Web 2.0 ePortfolios that work for both students and educators: Strategies and recommendations
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*NB: currently there is about 2 minutes of dead space at the beginning of the presentation. I hope to edit this out later. To access the accompanying handout: http://www.scribd.com/full/20963840?access_key=key-tjhoooneoyc6p12igkx Abstract: The VET ePortfolio Roadmap was released in June 2009 to provide guidelines, specifications, and strategies for implementing ePortfolio initiatives. The Roadmap was published, in part, as a response to the increasing interest in the potential of ePortfolios to improve the Recognition of Prior Learning process, and expedite work-based learning, apprenticeships, and traineeships. Previous research studies into learners' use of ePortfolios endorse this response, suggesting that their levels of engagement, creativity, and feelings of empowerment are enhanced, thereby increasing retention and success. It all sounds extremely promising...but what does it actually 'look' like for students and educators? How are learners, practitioners and other stakeholders actually engaging with ePortfolios? In this paper I have three main aims. The first is to provide some background by referring to an early initiative that was implemented between 2003 and 2006 with Foundation students at Dubai Men's College (DMC) where the students created a Career ePortfolio as part of an integrated Computer, Research Skills and Projects Course. The ePortfolios, however, were not interactive, were rather 'static', and the final artifact was primarily produced for assessment rather than self-reflection and development. Since this and similar early initiatives, the introduction of Web 2.0 social software elements to ePortfolios has helped realise additional benefits, including improved reflective practice, augmentation of the quality of final artifacts, and a heightened awareness of purpose and audience. As such, the second aim is to explore recent work with Web 2.0 ePortfolios with students and faculty at Unitec NZ (a multi-sector education institution in NZ), and some of the associated findings and implications. Finally, I will draw the threads together to discuss a number of key strategies and recommendations for the effective implementation of Web 2.0 ePortfolio initiatives, including targeted Professional Development for staff, and scaffolding and guidance to assist the students with self-reflection, collection and selection of evidence of achievements, while also fostering their personalised and creative life-long learning journeys. Please cite as: Owen, H. (2009, October 16). Web 2.0 ePortfolios that work for both students and educators: Strategies and recommendations. Paper presented at the VET E-portfolios Showcase 09 - learning for life.
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Web 2.0 ePortfolios that work for both students and educators: Strategies and recommendations
- 1. Images source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24289877@N02/3994844502/ & http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au
- 3. VET ePortfolio Roadmap Image source: http://pre2005.flexiblelearning.net.au/newsandevents/FLEXENEWS_2009/JUNE_09/VETePortfolioRoadmap_web.pdf Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/infinity-club/3545893464/
- 4. Image can be located at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24289877@N02/4002237037/ Interconnectedness (i16s)
- 5. All images: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24289877@N02/; videos can be watched http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jn0HBIkF_U & http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFBfBflzTw0 Type(s)
- 6. Image can be located at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24289877@N02/4002237037/ & ref in full: http://docs.google.com/View?id=dcqj5jv4_102mgfgjngp
- 7. Concept of ePF Image can be located at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24289877@N02/3994705256/in/set-72157619329716903/
- 8. ePortfolio: Development to performance Image can be located at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24289877@N02/4003428104/
- 9. PD for educators Images can be located at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/explainthatstuff/3676031868/ & http://www.flickr.com/photos/brianbyrne/403690135/
- 10. Images can be located at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24289877@N02/; video can be watched: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90ORtMXVW2M PD for educators
- 11. Dubai, UAE Images used with kind permission of Jeff Rossiter
- 12. Unitec NZ Images can be located at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24289877@N02/
- 13. Embedded Images can be located at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24289877@N02/; video can be watched: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8IZSVtaMmM
- 14. Authentic Images can be located at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24289877@N02/ & http://tehononga.ning.com
- 15. Relevant Images can be located at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24289877@N02/; videos can be watched: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgVQSdfbLV0 & http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsHOK0cHAdg
- 16. Reflection & evaluation Images can be located at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24289877@N02/; Videos can be watched: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irMZU1k-G4s & http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o91eCF3mB44
- 17. Feedback Images can be located at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24289877@N02/; video can be watched: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jwAFXBZAz0
- 18. Networking Images can be located at: http://unitecsport.ning.com/photo
- 19. Diversity Images can be located at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24289877@N02/;
