practice and eportfolio based learning are widely acknowledged in the literature, however, little work has evaluated its impact vis-à-vis a Culinary Arts curriculum. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore third year BA Culinary and Gastronomic Science student experiences of developing a reflective practice eportfolio at Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology. A mixed method approach, using convenience sampling was implemented. Semi-structured interviews were held with experts in the field of eportfolio based learning and reflective practice in Ireland. Participants were voluntarily surveyed, to gather information on their experiences of developing a reflective practice eportfolio. The results highlighted tangible opportunities and barriers for undertaking a reflective practice eportfolio for the participants. Eportfolio based learning is rooted in a complex pedagogy, and its potential can only be realised if the processes underlying reflective practice are properly understood by all stakeholders. It’s imperative that the purpose of the reflective practice eportfolio is clearly defined, requirements are communicated, digital capabilities are measured. and training is delivered, rubrics are created, exemplars are shared, and support is provided, in order for it to be successfully adopted. Positive results depends on successful implementation.
Digital ethics and portfolios: What's next? Kristina Hoeppner Megan Haskins ePortfolios Australia
Over the last two years, the AAEEBL Digital Ethics Task Force explored principles of digital ethics and how they relate to portfolio work and can be integrated into portfolios. In this conversation, the Task Force wants to explore with participants what practical implementations of the principles can look like, discuss possible research topics and collaborations, and where to go next with this topic. Establishing the principles was the first step in an effort to raise awareness about digital ethics in portfolios and support students, academics, researchers, staff, institutions, and also portfolio platform creators to come together, discuss often difficult topics around digital ethics, and how to improve on our current practices.
Eportfolios through the lenses of diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, an...ePortfolios Australia
In 2020/21, the AAEEBL Digital Ethics Task Force investigated three new principles: Visibility of Labour, Evaluation, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Decolonisation (DEIBD). In this short presentation, we will introduce Forum participants to the DEIBD principle and strategies that can be employed when working with portfolios to improve the experience of students. The strategies provide practical suggestions around the five concepts held within DEIBD and relate them to portfolio work.
Assessment and Feedback Using ePortfolios: Shifting to a New Paradigm of Prac...ePortfolios Australia
ePortfolio practice focuses on reflective pedagogies and iterative submissions of student assessment responses. Students are encouraged to store learnings in their ePortfolio to showcase their strengths to different audiences. Innovations in practice come and go depending on buy-in and resource allocation. Once again, the world is significantly changing and the ‘new’ future of post COVID-19 remains ambiguous. In this paper, we propose a paradigm shift that facilitates a dialogic process around the collection of feedback a student receives in their ePortfolio. The design of an assessment regime sets the stage for active student participation in curating their individual feedback from self, peers, educators or industry. The aim of this process is for students to get a personalised reconstruction of their learning progress, through collaborative and social learning opportunities. In this paper we will offer further explanation of how this paradigm impacts practice in today’s digital era.
An overview of the work and activities of Eportfolio Ireland (a professional learning community for eportfolio practitioners) over the COVID-19 crisis. We will highlight activities with institutions and organisations, the focus of our webinars, and key features from the The Irish Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning special issue, edited by Eportfolio Ireland.
An emerging approach to Prior Learning Assessment and RecognitionePortfolios Australia
Serge Ravet shares the work being done for the renewal of the French version of Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (Validation des Acquis de l’Expérience – VAE) and about ePIC 2021, the 19th International Conference on Open Education and Open Recognition technologies and practices
SLICCs – A flexible framework to deliver reflective experiential learning and...ePortfolios Australia
Student-Led, Individually-Created Courses (SLICCs) are a scalable and flexible experiential learning and assessment framework using an e-portfolio, awarding academic credit for experiential learning. The framework is based on five learning outcomes that students contextualise for themselves, with support from within the framework and feedback from faculty. These learning outcomes are stratified across the academic levels, through pre-honours, honours, masters, to professional doctorate. The framework provides the flexibility for faculty to offer boundaries to the learning experience, or for students to entirely define their own experience, bringing the extra-curricular into the formal curriculum. SLICCs are supported by a small team, and a comprehensive array of resources for students, tutors, faculty and administrators (more information available at http://www.ed.ac.uk/sliccs). SLICCs are now becoming well-established across the University of Edinburgh, with more than 20 courses using the framework, and there is increasing interest from other institutions in viewing and adopting the approach.
The 2021 Eportfolio Shark Tank allowed people within the eportfolio community to input from expert Eportfolio Sharks about an idea or an issue - for more information go to: https://eportfoliosaustralia.wordpress.com/other-events/eportfolio-shark-tank/
Creating, designing and developing our eportfolio Co-Lab Kathryn Coleman & Ka...ePortfolios Australia
Co-Labs enable collaborative and experimental research opportunities based on themes and needs. This session will lead a conversation around how an Australasian eportfolio Co-Lab will function. Discussions will also cente around exploring the merits of key themes and priorities for 2021, and how to generate interest in this group.
