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Principles of Electronic Portfolios

Principles of Electronic Portfolios. Simon Cotterill, Tony McDonald School of Medical Education Development University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. The workshop draws on the experiences of developing, implementing and evaluating Web-based ePortfolios, at the University of Newcastle, UK.

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Principles of Electronic Portfolios

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  1. Principles of Electronic Portfolios Simon Cotterill,Tony McDonald School of Medical Education Development University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

  2. The workshop draws on the experiences of developing, implementing and evaluating Web-based ePortfolios, at the University of Newcastle, UK. • Objectives • To discuss some of the principles of electronic portfolios • To gain familiarity with the potential educational and technical • ‘value-added’ features of using electronic media. • To consider approaches to the implementation of ePortfolios • Proposed Structure • Presentation: Principles of ePortfolios • Exercise: ePortfolios in your context • Presentation: Case study: FDTL4 ePortfolio project • Exercise: Strengths and weaknesses • Plenary / discussion

  3. Introduction – What are Portfolios ? • Unstructured • Formative • Sample • Best work • Factual / Quantitative • Learner Owned Structured Summative All work Representative Reflective / Interpretive Employer Owned

  4. Introduction – What are Portfolios? • A collection of work or evidence on performance • Processes (the ‘journey’) • Learning Outcomes (the ‘destination’) • Record volume and variety of experiences • Essays, project work, logs of experiences/achievements, artwork, records of accomplished work, audits etc. • Portfolios are defined by their PURPOSE(s) • Employment: Builder gets commissions on the basis of his record of satisfied customers • Portfolio for application: The researcher includes a personal profile in a grant application to show experience • Professional requirements: Med/Law/Education -evidence of essential experience and competency that can be audited

  5. What might an Electronic Portfolio be? • A computer application which stores the user’s information on a local drive. • A static Web page eg. CV on the Internet • A portfolio composed using ‘simple tools’ (e.g. Word, Dreamwaever, Powerpoint etc.) • A sophisticated database-driven system, typically accessed over a network.

  6. 3D Model Overview (Planning / PDP) Content (Evidence) Discussion Model presented by Jan van Tartwijk (Utrecht University) Presented at the ALT-SURF Spring Conference & Research Seminar, Edinburgh 2004

  7. Principles of Electronic Portfolios 1. Should bring significant advantages over paper-based alternatives 2. Should be considered in the context of wider (human) processes 3. Clarity of purpose(s) 4. One size does not fit all 5. Should be learner-centric 6. Should be an integral part of the learning experience 7. Should support life-long learning 8. Research / evaluation is essential ….not an exhaustive list !

  8. Principle 1. ePortfolios should bring significant advantages over paper-based alternatives

  9. My Portfolio 10 ‘value added’ features of an online approach to portfolios • Highly customisable • Multi-purpose eg. formative & summative = reduced duplication • Multiple structures / views • Easier cross-referencing • Sharable / facilitate interaction • Transportable • Searchable • Reduced admin • Secure access from a range of locations • Not left on the bus !

  10. Potential Weaknesses of ePortfolios • There may be barriers to effective use of electronic portfolios e.g. • Limited access to computers / Internet • Varied IT experience & Technophobia ! • Reliability of IT systems • Possible duplication / overlap with paper systems • Research / Evaluation is essential (Principle 8) • Optimisation will take a number of years

  11. Principle 2. ePortfolios should be considered in the context of wider (human) processes

  12. Humans are important too ! • Need buy-in of key stakeholders: • Learners • Clarity of purpose ? • Sense of Ownership ? • Tutors & Admin staff • Extra work ? • Senior Curriculum staff • Employers / Professional bodies • Integration with existing workflow and/or change in practice and culture ? • Training and support (all) • Monitoring and evaluation

  13. Principle 3. Clarity of purpose(s) • Choose / design your portfolio according to purpose • Learners and assessors also need to be clear about purpose and requirements (motivation / fairness) • ePortfolios can readily support multiple purposes • Portfolio assessment

  14. Summative and Formative Purposes • Portfolios are often used to evidence the achievement of learning outcomes for summative assessment. • There may be potential problems if the portfolio serves both formative and summative processes. • Reflection is less likely to be open and honest if the learner knows that the work will be assessed (loss of authenticity). • The production of a portfolio can itself be a formative learning process ie. it is as much a ‘journey’ as an end-point for assessment.

  15. Summative and Formative Purposes (2) • The use of electronic portfolios may potentially reduce the tension between formative and summative processes by supporting both assessed and private / non-assessed content. • Students have the choice to select which content is private and which is made available to assessors, appraisers, tutors, peers, and others involved in their education.