- 20. Video can be watched: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24289877@N02/; & http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_m7SrHyk8I Preferences
- 21. Portable Images can be located at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24289877@N02/; videos can be watched: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcwL8kQoRSI & http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Eh5ktXMji8
- 22. Creative & personalisable Image can be located at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24289877@N02/; Videos can be watched: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8HREWtIdV4 & http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXUekj8c86k
- 23. Scaffolding Images can be located at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24289877@N02/; videos can be watched: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2GYwKSby1k &
- 24. Group ePortfolio Images can be located at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24289877@N02/
- 25. Sharing success Images can be located at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24289877@N02/, http://sounz.org.nz/contributor/composer/1162 & http://stroma.wellington.net.nz/concerts_past.htm
- 27. Conclusion Images can be located at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24289877@N02/
- 28. Thank you for your time... & thanks to Thom Cochrane [email_address] Images can be located at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24289877@N02/ Thom Cochrane
Notes de l'éditeur
- The VET ePortfolio Roadmap was released in June 2009 to provide guidelines, specifications, and strategies for implementing ePortfolio initiatives. The Roadmap was published, in part, as a response to the increasing interest in the potential of ePortfolios to improve the Recognition of Prior Learning process, and expedite work-based learning, apprenticeships, and traineeships. Previous research studies into learners' use of ePortfolios endorse this response, suggesting that their levels of engagement, creativity, and feelings of empowerment are enhanced, thereby increasing retention and success. It all sounds extremely promising...but what does it actually 'look' like for students and educators? How are learners, practitioners and other stakeholders actually engaging with ePortfolios? In this paper I have three main aims. The first is to provide some background by referring to an early initiative that was implemented between 2003 and 2006 with Foundation students at Dubai Men's College (DMC) where the students created a Career ePortfolio as part of an integrated Computer, Research Skills and Projects Course. The ePortfolios, however, were not interactive, were rather 'static', and the final artifact was primarily produced for assessment rather than self-reflection and development. Since this and similar early initiatives, the introduction of Web 2.0 social software elements to ePortfolios has helped realise additional benefits, including improved reflective practice, augmentation of the quality of final artifacts, and a heightened awareness of purpose and audience. As such, the second aim is to explore recent work with Web 2.0 ePortfolios with students and faculty at Unitec NZ (a multi-sector education institution in NZ), and some of the associated findings and implications. Finally, I will draw the threads together to discuss a number of key strategies and recommendations for the effective implementation of Web 2.0 ePortfolio initiatives, including targeted Professional Development for staff, and scaffolding and guidance to assist the students with self-reflection, collection and selection of evidence of achievements, while also fostering their personalised and creative life-long learning journeys.
- The VET E-portfolio Roadmap , a national strategic plan designed to support the diverse requirements for e-portfolios in vocational education and training (VET) Developed from extensive research and national stakeholder consultations, the Roadmap aims to assist in the development of a national standards-based framework to support the use of e-portfolios across VET. E-portfolios have been identified as a key tool to support VET initiatives including: RPL (recognition of prior learning) fast tracking apprenticeships, traineeships and work-based learning reengagement, retention, reintegration and supporting learner mobility empowering learners. The Roadmap outlines nine strategic goals with a focus on portability, verification, privacy, ownership, access control, infrastructure, storage, embedding and transitions, and will result in three key outputs for the sector: National guidelines for VET managers of learner information. Functional specifications for implementers and developers of e-portfolio tools and systems. Strategies for embedding e-portfolios in VET.
- Why use ePortfolios? Sociocultural theory indicates that the process of human development, cognition and context are not discrete factors. Learning occurs in social settings (Tharp & Gallimore, 1989) comprising communities, rules, tools, and activities, where there is potential for an individual’s higher mental functions such as logical memory, verbal and conceptual thought, and complex emotions to mature (Kublin, Wetherby, Crais, & Prizant, 1989). Importance is thereby placed on cultural and social aspects of learning experiences (Owen, 2006), in turn signifying Web 2.0 as potentially desirable for ePortfolios as discussed below. Development Excellence Reflective Creativity End point Competence Descriptive Guidelines ( Mason, C., Cochrane, T., & Owen, H. (2008, March). E-portfolios. Paper presented at the Centre for Teaching and Learning Innovation Lunchtime Series, Unitec New Zealand, Auckland.) Peer, family & professional support Individual learning Paced collaborative learning Student to student Student to community Teacher to student Community of learning/inquiry Structured learning resources Model of Online Learning - "Toward a Theory of Online Learning", Terry Anderson, Athabasca University 2004.
