Your Digital Self: Web 2.0 as Personal Learning Environment (PLE)

February 2010http://sites.google.com/site/eportfolios/

Dr. Helen BarrettCourtesy Research Associate

Center for Advanced Technology in Education

University of Oregon (2007-present)

Assistant Professor, Educational Technology (retired)

College of Education

University of Alaska Anchorage (1991-2005)

Overview of Workshop

Theoretical Lifelong & Life-wide Learning Web 2.0

Practical Skills Hands-On Overview of Tools

Interactive Portfolios & Formative Assessment Form Teams Practical Strategies

Web 2.0 Mash-Up: Blogs, Wikis, Google, YouTube, Flickr, Social Networks, Virtual Storage, Mobile Phones, and...???

Introductions

Who are you? What do you teach? What is your prior experience with

portfolios… electronic? What are your questions about ePortfolios?

Legacy from the Portfolio Literature

Much to learn from the literature on paper-based portfolios

As adult learners, we have much to learn from how children approach portfolios

“Everything I know about portfolios was confirmed working with a kindergartener”

The Power of Portfolios

what children can teach us about learning and assessment

Author: Elizabeth Hebert

Publisher: Jossey-Bass

Picture courtesy of Amazon.com

The Power of Portfolios

Author: Dr. Elizabeth Hebert, Principal

Crow Island School, Winnetka, Illinois

Picture taken by Helen Barrett at AERA, Seattle, April, 2001

From the Preface (1)

“Portfolios have been with us for a very long time. Those of us who grew up in the 1950s or earlier recognize portfolios as reincarnations of the large memory boxes or drawers where our parents collected starred spelling tests, lacy valentines, science fair posters, early attempts at poetry, and (of course) the obligatory set of plaster hands. Each item was selected by our parents because it represented our acquisition of a new skill or our feelings of accomplishment. Perhaps an entry was accompanied by a special notation of praise from a teacher or maybe it was placed in the box just because we did it.”

Hebert, Elizabeth (2001) The Power of Portfolios. Jossey-Bass, p.ix

From the Preface (2)

“We formed part of our identity from the contents of these memory boxes. We recognized each piece and its association with a particular time or experience. We shared these collections with grandparents to reinforce feelings of pride and we reexamined them on rainy days when friends were unavailable for play. Reflecting on the collection allowed us to attribute importance to these artifacts, and by extension to ourselves, as they gave witness to the story of our early school experiences.”

Hebert, Elizabeth (2001) The Power of Portfolios. Jossey-Bass, p.ix

From the Preface (3)

“Our parents couldn’t possibly envision that these memory boxes would be the inspiration for an innovative way of thinking about children’s learning. These collections, lovingly stored away on our behalf, are the genuine exemplar for documenting children’s learning over time. But now these memory boxes have a different meaning. It’s not purely private or personal, although the personal is what gives power to what they can mean.”

Hebert, Elizabeth (2001) The Power of Portfolios. Jossey-Bass, p.ix-x

Let’s get personal…Think for a minute about:

Something about your COLLECTIONS:Suggested topics:

If you are a parent, what you saved for your children

What your parents saved for you What you collect… Why you collect…

Some issues to consider What do your collections say about

what you value? Is there a difference between what

you purposefully save and what you can’t throw away?

How can we use our personal collections experiences to help learners as they develop their portfolios?

The power of portfolios [to support deep learning] is personal.

What is a Portfolio?Dictionary definition:

a flat, portable case for carrying loose papers, drawings, etc.

Financial portfolio: document accumulation of fiscal capital

Educational portfolio: document development of human capital

What is an Electronic Portfolio?

Digital Documents Organized and presented with some

type of "authoring" software Stored in an electronic container

CD-Recordable disc DVD-Recordable disc WWW – Changing the genre!