  16. Central data: • Transcript • MIS/ HR data • Programme data: • Granular assessment data • Outcomes / skills sets Supporting Multiple Purposes Portfolio for Presentation Portfolio for Assessment Portfolio for Application (job / promotion) Portfolio for Accreditation/ Revalidation Learner’s ‘repository’ Institutional Data Portfolio for Appraisal PDP (shared) PDP / Reflective (private)

  17. Does Assessing the development of competencies over time Shows how • Knows how Knows Miller GE. Acad Med 1990:S63-7 Portfolio Assessment • Where to begin ? Baume D. A Briefing on the Assessment of Portfolios. LTSN Generic Centre. Assessment Series No.6 (2001) Friedman M, Davis MH, Harden RM, Howie PW, Ker J, Pippard MJ AMEE Medical Education Guide No. 24: Portfolios as a method of student assessment. Medical Teacher. 2001; 23:535-51 • Key issues: • Validity • Reliability • Attitudes & behaviours • Time demands

  18. of assessment (results / essays etc) ePortfolio for assessment ePortfolios and Assessment • -Potential benefits of ePortfolios: • Formative input during portfolio building (not just at end) • Random sampling & ‘drilling down’ • Peer Assessment (formative and summative) • Automatic inclusion of assessment results + feedback • Automated summary information (quantitative) • Reduced monitoring / admin demands • -Piloting essential before use in ‘high-stakes’ assessment • -Need for further research in this field !

  19. Principle 4. One size does not fit all Institutional Subject / context requirements vs. specific (standardisation) requirements • ePortfolios should be highly flexible / customisable • support diversity (accessibility, learning styles etc)

  20. The need for flexibility & customisation e.g. selecting tools by course / year groups Course Admin view Student view • create context-specific • tools via simple Web forms • install from a set of ‘generic’ tools

  21. The need for flexibility & customisation (2) e.g. configuring learning outcomes / skills sets Course Admin view Student view

  22. Principle 5. ePortfolios should be learner-centric • Personalisation / customisation • Sense of ownership / privacy / sharing • Constructivist theories. • is eLearning contributing to ‘Paradigm shift’ ? • Student Independent Learner • Teacher Facilitator • Didactic Interactive + Explorative • 1 location Distance learning • 1 provider Multiple providers

  23. Emphasis on Learner Ownership / Control Students control which parts of their portfolio can be viewed for specific purposes or by specific people Mixed-Ownership Model Personal Data Corporate (HR) data Tutor’s Data

  24. Ability for Learners to Share their Portfolio Content Users can control access to their portfolio

  25. Flexibility for the Learner to Add, Link & Cross-Reference ePortfolio Artefacts Adding ‘child’ objects to an artefact Cross-reference An artefact with A skill

  26. Principle 6. ePortfolios should be an integral part of the learning experience • Educational (integration with the curriculum) • Technical (integration within the MLE)

  27. Educational integration Technical integration (example from Medicine at Newcastle) • Should not be perceived as a ‘bolt-on’ • Support a holistic view of curriculum / outcomes (as well as specific components) • ePortfolio integrated with the VLE • Tool properties include ‘module code’ • = dynamic links to Study Guides + resources • Learning outcomes linked to curriculum databases: ‘modules’ and units • Links to other systems eg. SSC selection

  28. Principle 7. ePortfolios should support life-long learning • Help develop life-long learning skills • Continuity in LLL (transferability)

  29. Continuity in LLL (transferability) • Towards a life-long learning record • School HE Continuing Development • Interoperability • (technical standards to support the interaction and transfer of data between IT systems) • IMS specifications /standards: • Learner Information Package (LIP) • Enterprise / Content Packaging • ePortfolio (early stage of development) • CETIS UK Learner Profile (based on IMS-LIP) • ePortfolio interaction with VLEs / MLEs

  30. The ePortfolio process should promote the develop life-long learning skills • Preparation for professional requirements: • Independent learning skills • Personal development planning • Time-efficient evidencing of performance / development for: • - Appraisals • - Assessment • - Revalidation • Aiming to promote a reflective • / deep-learning approach ….research

  31. Principle 8. Research / Evaluation is Essential Are the purpose(s) being fulfilled ?

  32. Evaluation and Refinement ‘A good fit happens over time with lots of use’ Spandel, 1997 cited by Jan van Tartwijk (ALT-SURF Conference, 2004) • Action Research approaches • Incremental development and refinement • Qualitative research methodologies • (+some quantitative - not mutually exclusive!) • Ethical and practical considerations

  33. Research and Evaluation • Does the ePortfolio improve learning ? How so ? • Some evidence that PDP improves learning (more needed) • A systematic map and synthesis review of the effectiveness of personal Development Planning for improving student learning. EPI Centre 2003 http://eppi.ioe.ac.uk • Can ePortfolios foster a reflective approach to learning ? • How defined ? How measured ? • How do particular groups of learners approach reflective portfolios ? • Learning Styles • Gender and Age • Cultural Background • John Mole. The geography of thinking. Clin Med 2002; 2:343-5 • Does the technology change the learning process ? • What are learner and staff perceptions / attitudes towards ePortfolios ?

  34. Principles of Electronic Portfolios 1. Should bring significant advantages over paper-based alternatives 2. Should be considered in the context of wider (human) processes 3. Clarity of purpose(s) 4. One size does not fit all 5. Should be learner-centric 6. Should be an integral part of the learning experience 7. Should support life-long learning 8. Research / evaluation is essential ….the challenge is putting the principles into practice !

  35. Further information:S.J.Cotterill@ncl.ac.uk Tony.McDonald@ncl.ac.uk http://www.eportfolios.ac.uk

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