The presentation will outline the successes and challenges of introducing an electronic portfolio to first year students using MKM software. At the School of Medicine at Western Sydney University a portfolio was introduced to first year students in 2019 to promote self-regulated learning and skills in reflection. Student portfolios are reviewed and discussed with academic advisors. Curriculum design and teaching students, advisors and staff are critical to the successful implementation of a portfolio.
Building a Pandemic ePortfolio using the Karuta Open Source Portfolio 3.0 Jac...ePortfolios Australia
"The coronavirus pandemic has dramatically changed the landscape of higher education. Over a short period of time, courses have moved online with students being required to adapt to new ways of learning.
Although many tools have been used to enhance the student learning experience, many researchers have long advocated a more holistic, personal, and integrative approach. As eloquently presented by Jenson and Treuer (2014), learning should be put in a much broader context where courses, co-curricular activities, internships, work, and personal experiences, contribute to what are called 20th century lifelong learning skills (collecting, self-regulating, reflecting, integrating, and collaborating).
The Pandemic ePortfolio is an illustration of this more integrative approach using Karuta 3.0, a simple and flexible open source ePortfolio tool supported by the Apereo Foundation. See how a simple yet powerful workflow has been designed to help students make sense of this difficult period.
Jill. D. Jenson and Paul Treuer (2014), Defining the e-Portfolio: What It is and Why it Matters, Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 46:2, 50-57, https://doi.org/10.1080/00091383.2014.897192."
Supporting students to develop their teacher identity through scaffolded port...ePortfolios Australia
"A pre-service teacher education course has a dual purpose. It provides future teachers with the knowledge they require to teach, but it also must also serve to transform the student and enable them to become the teacher. This change of identity is not a sudden transition that happens when a student graduates, rather it needs to be embedded from the start of the course and then progressively developed throughout the learning journey.
This presentation describes how PebblePad workbooks are used in a curriculum content unit to scaffold students to write, speak and think as teachers. The workbooks contain assessment tasks with sequenced response pages containing guiding questions, hints and modelled construction. The tasks progress from simple to complex across the unit and include many opportunities for the student to practice the skills needed to develop their identity as a teacher. "
Moving from a paper-based nursing clinical placement tool to an online portfolio platform was not without its challenges. In the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Edith Cowan University a whole of school approach was adopted that incorporated not only the 3000 plus student body but academics, professional staff, and clinical placement administrators. This resulted in rewards that were seen and felt way beyond the technology used to support it. The adage 'It Takes a Village' was never truer in overcoming the challenges faced, however, ultimately determined the success of this story and ability to showcase the student learning journey.
New Spaces of Belonging: ePortfolios, Community and Digital Placemaking Brian...ePortfolios Australia
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Driving e-learning, e-assessment and e-portfolio innovations in the higher education and vocational education and training sectors: Challenges and Solutions
1. Driving e-learning, e-assessment and
e-portfolio innovations in the higher
education and vocational education and
training sectors: Challenges and solutions
a
3 November 2010
Professor Victor J Callan
University of Queensland Business School
2. Overview
1. Innovation, Growth and Sustainability
2. Some Exemplars
3. E-portfolios - how they are being used as a place
for purposeful aggregation of digital items,
promoting a student's learning and abilities
4. Challenges in this “e” arena, and strategies to
promote greater acceptance of these technological
innovations
3. 1. Innovation, growth and sustainability
• Innovation is the generation and
execution of new ideas that have
economic value – “good ideas put to
work”
• It is experimental and disruptive
• It is associated with connectedness
and collaboration
• For each innovative success there will be
multiple unsuccessful attempts
5. Growth
• The Australian Flexible Learning Centre
Framework’s 2009 E-learning
Benchmarking Survey
• 46% of registered training organisations
(RTOs) were using e-learning for
assessment
• Among teachers and trainers delivering
units using e-learning, 62% are using
online assessment activities
6. Changing learning environment
• Technological change impacting on teachers and
learners: pedagogy, curriculum, policy,
infrastructure, governance
• Growth in the E-business model – enrolments,
learning, assessment, business
• Increasing convergence between curriculum
materials and support materials such as library
resources, via e-Journals, e-Books and websites
7. Digital Natives
• “Digital Natives”, or the “Net
Generation” are commonly said
to:
• Prefer receiving information
quickly
• Prefer multi-tasking
• Have a low tolerance for lectures
• Prefer active rather than passive
learning
• Rely heavily on communications
technologies to access
information and to carry out social
and professional interactions
8. But Challenges
• Progress hampered by examples of poor
quality e-learning and e-assessment
• Validity – does not validly assess the
skills being tested and does not address
intended learning outcomes
• Authentication – unreliable infrastructure,
assessment, accessibility, ease of use,
poor security
• Online quizzes – poorly constructed,
limited validity and reliability, teachers
have little understanding of how to design
valid and fair quizzes
• Professional development of teachers
and others (e.g. auditors)
10. VET practitioners would like to be more
confident using
E-Portfolios
All Forms
More on
E-Portfolios
later . . .