- 1. Presentation (showcase of ‘best’ work and accomplishments either during study or in the workplace); 2. Learning / process (includes guidance around reflection, analysing, thinking critically, making connections, identifying problems, and learning over time); 3. Assessment (evidence to demonstrate specific learning outcomes to an ‘authority’); 4. Personal development (used for registration, certification, professional development, and career progression. Usually involves a review process, action plan, and recognition of required professional criteria); 5. Multiple-owner (enables a group or organisation to represent research, projects and growth); and 6. Working (includes some or all of the characteristics identified in 1-5 above – hosted in a tool that facilitates flexible accessibility/privacy to discrete elements of the ePortfolio. Specific elements could for instance be selected from a working ePortfolio to create a presentation ePortfolio). Education/training learning assessment reflection tracking planning Personal self identity lifelong/lifewide learning personal development wellbeing Employment career planning resume/CV professional development employability skills promotion
- The four main categories of tools available to institutions are commercial software (including learning management systems - LMSs), proprietary systems (often developed in-house), Open Source software, and a Web 2.0 solution (Stefani, Mason, & Pegler, 2007). There are many papers and reviews that compare the various tools (for example, Barrett, 2007) and a full overview is outside of the remit of this paper. "An ePortfolio using Web 2.0 priniciples and tools can be, potentially, a multi-faceted forum, with areas for planning, collaborative development, private reflection, and showcasting of achievements" Owen, H. (In press). Portfolios have long been a part of learning, teaching and professional practice, therefore, why use ePortfolios and do Web 2.0 tools have to offer? Learning Communities: International Journal of Learning in Social Contexts. Tension between opinions around ‘value’, often with learners seeing the greatest value in Web 2.0 tools, and institutions in a fully integrated ePortfolio system (Siemens, 2004); if an enterprise ePortfolio system is chosen one concern is that a mandated system might foster conformity and raise questions of ownership. Such applications tend to limit peer access, and the implication is that the ownership of artefacts and interactions hosted within it belong to the institution. Learner control is often limited to basic layout and colour scheme. On the other hand, if ePortfolios are to be used in a programme as a reflection and assessment tool, then some level of consistency is desirable.
- Learning : facilitated by connections between the new and the familiar facilitated by 'deliberate practice' salient feedback that draws learner focus Deep learning (understanding) facilitates transfer Deep learning is time consuming Motivation matters (Bransford et al, 2000) Document ideas Capture inspiration Facilitate timely, formative feedback Constant connectivity Realtime flexibility Interaction with outside agencies (other people, not just immediate peers/staff) Mobilising learning levels of engagement/ creativity, and feelings of empowerment enhanced
- Developmental/showcase/professional Private/public space Trust/rapport Rehearse as a group as well as an individual Collection of 'projects' - some half-finished, some ready for the next production, some still in the concept phase, some abandoned Spend time as an apprentice, sweeping, painting scenery, learning the vocabulary Start to rehearse. Feedback from director/peers (work collaboratively to interpret a script) Personality - interpretation of the script (role/assessment/rubric) Audience - who are they? Appropriacy. Don't always know (global) Dress rehearsal/first night - iterative feedback loop
- I remember my first drive with my father. He had told me how the engine worked, and the gears. I had read the road code. I was also a keen cyclist and horse rider...piece of cake! We cruised along to the first (left hand) corner where I duly weighted my inside hip bone, and nudged the steering wheel down to the left. This caused my dad to 1) Yell; 2) Grab the steering with and yank it down to the left to avoid mouting the kerb on the opposite side of the road. This is a bit like ePortfolios. It is not enough to understand the theory, to have put in place the scaffolding, and to have attended all the 'workshops'. I would suggest that you actually have to have kept an ePortfolio to truly understand the benefits and drawbacks, as well as to see how it works practically, and to spot the glitches.
- For faculty, the potential for the fostering of lifelong learning and professional development planning engendered by the use of ePortfolios is considerable (Hallam et al., 2008). Furthermore, other stakeholders, including employers and professional organisations are interested in future possibilities, in particular those who employ graduates (ibid, 2008). Support for academic practitioners has been offered in several forms including: • development of Communities Of Practice (CoPs) (Cochrane & Kligyte, 2007); • department specific workshops tailored to the discipline; • development of a suite of online resources around ePortfolios, including models, examples, case studies, ‘how to…’ videos, that are accessible independently as well as being used in face-to-face sessions; • informal brainstorming and planning sessions; • team teaching where a teaching and learning advisor assists in the facilitation of sessions with students around the use of ePortfolios; • 'just in time' training (when an academic practitioner encounters something they need to do, and seeks help from either peers or a teaching and learning advisor); • sharing of effective practice and training sessions facilitated by academic practitioners; and • guidance for ePortfolio programme integration/development groups. Academic practitioner reactions have been mixed. Positive feedback includes the recognition that the dynamics of face-to-face sessions with students shifted, with students empowered to become much more active, vocal and engaged. Also, some academic practitioners noticed that their students became increasingly self-directed and reflective, as well as motivated to complete assignments. Furthermore, comments were made about their own (and their students’) improved confidence with a range of technologies, increases in interactions between themselves and students as well as peers with peers, and enhancement of written and verbal communication skills.
