ePortfolios & Webfolios

Personal Learning Environments:  Students as Knowledge Architects

Living History of Life-Long Learning (Helen Barrett)

 

A portfolio is often defined as a purposeful collection of student [or teacher] work that illustrates efforts, progress, and achievement in one or more areas over time. An electronic portfolio uses digital technologies, allowing the portfolio developer to collect and organize portfolio artifacts in many media types (audio, video, graphics, text). A standards-based portfolio uses a database or hypertext links to clearly show the relationship between standards or goals, artifacts, and reflections. The learner's reflections are the rationale that specific artifacts are evidence of achieving the stated standards or goals. An electronic portfolio is a reflective tool that demonstrates growth over time.

From Helen Barrrett

Content - Will be categorized by 21st Century Framework	Possible Tools
* Collaborative (reflecting group work & skill in being part of a group) * Critical Thinking & Problem Solving * Flexibility & Adaptability * Innitiative & Self-Direction * Information Literacy ??? How do we build in checks that artifacts and reflections representing all curricular areas are present?     3 categories for 3rd grade, 4 for 4th grade...	Microsoft Live Workspace  (//wiki) - 5 G online Storage - Rich is scheduling a meeting/presentation - we need to see the "kid" view Google for Education - Emily will explore and talk to other schools using it PBWiki & WikiSpaces - Not complete with email, but will work Wordpress Multi-User Elgg
Extras - to flesh out the individual learner * Bibliographic - delicious or diigo * Innovation/Creation project - find a web application or program and create/discover/do something different and totally self-directed	Examples & Ideas for Structure Helen Barrett's format/guidlines/instructions for a structure based on assigned or individually decided "Competencies" Her Example   Student Examples Ryan Matt Hope's eFolio

  All have the *bonus* category of innovation/creativity athat is their own self-designed project TBD  Requirements that the Portfolio will show the following skills:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Organization

- Tag all pages into multiple categories

 

Experimental Student Wiki for ePortfolios

 

Types of Evidence

Types of Evidence in Portfolios (Helen Barrett)

 Barton & Collins (1997) have identified four types of evidence that can be placed in a portfolio:

–Artifacts: documents produced during normal academic work

–Reproductions: documents of student work outside the classroom

–Attestations: documentation generated about student’s academic progress

–Productions: documents prepared just for the portfolios. These productions include:

–Goal Statements: Student’s personal interpretations of each specific purpose for

the portfolios

–Reflective Statements: Students write as they review and organize the evidence in

their portfolios

–Captions: Statement attached to each piece of portfolio evidence, articulating

what it is, why it is evidence, and of what it is evidence.

  Possible types of artifacts to include:

significant papers, projects

evaluations from all practicum/field experiences

professional correspondence, letters of reference

letters of recognition, awards, certificates, etc.

samples of effective and reflective writing

stories, journal entries, articles, manuals

photographs, drawings, sketches

lesson plans/curriculum that you have created

audio, video, or other electronic evidence

Kalamazu Requirements

    •   Outstanding papers, lab reports, oral presentations, and other course work

    •   Photos from study abroad, internships, and other pivotal experiences

    •   Reflections on important relationships and experiences

    •   Symposia, conference, or SIP presentations (Diebold Symposium, etc.)

    •   Experiential Education activities (service-learning, campus organizations, etc.)

    •   Integrative Cultural Research Project (ICRP)

    •   Application essays for leadership positions (RA, Peer Leader, ARC Consultant, etc.)

    •   Self-assessment by athletes with coaches

    •   Resume

Evaluation

Dan Wilton's ePortfolio Portal

 

 

Example Portfolios:

University of Northern Iowa College of Education

Digital Portfolios Made Easy - templates for teacher portfolios

  xWord Template - Word & Excel, 23-30 pgs, 5-20 tabs with table of contents that updates according to changes.