11. Australian e-Portfolio Project Report 2008
• Used mostly by Coursework University students
• Subject-specific or program-based contexts
• Faculty-wide or university-wide use is rare
12. Use by University research students
• E-Portfolios not yet widely used by the research student
context
13. 2. Examples of innovative “e” practices
• My Profiling meets Hairdressing –
Tasmanian Skills Institute
• Smart Notes and Nuggets –
Tasmanian Polytechnic
14. Examples
• Forklifts getting mobile –
SA Plant Operator Training
• Indigenous writer's network
– Adelaide College of the Arts
• E-portfolios in nursing – Carer's
Training Centre
15. Examples
• Your Beach – Surf Life Saving Western Australia
• The virtually safe workshop – Durack Institute of
Technology
16. Bakery apprentices at Hunter Institute
Issues: Block release, small enterprises, regional, casual
employees
Responses
• Gary Sewell and his team - Bakers Delight and Tip Top
• Video games, photostories, blogs for use with assessments,
text to explain the processes behind bread making, accessed
through computers, laptops, personal digital assistants or
mobile phones
• Strong use of regular forums and chat rooms to back up the
learning
Lessons to date
• Value of incorporating high quality materials and detailed
industry knowledge
17. Blue Dog Training
Issues: 60% outside SE Qld, travel costs, recognise work based
learning
Responses
• E learning tools allow more self-paced and self-directed
learning, while each learner is assigned a course trainer for
support
• Use online bite-sized 'chunks of learning’ that require 10 to 30
min
Lessons
• Commitment to the apprentice and employer
• Must continually develop and modify systems
18. E-learning VET business
partnerships
• One Steel Ltd Whyalla
• Real Estate Institute WA
• Royal Adelaide Hospital
• Australian Stainless Steel Development Association
• City of Boroondara Vic
• Department of Health and Human Services Tas
mania.
• Federal Group Tasmania
• HJ Heinz Australia Ltd
• IMP Printed Circuits
• NSW Department of Lands
• The Good Guys
• Tradelink
• Australian Broadcasting
Corporation
• BHP Billiton
• City of Mandurah WA
• Connex Melbourne
• John Holland Pty Ltd
• Lifeline Australia
• NSW Motor Traders Association
• North Coast Area Health Service
NSW
• NSW Farmers' Association
• Department of Defense
19. Innovative e-Portfolio practice
• In 2003, Queensland University of
Technology (QUT) commenced
the development of an e-Portfolio
system
• Central to the design of the
Student e-Portfolio was the
development of the Employability
Skill Set
• Progressive take-up of E-Portfolio.
Today more than 40,000 QUT
students have developed their own
e-Portfolio
20. Innovative e-Portfolio practice
• University of Melbourne has an E-Portfolio
project under development that aims to
provide structured support for PhD candidates
• It provides access to online transition
programs for new research students,
“Postgraduate Essentials” (currently being
updated to “Graduate Research Essentials”)
• The purpose of the E-Portfolio is to scaffold
PhD student progress towards thesis
completion, and to support them in the
transition into employment, and also to assist
in developing a public profile
21. Innovative e-Portfolio practice
• The University of New England (UNE) uses an e-
Portfolio (the UNE-Portfolio) to support its New England
Award (NEA), which recognises student achievement
through extracurricular activity
• The primary objective of the award is the enhancement
of the Graduate Attributes through involvement in local
and university communities, voluntary work, leadership
activities and extracurricular learning and training
• Participating students gather evidence of their skill
development through a variety of activities that fall into
the categories of extracurricular learning or training,
professional development and contribution to the
university or wider community
22. Sustaining technological innovations
1. GippsTAFE, Victoria
2. Queensland Ambulance Service, Enterprise
RTO
3. Tabor Adelaide, SA, Private RTO
4. NSW North Coast Institute of TAFE
5. Challenger TAFE, WA
6. Tasmanian Polytechnic
7. The Federal Group Tasmania, Enterprise RTO
23. Be strategic
• An ambition to improve upon the student and employer
experience in how training is being delivered
• North Coast TAFE - seamless approach to e-learning, teaching
and assessment
• Challenger - aims to provide a wider range of delivery options
for workforce skills development using its Industry Training
Centres
• GippsTAFE - an adaptive learning strategy where e-learning is
a major component in its current and future plans
• Collaboration Online at the Queensland Ambulance Service is
their organisation-wide e-learning strategy that it
progressively develops as e-learning capabilities grow
• Tabor College - an effective e-learning strategy created rapid
growth of its online and virtual learning capacity
24. Senior leadership support
• GippsTAFE - senior leaders supported the
establishment of the Innovation Department
• Queensland Ambulance Service - the large
investment required to introduce and to sustain its e-
learning strategy
• Challenger Institute leaders - support its Systems
Steering Committee to explore quality and flexible
training solutions
• North Coast Institute of TAFE – leaders support the
recent development and pushed for the acceptance of
the e-learning strategy
• Tabor College - leaders agreed to commit scarce
funds to create a full time role dedicated to growing
and developing their e-learning capacity
25. Make the business case
• Federal Group - numerous cost efficiencies in
managing complex issues around staff induction and
training in remote and regional locations, and across a
diversified business