Portfolio Processes

TraditionalCollectingSelectingReflectingDirectingPresenting

+ Technology Archiving Linking/Thinking Storytelling Collaborating Publishing

Personal Learning Environment Supports Self-Directed Learning

Web 2.0 is becoming the Personal Learning Environment of the “Net Generation”

Learning that is… Social and Participatory Lifelong and Life Wide Increasingly Self-Directed Motivating and Engaging … and Online!

Four key pillars of Lifelong Learning(Barbara Stäuble, Curtin University of Technology, Australia)

http://lsn.curtin.edu.au/tlf/tlf2005/refereed/stauble.html

Knowing the learner (Self-awareness)

Understanding prior knowledge Motivation for and attitudes toward

learning Help learners understand

themselves See their growth over time

Planning for learning (Self management)

Setting goalsDevelop a plan

to achieve these goals

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 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 Learners construct meaning,

monitor learning, evaluate own outcomes

Deep Learning involves reflection, is developmental, is integrative, is self-directive, and is lifelong

Cambridge (2004)

Conventional vs. Reform Instruction

Teacher-directed Didactic teaching

Short blocks of instruction on single subject

Single media Individual work Teacher as knowledge

dispenser Ability groupings Assessment of fact

knowledge and discrete skills

Student exploration Interactive modes of

instruction Extended blocks of authentic

and multidisciplinary work Multimedia Collaborative work Teacher as facilitator

Heterogeneous groupings Performance-based

assessment

SRI (1993)

What is the best tool?

Do you need an all-in-one system or multiple tools?

CATEGORIES OF E-PORTFOLIO SOFTWARE

Created as part of my study of different online tools:

http://electronicportfolios.org/categories.html

“Not just tools for telling [presentation] but more tools for talking! [conversation]”

- Julie Hughes, University of Wolverhampton

Conversation transforms!

http://electronicportfolios.org/categories.html

Web 2.0

Major Categories of ePortfolio Tools

Individual & Institutional Authoring Tools Static Web Services Interactive Web Services

Institutional Software - Server required Hosted Services Assessment Systems - Hosted

Services

Higher

Lower

Leve

l of

pers

onal

izat

ion

&

crea

tivity

Higher

Lower

Leve

l of

inte

ract

ivity

Web 2.0 tag cloud

Recent changes in technology

Architecture of InteractionArchitecture of Participation (Web 2.0)

allows a

Pedagogy of Interaction

Wikibook

http://en.wikibooks. org/wiki/Web_2.0_and_Emerging _Learning _Technologies

Why Web 2.0?Access from Anywhere!

Interactivity!

Engagement!

Lifelong Skills!

Mostly FREE!

All you need is… an <Embed> Code!

Hall Davidson

To link Web 2.0 content into e-portfolio systems

Social LearningHow can we integrate technology use with what we know about social learning and interactivity?

Multiple Purposes from Hidden Assumptions

Showcase?

Assessment?

Reflection?

http://www.rsc-northwest.ac.uk/acl/eMagArchive/RSCeMag2008/choosing%20an%20eportfolio/cool-cartoon-346082.png

“The Blind Men and the Elephant”Thanks to Alan Levine

QUOTE

The e-portfolio is the central and common point for the student experience… It is a reflection of the student as a person undergoing continuous personal development, not just a store of evidence.

-Geoff Rebbeck, e-Learning Coordinator, Thanet College, quoted in JISC, 2008, Effective Practice with e-Portfolios

E-Portfolio Components

< Multiple Portfolios for Multiple Purposes-Celebrating Learning-Personal Planning-Transition/entry to courses-Employment applications-Accountability/Assessment

< Multiple Tools to Support Processes-Capturing & storing evidence-Reflecting-Giving & receiving feedback-Planning & setting goals-Collaborating-Presenting to an audience

< Digital Repository

(Becta, 2007; JISC, 2008)

Enhancing students' computer & multimedia skills through ePortfolios

Framework for 21st Century Skillshttp://www.21stcenturyskills.org/

(handout)

International Trends in ePortfolio Development

Personalized Learning ‘Choice’ and ‘Voice’

Self-Directed Learning Reflective Practice Constructing Deep Learning Digital Identity Development

& Personal Branding

Interactivity!!!