- Skills acquisition and future application • Students comprehended the ePortfolio, when fully integrated into the CRSP course, as having real purpose (i.e. adding to skills that they will use in further study and in their careers), while also enhancing their ICT skills. • Applying concepts and skills learned in core Foundations courses to authentic tasks, coupled with integrated assessment tasks was motivational and constructive. • The integrated CRSP programme approach was considered effective at fostering research, study, and critical thinking skills acquisition. • ePortfolios were valuable for making decisions / planning for future career(s) • De-motivation was expressed because there was awareness that the continuing development of the ePortfolio was unlikely to occur once students had graduated from Foundations. • Skills acquired in the HD Foundations CRSP course (in particular through ePortfolios) were applied by students who graduated to Higher Diploma. • Faculty indicated that knowledge transfer from life experiences and previous education was encouraged through ePortfolio development (especially through reflection and peer feedback). • Potential employers need to be involved in helping to identify the requirements for ePortfolios. Support, scaffolding and administration • Some students (72.7%) indicated that if the ePortfolio had not been compulsory they would not have developed one. • Time commitment was identified as an issue, with faculty indicating workload as a problem. • The production of a diverse range of ‘authentic artifacts’ was stimulating. • When task completion expectations were high students were ‘challenged’ by these expectations and produced higher quality artifacts. • Practical and technical problems were frustrating but these were accepted as an integral, albeit negative, aspect to using technology. • ICT skills required to build the ePortfolio were manageable. • Dreamweaver, and the associated task, were sometimes seen as restrictive. • There were few problems encountered accessing necessary connectivity and technology. • The vast majority of students (93.8%) believed that the CRSP WebCT LMS site was a good way to supply scaffolding, information, tools, examples, models, and time-management assistance. In particular, the Camtasia videos were used extensively by the majority (85.4%) of students and faculty. • A minority (15.2%) of student prefer to use paper-based resources. Affective factors • Students enjoyed having creative control over the appearance of their ePortfolio, the artifacts they chose, and the multimedia they included. They also found it motivating to be able to share the ePortfolio. • Most students preferred to work in groups. • The college environment was often more conducive to study as opposed to studying at home. Although it is impossible to state that ePortfolios had a direct impact on graduation results from CRSP the following results were recorded. In the first year ePortfolios were implemented, the failure rate increased from the previous academic year. However, there was a large increase in the achievement of A and B grades.
- Unitec multisector multiple ethnicities range of ages/backgrounds Disciplines Cert to PhD 1st trial was with Dip Landscape Design - 2006 & 2007 Bach Prod Design 2007, 2008, & 2009 School of Languages 2006 - date UATI Boat Building - 2007 At Unitec NZ, a large proportion of students are studying on courses with a vocational focus such as architecture, vet nursing, horticulture, business, IT, design, dance, boat building, and architecture. The student population comprises a variety of ages, ethnicities, backgrounds, levels of ICT literacy and access to ICT.
- The integration of ePortfolios into the curriculum and classroom practice is reliant on the match between pedagogic design, and recognition of practical and technical limitations. Effective integration will help avoid excessive time and work demands, as well as ensuring course requirements are achieved. Teaching and learning advisors can play an important role in guiding teams through this process, in particular (where appropriate) in shifting focus from content to the holistic development of student skills. Teams will also need to have access to existing examples and models of ePortfolio usage that are pedagogically sound, and that draw on best practices. Furthermore, evaluation of the use of ePortfolios in a programme should be a built-in, iterative process. Unclear purpose, use and guidelines (Smith & Tillema, 2003); Mis-match between assessment criteria, learning outcomes, and potential student competencies (Smith & Tillema, 2003); An uneasy dichotomy between development and the measurement of competency (Smith & Tillema, 2003); and Concerns about objectivity of assessment (Darling, 2001). Furthermore, students involved in the Landscape Design Programme who used ePortfolios to collect, reflect and plan their projects were awarded Gold for their three of their designs at the internationally recognised Ellerslie Flower Show in 2006.