• GippsTAFE – provides numerous industry partners
with the means to meet compliance requirements for
staff in health, insurance, community services, and
the energy and electrical sectors
• NSW North Coast Institute of TAFE, and Challenger
at Western Australia - the regional nature of their
campuses, and savings in staff and learner time and
greater cost effectiveness
28. Potential benefits to students
Consistent findings across research:
• More personal control
• Increased learning effectiveness
• Enabling an archive of one’s artefacts and
reflections
• Enhancing information technology skills
• Enabling connections among formal and
informal learning experience
29. The role in enabling “Connections”
Between individual’s life, work or learning
(Barrett, 2008)
31. Potential benefits to institutions
1. Creating a system of tracking student work over time
2. Aggregating many students’ work in a particular course
to see how the students as a whole are progressing
3. Assessing many courses in similar ways that are all
part of one major and thus, by extension, assessing
the entire program of study
4. Encouraging continuity of student work from semester
to semester in linked courses
5. Having a more fully informed and constantly updated
view of student progress in a program
(Batson, 2002)
34. Australian e-Portfolio Project Final Report
• Considerable exploratory interest in e-Portfolios
• For successful practice – need to embed or
integrate e-Portfolio activities into curriculum
• Get a clear commitment and buy-in from
academic staff
• Have sound ICT infrastructure
• Adequate funding and overt support from high
level champions
• Have strong linkages with university strategies
and policies
• Express desire to draw on best practice to share
ideas, knowledge and experiences across the
institution and across the sector
35. The “RIPPLES” model
Resources Continuing budget and other resources for e-learning so it
lives on beyond special seed funding
Infrastructure Hardware and software and reliable robust network facilities
People Shared understanding and decision making about the why
and how of e-learning
Policies That support innovation
Learning That the use of technology enhances the achievement of
training goals
Evaluation Continuous assessment of e-learning innovations to achieve
improvements
Support Committed management leadership with vision
Teacher: time to experiment with e-learning & opportunities
to share & collaborate
Technical: access to competent, service oriented IT staff
36. Tools to promote “e” innovation
• Strategy
• Environmental scanning
• Innovation roles
• People and training
• Resources
• Innovation teams
• Innovation values
• Competitions and prizes
• Innovation markets
• Calling for ideas, ideas
management systems, innovation
tournaments
• Engagement and collaboration
• Experimental spaces
37. Have a plan and give it a go
1. Define – Which tools, systems or approaches should
we adopt?
2. Understand – What kind of learning outcomes do we
require from the e-portfolio initiative and what
implications will this have for our practitioners,
administrative and technical staff?
3. Prepare – Who will prepare the ground?
4. Engage – What are the most effective strategies for
engaging and sustaining the commitment of learners,
and those involved in supporting learners’ use of e-
portfolios?
5. Implement – What are the lessons learnt from the
pilots we have run? What are the factors, such as
timing or involvement of e-portfolio champions, that
might influence the outcomes?
6. Review – How will we evidence and evaluate the
outcomes?
Today I will explore the growth in e-learning, e-assessment and e-portfolios in the higher education and VET sectors.
In particular, I will discuss how good learner-centred e-assessments in the form of online tests, wikis and blogs are being used more and more, to aid self-assessment, reflective thinking, peer and collaborative assessment.
I will then discuss examples of innovative e-learning and e-assessment practices being used in these sectors, and show you some examples of what is currently considered best practice.
In particular, I will discuss e-portfolios and how they are being used as a place for purposeful aggregation of digital items, evincing a student's learning and abilities, which can then be viewed by students/teachers/employers alike.
To conclude, I will discuss the challenges in this arena, and the strategies you can use to promote greater acceptance of these technological innovations especially among our learners, educators and institutions.
Before I go on to talk about recent examples of innovative e-learning and e-assessment practices, I want to firstly discuss with you what exactly innovation is. A lot of people think innovation means inventing things, but this is not the case. Innovation is not invention. By contrast, innovation is those inventive ideas put to work – or the generation and execution of new ideas that have economic value. Innovation is experimental, involves change, can be risky, and also often quite disruptive. It is associated with connectedness and collaboration and therefore organisations that collaborate, are significantly more likely to achieve higher degrees of innovative success. Innovation is is also anti-hierarchical – a new idea can come from any level within an organisation or even from an external source. For each innovative success, there will be multiple unsuccessful attempts. Such failures have a value in demonstrating what does not work and why, and can contribute to later successful innovations. Therefore, I must stress that if you want to create an innovative culture in your institutions, you need to be failure tolerant. An institution that punishes failure, will never fully live up to its innovative potential.