Example Portfolios:

 -(Using Google Sites) Artifact Matrix, Standards Overview, Unit Portfolio highlighted (example unit plan by student teacher) Standards Overview (look at tech std)

                                     Artifact Matrix,  Student Teacher Blog Reflecting on Emerging Technologies Class

 

 

Expertise from the Gurus 

Dr. Helen Barrett      http://electronicportfolios.org/          Categories of ePortfolio Tools

Dr. Helen Barrett's Goals:   I am interested in writing grants and conducting funded research that will extend the knowledge about electronic portfolios and Web 2.0-based tools that would allow learners of all ages to:

• Create digital archives of personal and professional development (collection)

• Maintain purposeful journals/blogs that document the learning journey (reflection)

• Present selected works for a particular purpose and audience (selection/presentation)

• Receive feedback on portfolios to support lifelong learning (collaboration/assessment)

Presentation on "Life-Wide" Learning and "Personal Learning Environments" My notes on her presentation are below

A more detailed vision is linked from my blog:

http://electronicportfolios.org/blog/2007/07/my-vision-of-digital-archive-for-life.html

 

Quintessential List of ePortfolio Tools, their features and cost

 

From Helen Barret's PowerPoint on ePortfolios 

“Self” terms as learning goals

Self efficacy Self knowledge Self awareness Self-directed Self evaluation Self-regulation Self-educated Self-improvement Self defense	Self-sustaining Self esteem Self confidence Self carereliance	Self portrait Self guided Self expression Self help Self

 

 

What is a PLE?  offers a portal to the world through which learners can explore and create, according to their own interests and directions, interacting as they choose, with their friends and learning community.”

 

• a Personal Learning Environment is a facility for an individual to access, aggregate, configure and manipulate digital artifacts of their ongoing learning experiences.

• In other words, a PLE is a combination of the formal and informal tools and processes we use to gather information, reflect on it and do something with it, which is essentially what we mean when we talk about learning.

• Divided into three areas:

  • Gathering Information

  • Processing Information

  • Acting on the Learning

  • Personal Learning Environments are "systems that help learners take control of and manage their own learning. This includes providing support for learners to
    

    * set their own learning goals
    

    * manage their learning; managing both content and process
    

    * communicate with others in the process of learning

  • and thereby achieve learning goals."
    

     

Key Qualities of an idea that is made to stick:

Michele Martin

http://michelemartin.typepad.com/

thebambooprojectblog/2007/04/my_personal_lea.html

 

Knowing the learner

(Self-awareness)

Plan

• Understanding prior knowledge

• Motivation for and attitudes toward learning

• Portfolios = mirror

• Help learners understand themselves

• See their growth over time

ning for learning

(Self management)

• Setting goals

• Develop a plan to achieve these goals

• Portfolios = map for future learning

Understanding how to learn (Meta-learning)

• Awareness of learners to
  

  different approaches to
  

  learning

• Deep vs. Surface Learning,
  

  Rote vs. Meaningful Learning

• Different Learning Styles

• Portfolios = different artifacts

• Help learners recognize success

• Accommodate approaches that are not successful

Evaluating learning

(Self monitoring)

• Systematic analysis of learners’ performance

• Responsibility to construct meaning

• Be reflective & think critically

• Portfolios = include reflective journals

• Learners construct meaning,
  

  monitor learning, evaluate own
  

  outcomes

 

Warming up and thinking about to Reflect on your Learning

 

Questions to ask of Students Going into the Workforce  "Scaffolding Instruction with Adolescent and Adult Learners" Hellen Barrett. 

General Topis to Reflect upon when Composing an ePortfolio 

Achievement orientation -     Maintains and inspires a results-driven approach, focuses on results and critical performance indicators.

Adaptability/flexibility -     Maintains effectiveness in a changing environment.

Analysis -     Relates and compares data from different sources, identifying issues, securing relevant information and identifying relationships.

Attention to detail -     Accomplishes tasks through a concern for all areas involved, no matter how small.

Commercial awareness -     Understands the economics of the business. Understands the business benefi ts and commercial realities from all stakeholder perspectives (customer, supplier, employer, employee, shareholder etc.).

Creativity -     Generates and/or recognises how best practice and imaginative ideas can be applied to different situations.

Decisiveness -     Makes decisions and takes action.

Financial awareness -     Understands basic fi nancial terminology used in organisations and is able to construct and maintain simple fi nancial records.

Image -     Presents a strong, professional, positive image to others at all times. This image is consistent with all people (colleagues, management and peers, customers etc.).

Influencing -     Influences others by expressing self effectively in a group and in one to one situations.

Initiative -     Identifies opportunities and is pro-active in putting forward ideas and potential solutions.

Interpersonal sensitivity -     Recognises and respects different perspectives and appreciates the benefits of being open to the ideas and views of others.

Judgement -     Determines the most appropriate course of action and draws conclusions that are based on logical assumptions that reflect factual information.

Leadership -     Takes responsibility for the directions and actions of a team.

Lifelong learning and development -     Develops the skills and competencies of self, peers and colleagues through learning and development activities related to current and future roles.