Student Engagement!

CQ + PQ > IQ (Friedman, 2006)[Curiosity + Passion]

Learners find their voice and passions through choice and personalization!

Portfolio as StoryPositive Digital Identity

Development - Branding “Academic MySpace”

Six technologies with the power to transform K-12 teaching and learning

One year or less: collaborative environments online communication tools

Two to three years: mobile devices cloud computing

Four to five years: smart objects the personal web

New Media Centershttp://www.nmc.org/

Cloud Computing

“The cloud is the term for networked computers that distribute processing power, applications, and large systems among many machines.”

disk storage and processing cycles a readily available, cheap commodity

thin-client, web-based applications for image editing, word processing, social networking, and media creation

More reliable than desktop storage

The Horizon Report, 2009

The Personal Web

… computer users are assembling collections of tools, widgets, and services that make it easy to develop and organize dynamic online content. Armed with tools for tagging, aggregating, updating, and keeping track of content, today’s learners create and navigate a web that is increasingly tailored to their own needs and interests: this is the personal web.

The Horizon Report, 2009

Reflection… is the “Heart and Soul” of a Portfolio… NOT the Technology!

A Reminder…

TECHNOLOGY & REFLECTION

Two Themes across the Lifespan with ePortfolio Development

Digital Archive (for Life) Supports Lifelong & Life-wide Learning

Early Childhood ePortfolio Emphasis

Technologies: Digital images, audio and video plus parent (and grandparent!) involvement

Reflection in Early Childhood: Finding Voice and the Language of Reflection

Formal Education: Assessment Portfolio Systems

Two approaches

FormativeSummative

Forms of Assessment

Formative Assessments Provides insights

for the teacher

Assessment FOR Learning Provides insights

for the learner

Summative Assessments (Assessment OF Learning or Evaluation) Provides insights

(and data) for the institution

Nick Rate (2008) Assessment for

Learning & ePortfolios, NZ Ministry of Ed

Purposes for Assessment

Assessment OF Learning

=

Summative Assessment

Assessment FOR Learning

=

Formative (Classroom-based)

Assessment

Portfolio Differences

Assessment OF Learning

Purpose prescribed Artifacts mandated -

scoring for external use Organized by teacher Summative (Past to

present) Institution-centered Requires extrinsic

motivation

Assessment FOR Learning

Purpose negotiated Artifacts chosen -

feedback to learner Organized by learner Formative (Present to

future) Student-centered Intrinsically motivating

ePortfolio 1.0 - ePortfolio 2.0

Hierarchical, Designed Metaphor: Portfolio as

Test Data-driven Focus on

Standardization

Feedback from Authority Figures

Large, complex systems

Networked, Emergent Metaphor: Portfolio as

Story Learner-driven Focus on Individuality,

Creativity Feedback from

Community of Learners

Small pieces, loosely joined - "Mash-ups"

Continued…

ePortfolio 1.0 - ePortfolio 2.0(continued)

Web-based Form Positivist Accountability-driven Proprietary Digital Paper (text &

images) Local Storage (hard

drives, CD)

Blog and Wiki Constructivist,

Connectivist Learning-focused Open Standards Digital Story

(multimedia) Network Storage

(Lifetime Personal Web Space)

Middle Level (ages ~9~14)ePortfolio Emphasis

Technologies: Blogs, Wikis, VoiceThread, GAMES!

Reflection in Middle Grades: Learning to Learn Portfolio Model

LEARNING TO LEARN PORTFOLIO MODEL

Ian Fox

Bucklands Beach Intermediate School, Auckland, New Zealand

Learning to Learn Portfolio ModelIan Fox, New Zealand

Metacognitive Development Models for Learning - for teaching

thinking skills

Reflection - being able to stand back, to think about what has been done well, to identify difficulties, and to focus on areas for improvement.