Innovation has a cycle with four phases:
1. idea generation and discovery
2. idea selection
3. idea implementation
4. idea diffusion
The Australian Flexible Learning Centre Framework’s 2009 E-learning Benchmarking Survey highlighted the continued growth in e-learning and e-assessment practices. 46% of registered training organisations (RTOs) were using e-learning for assessment. Among teachers and trainers delivering units using e-learning, 62% are using online assessment activities. This represents a considerable increase on previous years.
Current trends in education in Australia see technological change impacting on many different levels: pedagogy, curriculum, policy, infrastructure, organisation and governance at the local institution as well as at system levels. The learning environment for university students is changing: web-based technologies are used to deliver learning materials to students, there is an ever increasing convergence between curriculum materials and support materials such as library resources, via eJournals, eBooks and websites, and students are often required to submit their assessment online.
Digital Natives, or the Net Generation, are commonly said ‛to prefer receiving information quickly; be adept at processing information rapidly; prefer multi-tasking and non-linear access to information; have a low tolerance for lectures; prefer active rather than passive learning, and rely heavily on communications technologies to access information and to carry out social and professional interactions’ (Kennedy, Judd, Churchward, Gray, & Krause, 2008).
E-learning and e-assessment promise potential benefits ranging from lowered costs, higher productivity and faster feedback, through to assessments which are more accurate, detailed and robust under critical scrutiny and audit. However, there is concern that these potential benefits are relatively slow to emerge. Progress is hampered by examples of poor quality e-learning and e-assessment – especially poor quality e-assessment that fails to reliably provide acceptably valid measures of learner achievement and capability.
With respect to e-assessment in particular, there are important issues around validity and authentication which need to be addressed. Sometimes e-assessment does not validly assess the skills being tested, and sometimes the assessment does not always address the intended learning outcomes either. With respect to authentication, sometimes unreliable infrastructure can impact upon a user in completing online assessment, accessibility, ease of use, and poor security are also issues.
Currently online quizzes are the predominant type of e-assessment being used. Although the advantages of online quizzes are numerous – they are quick to prepare, mark and assess learner knowledge and provide more regular feedback, there are also disadvantages with this form of technology being used for assessment. Sometimes online quizzes are poorly constructed, with limited validity and reliability. Often teachers have little understanding of how to design valid and fair online quizzes and at worst, online quizzes can serve as a cheap and ill-thought out alternative for other forms of assessment, often motivated with the primary motives of ease and money saving.
In a report I did recently for the Australian Flexible Learning Framework, our findings revealed that online quizzes are the form of e-assessment currently being used most often in the VET sector. The next most common forms are case studies and simulated situations, discussion boards and forums, email, wikis, and blogs or online reflective journals.
However, our research revealed that an overwhelming majority of VET practitioners said they wanted to become more confident using ePortfolios. The second most common response cited was that practitioners wanted to become more confident using all forms of e-assessmenet. I will discuss ePortfolios in more depth later on.
I want to now touch briefly on the current use of ePortfolios in Australian universities. The Australian ePortfolio Project Final Report, released in August 2008, highlighted that currently in Australian Universities, by far the greatest use of ePortfolios was by coursework students, principally in subject-specific or program-based contexts. The occurrence of faculty-wide or university-wide use was rare.
The national audit findings also revealed that while ePortfolios were being introduced in many areas of academic coursework, they were not yet widely used in the research student context, with the majority of respondents reporting that they believed there was no use of ePortfolios by research students or that they did not know.
Now I will discuss some examples of innovative e-learning and e-assessment in practice in Australia. All the following organisations I am about to mention, have received government grants for 2011, so that they may fully develop and realise their innovative e-learning programs.
The first innovative program I will mention, is called the “My Profiling Meets Hairdressing” program, being run by the Tasmanian Skills Institute. The Tasmanian Skills Institute is working on developing a program that will enable apprentice hairdressers to record on-the-job tasks performed for two units of competencies from the Hairdressing Training Package in their routine employment. Learners will record their progress using mobile technologies such as the Android Tablet PC.
Another innovative program is the “Smart Notes and Nuggets” program, currently being trialled by Tasmanian Polytechnic. They’re trialling the use of Smartpens in training for the Hospitality sector to address issues of retention, literacy, recall and repetition. It will include learners across three common units and involve both student and teacher use of the technology.
Other examples of innovative e-learning, include the SA Plant Operator Training, who in in 2011 will trial the use of m-learning (also known as mobile learning) in the delivery and assessment of the Licence to operate a forklift truck module. The project will feature engaging and interactive content that supports learners with specific language, literacy and numeracy needs.
