Developing and Piloting an ePortfolio for Lifelong Learning: - the role of Web Services

1. Developing and Piloting an ePortfolio for Lifelong Learning: - the role of Web Services Peter Rees JonesCETIS ePortfolio feasibility study &Centre for International ePortfolio Development

2. Overview: The distance Travelled • From gathering requirements to create an overview of a process flow, • through a view of the flow of Domain Services a learner experiences, • to the machine to machine Web Services orchestrated by a Domain Service. • We now begin to see repeating patterns, • which permit the adaptation and re-use of ePortfolio Web Services, • lowering the complexity and hence the cost of implementing ePortfolios for Lifelong Learning.

3. The distance travelled: from requirements to patterns • We began by gathering requirements • But patterns became indispensable • “Every pattern we define must be formulated in the form of a rule which establishes a relationship between a context, a system of forces which arises in that context, and a configuration, which allows these forces to resolve themselves in that context.” The Timeless Way of Building (C. Alexander, 1979) • Why did we have to go beyond requirements?

4. Where Nottingham began School Passport College Passport • By 2002 the Nottingham Local Education Authority had developed a learner owned “passport” for schools • Colleges wished to use it also • The University had an eProgress File • The University bid for JISC funds to migrate these initiatives to Lifelong ePortfolio • Information from one episode of learning would pass to the next. University ePortfolio Lifelong ePortfolio

5. Where Nottingham began School Passport College Passport • At the end of each episode the learner reflects on what to do next and receives advice • This draws on and creates entries in the ePortfolio • This process is termed PDP in the UK • Relevant information is transferred from one ePortfolio in one episode to the ePortfolio in the next episode University ePortfolio Lifelong ePortfolio PDP results Age 17 College Age 20 Year 2 Univ Age 16 School Age 19 Year 1 Univ. Age 18 College

6. A repeated pattern? School Passport College Passport University ePortfolio Lifelong ePortfolio PDP PDP PDP PDP PDP But how can we get inside the Black Box to identify repeating patterns? Enrols Registers @ Univ. & enrols Enrols Applies Univ. results results results Age 17 College Age 20 Year 2 Univ Age 16 School Age 19 Year 1 Univ. Age 18 College

7. The distance travelled: Pilots • Exchanges of information between ePortfolios in different episodes of learning were piloted • IMS LIP worked but was monolithic and over complex • LIP needs significant simplification if it is to offer an implementable solution • How can we reduce the problem to simpler terms in which it becomes capable of easier resolution? • Perhaps by using Web Services

8. The distance travelled: What’s inside the black box? PDP • Web Services break the PDP Black Box into discrete modules • The eFramework offers a very promising means of achieving this • Suggesting where the ICT supporting “PDP” in one episode be adapted and re-used in another

9. Looking Inside the Black Box • In 2005 Nottingham was funded by JISC to create a Reference Model of ePortfolio for Lifelong Learning • This first looked at PDP “services” as the learner experienced them • The next set of slides looks at a flow “choreographing” the “domain services” making up PDP. • I will then look at the machine to machine “Web Services” within a domain service. • Each Domain Service may “orchestrate” several Web Services

10. ePortfolio: Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) The 2nd “P” of PDP stands for Planning How is a plan created? Trigger • An assessment result • Mark+comments from formative assessment; • This requires an interface (the hatpin)

11. ePortfolio: ILP • I call this information into an ePortfolio enabled Personal Development Service. • (The 1st “P” of PD stands for Personal Development)

12. ePortfolio: ILP 3. I review the results against my goals...

13. ePortfolio: ILP 3. I review the results against my goals... 4. …in the context of past reflections… (saving my current reflections as I go)

14. ePortfolio: ILP 3. I review the results against my goals... 4. …in the context of past reflections… (saving my current reflections as I go) 5. …taking account of pathway information about the grades I need to meet my goals.

15. ePortfolio: ILP 6. I make available some of my reflections to my advisor in an Information Advice Guidance Planning Service

16. ePortfolio: ILP 6. I make available some of my reflections to my advisor in an Information Advice Guidance Planning Service 7. Formal Pathway Info is called (mainly by the advisor; I now have loads of formal & informal stuff.)

17. ePortfolio: ILP 8. My dialogue with my advisor is recorded (I may may well be accessing other advice from other sources, like a google group)

18. ePortfolio: ILP 8. My dialogue with my advisor is recorded (but what about the other informal conversations?) 9. I negotiate a formal learning plan with my advisor

19. ePortfolio: ILP 8. My dialogue with my advisor is recorded 9. I negotiate a formal learning plan with my advisor 10. The first action is to enrol on a new set of classes

20. Some ePortfolio systems contain some of these services. It is to the advantage of the learner if any type of any service can be plugged into any ePortfolio. A modular approach aids implementation because it permits prioritisation a thin, web based ePortfolio drawing on rapidly developing webservices. ePortfolio: ILP Comment:

21. Is ePortfolio for Lifelong Learning feasible? A thin ePortfolio drawing on Webservices looks a promising Approach: - • This offers an easy entry point for developers and vendors • A market offering wide choice to learners • Which with careful govt management can deliver personalised learning • But what do the Web Services within a domain service look like?

22. Web Services for Personal Development • Each Web Service could be used in other domains • The same orchestration could be used for PD in different contexts • The lower the level of the attainment the the greater the granularity

23. Where we are now • “Every pattern …must be formulated in the form of a rule which establishes a relationship between a context, a system of forces which arises in that context, and a configuration, which allows these forces to resolve themselves …” • A particular configuration enables particular behaviours • The present task is to establish rules between systems of forces in contexts which will allow teachers to configure these forces so that the learner can develop his capacity to resolve them

24. Where we go next • Review the implications for specifications and standards • Propose lightweight profiles of specs/standards • That can demonstrate their capacity to deliver key govt policies within 3 years • Present work has concentrated upon the lifelong dimension for ePortfolio • But ePortfolios must be capable of supporting learners within the emerging single employment market within Europe • And globally