Goal-Setting - has a profound effect on students’ progress towards independent learning

Assessment to Improve Learning

Clear Success Criteria - Clear performance standards give students a

goal towards which they should strive. Self-Assessment -

Students can assess their own work against stated standards.

Authentic Process and Product - real-life tasks and contexts

Development of Home-School Links

Parental Involvement - portfolio going home on a regular basis,

parents have opportunities to discuss progress with their children and give support and encouragement

Student-Led Conferences - focus remains on the students and the

critical role they have in determining their own future development

Shared Understanding - the whole assessment process becomes

more open

Goal:

Development of Independent Learners

“More significantly the portfolio can be a vehicle for empowering students to take increasing responsibility for their own learning. It can assist with the development of student self esteem through providing a means for them to display work of which they are proud;”

Personalizing & Goal Setting

High School ePortfolio Emphasis

Technologies: GoogleApps (Docs, Sites), Social Networking

Reflection in High School: Construction of Self, Planning for the Future

How can you leverage the technologies students own?Accessibility from home computersConnectivity with cell phones

How is social networking impacting technology in education?

It is having a huge impact on our social and political world!

Discuss!

What are the engagement factors that drive the use of social networks and how can we incorporate those factors into ePortfolios?

Professional ePortfolio Emphasis

Technologies: Social Networks, Productivity Tools, Micro-Blogging (Twitter, Edmodo) and Second Life

Reflection on the Job: Sharing Experiences, Building a Community of Learners

Web 2.0, an Architecture of Interaction/Collaboration

Using Interactive Productivity Tools (GoogleApps: GoogleDocs, GoogleSites)

Using Social Networking Strategies

(Facebook, Ning, Twitter, Edmodo)

Planning Issues

What is your purpose?

Software capabilities:

allow interaction between faculty and students around learning activities and products

Change!

Web 2.0 Technologies

Advantages Free, often open-source

tools on the WWW

“Me Publishing (blog and wiki)

Shared Writing (GoogleDocs)

Web Publishing(Google Sites)

Disadvantages May require higher

technology competency

Mostly not secure websites

“Small Pieces, Loosely Joined”

Validating my dissertation research

When learning new tools, use familiar tasks

When learning new tasks, use familiar tools

Hands-on activity: #1 Google Account

Log in to your Google account

Use this account as your Google address for all other tools we will be using.

Write down your user name and password in more than one place! Put all of participant Google addresses on a list and give to me.

Google Sites

Advantages Free website builder Easy-to-use Flexibility and creativity in

portfolio authoring. Helps students build

technology skills. Automatically store pages

online. 100 MB limit on uploaded

attachments Interactivity and Feedback

Disadvantages

Set up own system for managing the feedback on student work.

Page Types in Google Sites

Web Page – create your own structure

Announcements – blog with RSS feeds

File Cabinet – upload files, organize in folders

List – simple flat-file data base

Explore Google Sites Capabilities for ePortfolio Requirements

File Cabinet page type to upload artifacts Comments for feedback on pages or

entries in Announcements page Announcements page type (blog) with RSS

feeds List page type as data base Subscribe to page or site changes What’s New in Google Docs?

http://www.google.com/google-d-s/whatsnew.html

Google Sites ePortfolioshandouts

Public Google Tools vs. GoogleApps for Education?

Public Google Tools (Gmail account) Student owns the

account for life (must be over 13)

Student has complete control of access

FREE for anyone No uploading to Google

Video (must use YouTube to embed videos)

Start immediately

Google Apps for Education Protected environment

(school assigns account)

School can control access (limit to members)

FREE for education Limited use of Google

Video (2 GB) Need some advanced

set-up timehttp://sites.google.com/site/colettecassinelli/proscon s

Hands-on Activity: #2 & 7 Google Sites

With your new Google Account, activate a new Google Site asan ePortfolio.