Another innovative use of e-learning has been developed by the Adelaide College of the Arts, who are establishing an Indigenous writer's network using web 2.0 tools such as blogs. Participants will publish their works and develop networking skills with other Indigenous writers. A guide to publishing will also be developed.
The Carer’s Training Centre is also using e-learning innovatively. In 2011, trainee nurses will pilot the use of e-portfolios to build resumes and gather evidence for both RPL and assessment of workplace activities. Participants will be enrolled nurses based in regional and remote locations.
Further examples of innovative practice include “Your Beach”, an initiative of Surf Life Saving WA. The Your Beach program will build on and improve existing blended learning approaches to provide training not currently available but needed in geographically remote areas, to support Certificate III in Public Safety Aquatic Search and Rescue. They will use learning objects in a learning management system as the online theory and activity part of training. Tutorials will be delivered using Elluminate, video conferencing and webinars.
Furthermore, next year, the automotive lecturers from Durack Institute of Technology will create “the virtually safe workshop” by using 360 degree photograph technology to develop a virtual replica of the automotive workshop environment. This will support employers by reducing the amount of time their apprentices spend away from the workplace. Apprentices will use learning objects that are developed with this technology to enable them to fast track through the core OH&S units within their qualification.
I will now go on to discuss some innovative examples of ePortfolio practice.
In 2003, the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) commenced the development of a proprietary ePortfolio system, as a building block within the university intranet. The initiative resulted from the collaborative work of the Division of Technology, Information and Learning Support and the Careers and Employment Office. Central to the design of the Student ePortfolio was the development of the Employability Skill Set, derived from both QUT and industry-identified graduate attributes, and developed in consultation with every QUT faculty. The schema includes lifewide perspectives of academic, work, community and personal achievements. Ongoing development has seen the graduate attributes mapped to a range of schema for professional standards, for example, education, nursing, business, law and engineering. Over the past five years, there has been progressive take-up of ePortfolio practice across the different faculties and schools at QUT. In June 2008, more than 40,000 QUT students had developed their own ePortfolio.
The University of Melbourne has an ePortfolio project under development that aims to provide structured support for PhD candidates. It provides access to award-winning online transition programs for new research students, called “Postgraduate Essentials” at the same time as encouraging candidates to document and reflect upon the achievements and skill gains acquired throughout the course of their degree. The project involved the testing and development of ePortfolio functionality through the implementation and evaluation of various Web 2.0 technologies. Existing courseware was recently migrated into a Sakai environment so that the new platform will utilise a customised Open Source Portfolio.
The Postgraduate Essentials program is currently being redeveloped into a more comprehensive program called “Graduate Research Essentials”, with 15 modules covering different aspects of being a successful research student. Each module combines information delivery with opportunities for facilitated discussion, and encourages candidates to complete ‛tasks’, which are stored in a personal workspace and can be returned to and edited at will. In addition to the personal workspace there will be areas for collaborative authoring and document storage. Finally, the ‛Doctoral Attributes Workshop’ will enable reflection on and documentation of the ongoing skills development associated with research.
The purpose of the ePortfolio is to scaffold PhD student progress towards thesis completion, and to support them in the transition into employment. A secondary purpose is to assist in developing a public profile for new researchers and to support the development of peer and collegial support networks.
Another example of innovative use of ePortfolios is the University of New England’ s “unE-Portfolio”, which it is using to support its New England
Award (NEA). The NEA award recognises student achievement through extracurricular activity. The primary objective of the award is the enhancement of the UNE Graduate Attributes and other personal and professional skills through involvement in local and university communities, voluntary work, leadership activities and extracurricular learning and training.
Participating students gather evidence of their skill development through a variety of activities that fall into the categories of extracurricular learning or training, professional development and contribution to the university or wider community. The different activities are weighted with a number of points, which are able to be aggregated within the ePortfolio.
Students not engaged in the NEA are also able to use the unE-Portfolio. UNE students are encouraged to use the unE-Portfolio:
• To record their experiences.
• As a tool when preparing CVs and job applications.
• To focus on the UNE Graduate Attributes (communication skills, global perspective, information
literacy, lifelong learning, problem solving, social responsibility and teamwork).
• To plan for the future.
As you are already aware, there are many and varied definitions of an ePortfolio. However, in the educational context, I believe an ePortfolio can be simply explained as a learner-driven collection of digital artifacts articulating experiences, achievements and evidence of learning. ePortfolios can be used for a myriad of purposes too. However there are three main uses or types of ePortfolio .
The first, is a developmental or working portfolio. A developmental e-portfolio is a record of things that the owner has done over a period of time, and may be directly tied to learner outcomes or rubrics.
The second type of ePortfolio is a reflective or learning portfolio. A reflective e-portfolio includes personal reflection on the content and what it means for the owner's development.