- Benefits of ePortfolios in tertiary education include helping students to become focussed critical thinkers who can apply theories and concepts to concrete, authentic situations (Hauge, 2006), as well as creating an archive of learning progression over time (Smith & Tillema, 2003). Conflict of the goals of learners, the tutors, the institution, and the wider community (Butler, 2006; Zeichner & Wray, 2001); Recognition of Prior Learning process expedite work-based learning, apprenticeships
- To date anecdotal successes have been encountered. For example, showcasing potential - a student’s on the Boat Building Programme made his Web 2.0 ePortfolio openly available on the Internet It was seen by a company in the US who offered him employment. Time stop photography Still keeps his blog
- Including Feedback (tutors/peers/employers/stakeholders) Reflective practice cumulative incremental chronological development Collaboration with peers and tutors appears to be enabled by utilising a combination of Web 2.0 ePortfolios and mLearning. The collection and selection of artifacts requires a process of active, engaged evaluation and reasoning as to why an artifact is suitable for inclusion in an ePortfolio, especially what aspects of a learning journey, required criteria, or set of skills the artifact demonstrates (Abrami & Barrett, 2005; Klenowski, Askew, & Carnell, 2006; Smith & Tillema, 2003; Wade, Abrami, & Sclater, 2005). Aware of audience. A ‘warts and all’ learning portfolio is unlikely to be acceptable as support for a job application, for example (Butler, 2006). Approaches to feedback can sometimes be inappropriate (Smith & Tillema, 2003);
- Including Feedback (tutors/peers/employers/stakeholders) Approaches to feedback can sometimes be inappropriate (Smith & Tillema, 2003); feedback from 3 tutors
- To date anecdotal successes have been encountered. For example, showcasing potential - a student’s on the Boat Building Programme made his Web 2.0 ePortfolio openly available on the Internet It was seen by a company in the US who offered him employment.
- One aim, therefore, was to offer options around the development of ePortfolios that recognised cultural diversity and preferences. The flexibility offered by Mobile Learning (mLearning) and Web 2.0 ePortfolios may enable learners to access learning experiences without having to take time off work, while also being able to fulfil their family or community commitments, thereby improving completion rates and professional progression.
- Other feedback around the process includes students from the Bachelor of Product Design programme who feel empowered by the flexibility of multimedia where, for instance, they can make audio recordings of their reflections, and who state that, if it had been a paper-based portfolio they would not have completed tasks. Mobile phone - applicaiton: Epicollect; collects data around for example, weather, moisture samples, GPS location, and images, sends them back to a central database, shows them on a Google map and collates the results. Results can be filtered, and simple visual representations created. (Epidemiology)
- Creativity, collaboration and sharing became key underpinning foci. Companies, rather than supplying the content, started to supply the platform for users to publish their own content, which is often in rich, multimedia formats. In turn, people around the world have the ability to collaborate, comment and communicate with the original creator, sometimes resulting in the formation of communities with a common interest. Copyright is shifting alongside these developments, with creative commons licenses giving a wide continuum of usage rights (Owen, 2009). Associated positive outcomes are an enhanced sense of empowerment and awareness of personal attributes (Darling, 2001; Young, 2002), plus improvements in creativity, design, planning, self-direction, communication, and organisation skills (Brown, 2002; Bull, Montgomery, Overton, & Kimball, 1999; Campbell, Cignetti, Melenyzer, Nettles, & Wyman, 2001).
- 3rd year student - Noel - Vox blog as ePortfolio. Third Year BDesign student presents VOX to first year Certificate students. A student perspective on Blogging and moblogging! There was some level of anxiety expressed by learners at the start of ePortfolio initiatives, but this tended to dissipate once understanding of purpose and a level of comfort were achieved. Over-prescriptive guidelines (Zeichner & Wray, 2001); High levels of initial scaffolding required for learners and faculty (Smith & Tillema, 2003; Wade & Yarbrough, 1996); Few existing examples of past ePortfolios (Darling, 2001); Increased levels of learner confusion and anxiety when there is uncertainty about expectations and value of ePortfolios (Wade & Yarbrough, 1996); A variety of training and support can be offered on an ongoing basis, preferably tailored to specific disciplines, along with a bank of readily accessible online resources that provide plenty of relevant scaffolding for academic practitioners. Also, providing forums (face-to-face or online) to discuss anxieties, strategies and successes around using ePortfolios can be effective. After initial training, the formation of CoPs can be encouraged. A collaborative, dynamic process, facilitated by a credible ‘expert’, is more likely to result in a shared guiding policy with mutual vocabulary, and clear goals and purposes. All stakeholders should, therefore, be involved in the preliminary stages (see Figure 1). In addition, openness, ownership, collaboration, and sharing can mean different things to different people, and any statement around these aspects needs to interface with an institution’s culture and the limitations in which it has to operate, as well as being suitable for the communities it serves. As such, an institution needs to conform to national standards, where they exist, around ePortfolios, while also being aware of associated legal and cultural issues around aspects such as privacy, appropriacy and accessibility.