Listening -     Shows by a range of verbal and non-verbal signals that the information being received is understood.

Organisation understanding -     Understands the organisation’s work environment, internal politics, business objectives and strategy.

Organisational sensitivity -     Is sensitive to the effect of his or her actions on other parts of the organisation and adopts a mature, direct and up front style in dealing with confl ict.

Personal development -     Maintains an up to date personal development plan and takes action to ensure personal development takes place.

Planning and organizing -     Establishes a course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a specifi c goal. Plans proper assignments of personnel and appropriate allocation of resources.

Process operation -     Begins, controls and concludes a complete process or procedure.

Professional expertise -     Keeps up to date with developments in own areas of professional specialisation. Applies a breadth and/or depth of professional knowledge.

Questioning -     Uses an appropriate approach to questioning in order to gain information from which to draw conclusions and/or assist in the making of decisions.

Teamwork/working with others -    Builds and develops appropriate relationships with academic staff, peers, colleagues, customers and suppliers at all levels within an organisation.

 

Job Skills Checklist by OWL at Purdue 

administering programs	planning agendas/meetings	updating files
advising people	planning organizational needs	setting up demonstrations
analyzing data	predicting futures	sketching charts or diagrams
assembling apparatus	rehabilitating people	writing reports
auditing financial reports	organizing tasks	writing for publication
budgeting expenses	prioritizing work	expressing feelings
calculating numerical data	creating new ideas	checking for accuracy
finding information	meeting people	classifying records
handling complaints	evaluating programs	coaching individuals
handling detail work	editing work	collecting money
imagining new solutions	tolerating interruptions	compiling statistics
interpreting languages	confronting other people	inventing new ideas
dispensing information	constructing buildings	proposing ideas
adapting new procedures	coping with deadlines	investigating problems
negotiating/arbitrating conflicts	promoting events	locating missing information
speaking to the public	raising funds	dramatizing ideas
writing letters/papers/proposals	questioning others	estimating physical space
reading volumes of material	being thorough	organizing files
remembering information	coordinating schedules/times	managing people
interviewing prospective employees	running meetings	selling products
listening to others	supervising employees	teaching/instructing/training individuals
relating to the public	enduring long hours	inspecting physical objects
entertaining people	displaying artistic ideas	distributing products
deciding uses of money	managing an organization	delegating responsibility
measuring boundaries	serving individuals	mediating between people
counseling/consulting people	motivating others	persuading others
operating equipment	reporting information	summarizing information
supporting others	encouraging others	delegating responsibilities
determining a problem	defining a problem	comparing results
screening telephone calls	maintaining accurate records	drafting reports
collaborating ideas	administering medication	comprehending ideas
overseeing operations	motivating others	generating accounts
teaching/instructing/training individuals	thinking in a logical manner	making decisions
becoming actively involved	defining performance standards	resolving conflicts
analyzing problems	recommending courses of action	selling ideas
preparing written communications	expressing ideas orally to individuals or groups	conducting interviews
performing numeric analysis	conducting meetings	setting priorities
setting work/committee goals	developing plans for projects	gathering information
taking personal responsibility	thinking of creative ideas	providing discipline when necessary
maintaining a high level of activity	enforcing rules and regulations	meeting new people
developing a climate of enthusiasm, teamwork, and cooperation	interacting with people at different levels	picking out important information
creating meaningful and challenging work	taking independent action	skillfully applying professional knowledge
maintaining emotional control under stress	knowledge of concepts and principles	providing customers with service
knowledge of community/government affairs

 

 

Life-Wide Learning

I.    Dynamic "Working Document"  My Growth

A.    Personal Learning Environment

B.    Accomplishments

C.    Bookmarks

D.    Video Links

E.    Photos of Interests & Activities

F.    Blog

G.    Social Network/Activities

II.    Professional Shocase

A.    What You've Done

B.    What you Can Do

C.    What You Are Doing

D.    What You Want to Do

III.    Demonstration Tools

A.    Presentations

B.    Documents

1.    Essays

2.    School Articles

3.    Reflections

4.    Other Written Works

C.    Spreadsheets

D.    Bookmarks

E.    Videos & Video Links

F.    Blog

G.    Photos

H.    Website

I.    Creations (Games, Scratch-type programming, Visual/Image Generation)

 

 

21st Century Skills Framework:

Examples of students reflecting on the skills

 

Learning and Innovation Skills

Creativity and Innovation

•    Demonstrating originality and inventiveness in work

I try new things and though I like to see what other people have done, I add my own twist or flavor that reflects me

•    Developing, implementing and communicating new ideas to others

I like to share my creations with other people and ask them for advice on how to make it better

•    Being open and responsive to new and diverse perspectives

When other people make comments, I see them as suggestions and consider how they may improve my project while still making it my own

•    Acting on creative ideas to make a tangible and useful contribution to the domain in which the innovation occurs 

When I have an idea, I act upon it and try to make something new, but if it is really not good and is just for my enjoyment, I do not publish it online or include some kind of statement at the beginning like "this is just an experiment."  I am good about taking down websites and documents I publish online because I do not want to clutter up the Web.