The third main type of ePortfolio is the representational or showcase portfolio. A representational e-portfolio shows the owner's achievements in relation to particular work or developmental goals and is, therefore, highly selective. When it is used for job application it is sometimes referred to as a career portfolio.
ePortfolios have enormous potential, especially in the educational arena. An ePortfolio has the potential to demonstrate professional and personal growth, exemplify evidence based practice and provide a planning space for future professional development needs and experiences. They can also be used for planning, recording, evidencing, presenting and reflecting tasks.
The potential benefits of ePortfolios in education are vast, and widely discussed in the literature. DiBiase (2002) highlights the role of ePortfolios in developing students’ information technology skills and reflective attitudes, but argues that the benefits extend beyond the learners themselves to impact positively on faculty members and academic institutions as well.
A summary of the opportunities of ePortfolios offered by Danielson and Abrutyn (1997) include:
• benefits to students (increased learning effectiveness; model professionalism; enhancing IT skills; gain academic created for extracurricular learning)
• benefits to faculty (including to align objectives and evaluation strategies to more efficiently manage student deliverables)
• benefits to the institution (including opportunities to respond to calls for greater accountability and outcomes-based accreditation).
However, the ePortfolio world is one where an immature approach can limit the effective exploitation of the advantages ePortfolio offers. The following elements also help to contribute to a dense and multi-layered ePortfolio environment: the diversity of learners; the range of learning and teaching contexts and the distinctiveness of academic institutions; and the role played by extra-institutional bodies such as industry partners and government policy makers.(Cooper & Love, 2007, p. 297; Beetham, 2006).
In other ePortfolio contexts, the final step in the process is seen as the opportunity to connect the different aspects of an individual’s life — personal, learning, work, and community (Siemens, 2004). In this way, the ePortfolio has the potential to establish connections between the different phases of the individual’s life, work or learning:
• What? (The Past) What have I collected about my life/work/learning? (my artefacts)
• So What? (The Present) What do those artifacts show about what I have learned? (my current reflections on my knowledge, skills and abilities)
• Now What? (The Future) What direction do I want to take in the future? (my future learning goals) (Barrett, 2008)
This stage provides an opportunity for interaction and feedback on the work posted in the portfolio. This is where the power of Web 2.0 interactive tools becomes apparent. Teachers and Peers cab use the feedback features of Google Sites or GoogleDocs, such as comments, to provide feedback on the work posted in the ePortfolio/blog entries. Guidelines should be provided to support more effective feedback. Teachers often provide exemplars for different levels of achievement, and provide a rubric for evaluation. Students should be given the option of updating the work, based on the feedback and the rubric.
The benefits to learners and institutions from using ePortfolios are many and diverse. As this cartoon highlights, ePortfolios can be used to present students’ work online, it can be used as a structured assessment system, and it can also be used as a reflection tool to aid in personal development. So why aren’t we all rushing out to implement them in our educational institutions?
In the Australian context, the primary issues associated with ePortfolios focus on the student learning, whereas there is a growing body of literature in the USA which looks specifically at institutional issues. American academic administrators have acknowledged the value of ePortfolios through their potential for:
• Creating a system of tracking student work over time, in a single course, with students and faculty reflecting on it.
• Aggregating many students’ work in a particular course to see how the students as a whole are progressing toward learning goals.
• Assessing many courses in similar ways that are all part of one major and thus, by extension, assessing the entire program of study.
• Integrating courses with new methods, orienting syllabi and curricula around learning goals.
• Encourage continuity of student work from semester to semester in linked courses (History 101-102, English 101-102, or prerequisites in a major, etc.).
• Have a more fully informed and dynamic, constantly updated view of student progress in a program, which is very helpful in formative assessment.
(Batson, 2002) Batson and Chen stress, however, that “administratively, ePortfolio activities on campus should be coordinated by offices that place equal emphasis on accreditation/assessment and on teaching/learning” (2008) to ensure that the intrinsic value of ePortfolios to student learning, and to the students themselves, is not misappropriated.
We’re not all rushing out to implement them because there are issues with the implementation that are just as varied and diverse as the potential benefits ePortfolios hold. There are training and support issues, such as giving teachers the appropriate IT skills training, and legal training on confidentiality and copyright; there are technical issues, such as working out how to manage the student work submitted, how to assess it, and how to give everyone access; there are instructional issues, such as teaching students how to select their best work, and issues around standardisation and plagiarism. There is also a big issue around making sure that the instructional objectives and reasons for using the technology align and correlate with the fundamental objectives of teaching students the course work and helping them become better learners.
Other findings from the Australian ePortfolio Project Final Report included:
• Staff use of ePortfolios tended to be sporadic, but more common amongst academic staff than professional staff.
• There was considerable exploratory interest in ePortfolios in tertiary education, with respondents reporting investigations into, plans for and imminent implementation of ePortfolios for learners.
• There was often an element of choice of tool to use, which underscored the climate of experimentation
• The main uses for the ePortfolio by learners were for the two dimensions of collecting evidence of learning and reflecting on their learning activities, generally in combination.