Create the following pages:• Home (main page)• About Me• Journal (Announcements page type)• Competencies (or Goals or Standards)

• Sub pages for each one

http://sites.google.com

Create hyperlinks to artifacts in blog or attachments

BlogsAdvantages Quickly, easily create a learning journal, documenting growth

over time with entries that are date-stamped. WordPress allows additional pages and sub-pages. Interactivity is maintained through RSS feeds and Comments

that can be added. WordPress file limit 3 GB! WordPress blogs can be password-protected.

Disadvantages

Prescribed order (reverse-chronological) of entries. Does not allow organizing attached files into folders. Limited attachments in Blogger.

Hands-on activity: #3 Blog

Set up a reflective journalas an Announcements page in Google Sites

Write your first blog entry

Create entries with hyperlinks in your blog to document the learning activities in this workshop.

Add comments to another participant’s blog

(any blogging software will work)

Reflection: a reminder

Write a reflection on what you learned today

Tip on reflection: add not only descriptive comments (who, what, when, where)

Also add Analysis (why, how) A brief look at reflection next:

GoogleDocsAdvantages Documents, presentations or spreadsheets can be edited Maintains a record of all revisions, with identity of author. Interactivity is maintained through comments and co-authoring. Easily embed presentations into blog. Convert all documents to Microsoft Office or OpenOffice or PDF.

Disadvantages

Set up own system for managing the feedback on student work.

Requires full time high speed Internet access. No attachments, only hyperlinks to documents.

Hands-on activity: #5 Create Artifacts in GoogleDocsCreate at least one artifact for your portfolio in GoogleDocs

Upload Word files, convert to GoogleDocs.

Attachments in Google Sites

More Actions -> Manage SiteShows pages where attachments were added and links(re-use files using hyperlinks – right click and copy link)

Storage Limitations in Google Sites – Apps vs. Sites

sites.google.com/site/ account limited to 100 MB of attachments in each Google Site you set up

GoogleApps for Education domains with a maximum of 100 GB per domain, assigning accounts for each student

Standard GoogleApps account, with your own domain name, for $10 a year, currently allows a maximum of 10GB of attached files in all Sites created under your domain

Google's FAQ on Storage in different versions of Google Sites

Digital Tools for Reflection

Digital Storytelling and Engagement

Do Your e-Portfolios have VOICE?

Individual IdentityReflection Meaning Making21st Century Literacy

“When words are infused by the human voice, they come alive.”

- Maya Angelou

Digital Storytelling Process

Learners create a 2-4 minute digital video clip

First person narrative [begins with a written script ~ 400 words]

Told in their own voice [record script] Illustrated (mostly) by still images Music track to add emotional tone

Anchorage8th grade

Convergence

Wordle.net

This following Word Cloud was created collaboratively by educators around the world, who contributed keywords that came to their mind when thinking about Digital Storytelling. Words that appear larger were used by more contributors.

http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/07/27/digital-storytelling-part-ix-wordle/

Examples

Digital Stories in ePortfolios

Digital Narratives in Online Video Formats

Portfolio Development Process

Balancing the 2 Faces of

E-Portfolios

Types of ePortfolio Implementation

Working Portfolio The Collection The Digital Archive Repository of

Artifacts Reflective Journal

(eDOL) Collaboration Space

Portfolio as Process-- Workspace (PLE)“shoebox”

Presentation Portfolio(s) The “Story” or Narrative Multiple Views

(public/private) Varied Audiences

(varied permissions) Varied Purposes

Portfolio as Product-- Showcase

Structure of E-Portfolio Types

Portfolio as Process/ Workspace Organization:

Chronological – eDOL (Electronic Documentation of Learning – U. of Calgary) Documenting growth over time for both internal and external audiences

Primary Purpose: Learning or Reflection

Reflection: immediate focus on artifact or learning experience

Portfolio as Product/ Showcase Organization: Thematic

– Documenting achievement of Standards, Goals or Learning Outcomes for primarily external audiences

Primary Purpose: Accountability or Employment

Reflection: retrospective focus on Standards, Goals or Learning Outcomes (Themes)

Process1. Purpose. Decide on the purpose for the portfolio. What are you trying

to show with this portfolio?