 

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

•    Exercising sound reasoning in understanding

I use my background knowledge and experiences with people and my learning in order to weigh my decisions.  I can defend my decisions by showing that I have thought it through.

•    Making complex choices and decisions

I really think about the consequences of my choices and make sure they are good for other people and the world in general

•    Understanding the interconnections among systems

When I learn about something new, I think about how it is like something else I have learned and how it fits into my learning so far

•    Identifying and asking significant questions that clarify various points of view and lead to better solutions

I have people in my life who I like to ask advice of.  They help me think through things and like to add their two cents

•    Framing, analyzing and synthesizing information in order to solve problems and answer questions

When I am trying to solve a problem, I think about what my final goal is.  I then break it down in terms of what I need to know in order to reach my goal and what tools will help me along the way

 

Communication and Collaboration

•    Articulating thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively through speaking and writing

Whenever I write something or plan to talk to others about something, I make an outline on paper or in my head about what I need to say and make sure I have some examples or analogies to help illustrate my thoughts

•    Demonstrating ability to work effectively with diverse teams

I work hard to always recognize the value in what others have to say and appreciate what they bring to a conversation.  If I am frustrated, I know when to be quiet or walk away.  I have a plan for solving problems and conflicts with others and practice the "agree to disagree" approach

•    Exercising flexibility and willingness to be helpful in making necessary compromises to accomplish a common goal

I know that in working with others there must be compromise and even if I think I have a better idea, when I am in a group everyone should have an opportunity to contribute and after we discuss differing opinions and options, we weigh the approaches and come to a general agreement on how to get to our goal.  I know that even if I think I have the best way, I need to make sure I am always fair and allow everyone to contribute to the best of their ability

•    Assuming shared responsibility for collaborative work

 Everyone I work with is a contributor and they deserve credit for their work.  I know how to compliment and give credit to others for their ideas and products.

 

Information, Media and Technology Skills

 

Information Literacy

•    Accessing information efficiently and effectively, evaluating information critically and competently and using information accurately and creatively for the issue or problem at hand

•    Possessing a fundamental understanding of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information 

Media Literacy

•    Understanding how media messages are constructed, for what purposes and using which tools, characteristics and conventions.

•    Examining how individuals interpret messages differently, how values and points of view are included or excluded and how media can influence beliefs and behaviors.

•    Possessing a fundamental understanding of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information

ICT (Information, Communications and Technology) Literacy

•    Using digital technology, communication tools and/or networks appropriately to access, manage, integrate, evaluate, and create information in order to function in a knowledge economy

•    Using technology as a tool to research, organize, evaluate and communicate information, and the possession of a fundamental understanding of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information

 

Life and Career Skills

Flexibility and Adaptability

•    Adapting to varied roles and responsibilities

•    Working effectively in a climate of ambiguity and changing priorities

Initiative and Self-Direction

•    Monitoring one’s own understanding and learning needs

•    Going beyond basic mastery of skills and/or curriculum to explore and expand one’s own learning and opportunities to gain expertise

•    Demonstrating initiative to advance skill levels towards a professional level

•    Defining, prioritizing and completing tasks without direct oversight

•    Utilizing time efficiently and managing workload

•    Demonstrating commitment to learning as a lifelong process

Social and Cross-Cultural Skills

•    Working appropriately and productively with others

•    Leveraging the collective intelligence of groups when appropriate

•    Bridging cultural differences and using differing perspectives to increase innovation and the quality of work

Productivity and Accountability

•    Setting and meeting high standards and goals for delivering quality work on time

•    Demonstrating diligence and a positive work ethic (e.g., being punctual and reliable)

Leadership and Responsibility

•    Using interpersonal and problem-solving skills to influence and guide others toward a goal

•    Leveraging strengths of others to accomplish a common goal

•    Demonstrating integrity and ethical behavior

•    Acting responsibly with the interests of the larger community in mind