• There was an even balance between formative and summative assessment of the ePortfolio, with assessment focusing on different aspects: the ePortfolio as final product, the artefacts in the ePortfolio and student reflection on the process of developing their ePortfolio.
• Responsibility for implementation frequently rested with the individual teaching unit, although a centralised model of coordination by ICT services, careers and employment, or teaching and learning support was occurring.
The seven factors to embed and sustain e-learning are encompassed by the “Ripples” model.
Resources – Continuing budget and other resources for e-learning so it lives on beyond special seed funding
Infrastructure – Hardware and software and reliable robust network facilities
People – Shared understanding and decision making about the why and how of e-learning
Policies – That support innovation
Learning – That the use of technology enhances the achievement of training goals
Evaluation – Continuous assessment of e-learning innovations to achieve improvements
Support – Committed management leadership with vision
Teacher: time to experiment with e-learning & opportunities to share & collaborate
Technical: access to competent, service oriented IT staff
Some of the tools to promote “e” innovation in your university or VET institution include:
- Having a well-defined Strategy around e technology
- Environmental scanning
- Creating Innovation roles
- Investing in People and training
- Having adequate Resources
- Setting up Innovation teams
- Creating Innovation values
- Instituting Competitions and prizes for innovation
- Having regular “Innovation markets”
- Calling for ideas, ideas management systems, and innovation tournaments
- Engaging and collaboration with those around you
- Creating Experimental spaces with which innovation can occur
Six steps to successfully implementing ePortfolio-based learning
Step 1 – Define – e-Portfolios can mean different things in different contexts. Establish the purpose and objectives of your e-portfolio initiative. Define the issues it aims to address, the likely support needs of the learners and the nature of the learning environment before asking: ‘Which tools, systems or approaches should we adopt?’
Step 2 – Understand – e-Portfolio-based learning offers real potential for autonomous and personalised learning. However, a vision for e portfolios as the hub of student learning will have an impact on pedagogic and other institutional practices. Ask: ‘What kind of learning outcomes do we require from the e-portfolio initiative and what implications will this have for our practitioners, administrative and technical staff?’
Step 3 – Prepare – e-Portfolios raise a number of fundamental issues around ownership of data and identity and access management. The embedding of any e-learning tool requires assessment of risks as well as benefits, plus investment in staff training and support. Accessibility, IPR, copyright and other potential legal issues also need to be raised. Ask: ‘Who will prepare the ground?’
Step 4– Engage – e-Portfolio use is a far-reaching initiative that may involve practitioners, personal tutors, administrative, technical and learning support staff, and, potentially, workplace mentors outside the institution. Ask: ‘What are the most effective strategies for engaging and sustaining the commitment of learners, and those involved in supporting learners’ use of e-portfolios?’
Step 5 – Implement – Effective e-portfolio use does not occur on any scale without leadership from curriculum managers and practitioner teams. Ask: ‘What are the lessons learnt from the pilots we have run? What are the factors, such as timing or involvement of e-portfolio champions, that might influence the outcomes?’
Step 6– Review – Use a range of methodologies to explore the viewpoints both of learners and practitioners – guidance and reusable templates for learner evaluation of e-learning initiatives have been developed under the JISC Learner Experiences of e-Learning programme. Ask: ‘How will we evidence and evaluate the outcomes?’
Brainstorm strategies you can use to share and create buy-in for your vision for implementing “e” in your organisation. Explore other university and VET institutions’ websites to see what others are doing. Then develop a prototype and conduct a pilot project. Be willing to change your vision if the pilot doesn’t work out.
Next, you must brainstorm the strategies you can use to develop the skills necessary for implementing “e” in your organisation.
You need to also brainstorm strategies you can use to develop incentives for implementing “e” in your organisation. For instance, can you give teachers release time to develop the technology? Or can you run an innovation awards program, where teachers who use e-technology innovatively receive a cash bonus or some other prize? Perhaps early adopters of the technology could be given free equipment & software, with the costs covered by the institution itself, rather than by the individual department?
Then you must brainstorm strategies you can use to find resources for implementing “e” in your organisation. Perhaps some of the resources you need are already being used by other departments?
Finally you need to develop an action plan for implementing “e” in your organisation. The elements that you will need to include in your action plan are: Infrastructure (hardware and software), Curriculum Issues, Training Issues (Skills), Incentives, Resources, and possibly Other.
Other things you will need to do include: identifying standards/themes to be addressed, identifying curriculum areas to be “tweaked”, creating a timeline and milestones, assigning responsibility for various tasks, developing an e-learning/e-portfolio handbook, identifying success indicators, developing rubrics, developing best practice examples, focusing on what you can do with current resources (technological & skills), designating an e-learning/ePortfolio champion, bolstering teacher and administrator support, identifying opportunities in the curriculum to develop digital artifacts, and tying your e initiative to existing standards.
Then, and only then, can true change take place and embed itself.