- Experiences at Unitec NZ to date suggest that using activities underpinned by Sociocultural principles, along with Web 2.0 tools provides multi-faceted forums, with opportunities for collaborative development, private reflection, and showcasing achievements. Learner creativity and autonomy can be encouraged through personalisation of learning spaces, and the adaptability and portability of format have the scope for use by professionals already in the work place, as well as for students studying full time. Learners in turn can explore notions of appropriacy, audience, and communication The group e porfolio would model the personal one. So to do this all we need is a ning site or moodle with design, facilitation, assessment and evaluation themes. Then teach them how to blog and share resources. Simple done before breakfast!!!!
- technology steward (Wenger et al 2005) Moodle - support course / scaffolding Regular meeting (virtual or f-2-f) Foldable keyboards (txt entry) Social networking (virtual/f-2-f; peers/Ts) Embed into curriculum Support
- Roadmap response Although not without issues, Web 2.0 ePortfolios address many problems related to portability, ownership, longevity, relevance, authenticity, and motivation while also “widening contexts in which learning is taking place…[bringing] together personal learning gained in multiple contexts” (Attewell, 2007, p. 59). Contexts include (but are not limited to) capturing authentic practice and learning 'on the job' (Wenger, White, Smith, & Spa, 2005). In addition, there is likely to be a shift in power whereby the teacher takes on a role of facilitator and guide (Owen, Young, Lawrence, & Compton, 2007). Ease of access to multi formats of representation enables students to choose content and the way in which it is presented. For instance, aural learners may choose to include spoken reflections, whereas visual learners may prefer to represent their learning journey in diagrams or images (Owen, 2009). One of the central issues an education institution face is where manifold purposes for ePortfolios have been identified, resulting in poorly defined or contradictory aims and outcomes. This situation can be exacerbated when overly prescriptive guidelines are mandated (Zeichner & Wray, 2001), or where unsuitable, inflexible tools are adopted by an institution (Hallam et al., 2008). Disadvantages of interoperability standards and specifications of some ePortfolio systems can reduce flexibility for users (Siemens, 2004); Potential costs to an institution (licensing, development, maintenance, support, adaptation, resources, longevity, and ICT upskilling) (Hallam et al., 2008)
- • Ensuring clarity of purpose; • Opening dialogue with learners; • Supporting / encouraging faculty; • Working across sectors; • Enabling / valuing casual and peer learning; • Selecting tool(s) that are easy to use, but sophisticated enough to enable creativity/personalisation; • Integrating into curricula / assessments; • Using frequent, meaningful feedback from tutors and peers; • Aligning / designing / refining using LOs and agreed graduate profile; • Providing pedagogical / ICT support; • Raising learner awareness (LOs/skills); and • Choosing tools that empower not fetter. When used as a platform for ePortfolios, Web 2.0 has the potential to engage learners in the creative production and publication of written, audio, and visual artifacts for an authentic audience. Furthermore, the empowering, collaborative nature of Web 2.0 can also lead to the cultivation of a community of learning, personalised learning networks, sharing and discussion of ideas, co-construction of knowledge, improvement of ICT and Web literacy skills, and a greater sense of freedom and independence as a learner (Hallam et al., 2008). Education institutions wishing to adopt ePortfolios, especially those using Web 2.0, before instigating active initiatives need to draft an ePortfolio policy that states the ethos informing the institution’s decisions. Resourcing, support and scaffolding for administrators, faculty and learners also need to be factored in, because without buy-in ePortfolio initiatives run the risk of becoming time consuming activities with little associated learning. Openness, ownership, collaboration, and sharing can mean different things to different people, and any statement around these aspects needs to interface with the institution’s culture and the limitations in which it has to operate, as well as being suitable for the communities that it serves. As such, an institution needs to conform to national standards around ePortfolios, while also being aware of associated legal and cultural issues around aspects such as privacy, appropriacy and accessibility.