2. Collection/Classification. What artifacts will you include in your portfolio? How will you classify these entries?

3. Reflection. Blog entries provide an opportunity for reflection "in the present tense" or "reflection in action.”

4. Connection/Interaction/Dialogue/Feedback. This stage provides an opportunity for interaction and feedback on the work posted in the portfolio.

5. Summative Reflection/Selection/Evaluation. Students would write a reflection that looks back over the course (or program) and provides a meta-analysis of the learning experience as represented in the reflections stored in the blog/journal entries.

6. Presentation/Publishing. The portfolio developer decides what parts of the portfolio are to be made public.

REPEAT for each learning activity or artifact.

handouts

1. Purpose. Decide on the purpose for the portfolio. What are you trying to

show with this portfolio? Are there outcomes, goals, or standards that are being demonstrated with this portfolio?

Teachers and Students: Identify how you are going to organize the portfolio. Will it be around the outcomes, goals or standards that you identified in this first step?

Students: Set up a Google Sites page that will serve as the opening page/Introduction to the portfolio and to the portfolio developer (see Section 6 below). This page could include a section entitled, "All About Me.”

Students: Create a Google Sites Announcements page type, to use as a reflective journal (blog). Call the page "Journal" or "Blog." Create a first post that describes the purpose for developing this portfolio.

Teachers: Set up templates for student work in GoogleDocs, if appropriate

2. Collection/Classification What artifacts will you include in your portfolio? How will

you classify these entries?

Students: Create a digital archive of work. Offline, this archive would be on a hard drive, flash drive, iPod or local area network server; Online, these files can be stored anywhere on the Internet, as long as each document has a unique URL. Recommend: GoogleDocs

Students: (Optional) Use a simple table or GoogleDocs Spreadsheet to list the artifacts, and assign (classify) each one to the outcome/goal/standard that the artifact will demonstrate. Use the table to keep track of artifacts that might be stored on one of the many Web 2.0 sites that you could use to store your work

Recommendations on Storage: Students: convert all attached artifacts into web-compatible

formats (JPEG or PDF) so that the potential reader will not need to own the original software in order to read it (i.e., Microsoft Office, Publisher, Inspiration documents could easily be converted into PDF and attached to a blog entry, or link to GoogleDocs).

Web 2.0 storage: Video files can be saved on one of the video sharing sites, and use the Hyperlink or Embed code to include in your blog entry. Word, Excel and PowerPoint files could be uploaded into GoogleDocs. Other free websites that allow you to store documents: SlideShare, Scribd. Most of these Web 2.0 sites use an email address as the log-in name, so it will be easy to remember.

Brainstorm

What is your purpose for developing ePortfolios?

How would you answer your students’ question:“Why are we creatinga blog/portfolio?”

Level 1 - Collection

Brainstorm - Level 1

What are some strategies you currently use to integrate technology across the curriculum?

What types of digital documents do students create?

Where are these digital documents stored?

3. Reflection Reflection is the heart and soul of a portfolio. Reflection provides the

rationale for why these artifacts represent achievement of a particular outcome, goal or standard. Blog entries provide an opportunity for reflection "in the present tense" or "reflection in action.”

Teachers: Provide students with resources to support their reflection activities. For each learning activity or artifact, what should be the focus of the students' reflections? (See Dr. Barrett's Google Site on Reflection for Learning)

Students: Write a blog entry (using Journal set up using GoogleSites Announcements page type--Step #1 above) with a reflection on each learning activity or artifact (what is the context in which this artifact was developed? What did you learn?).

Students: Add your own classification using Tags Students: Add appropriate artifacts (through hyperlinks) or as an attachment

to the journal entry.

Privacy Features: Students can limit who can read the Google Site through the More Actions ->Share this Site menu item

4. Connection/Interaction/Dialogue/Feedback 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:  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.

REPEAT steps 3-4 for each learning activity or artifact.

Level 2: Primary Purpose: Learning/Reflection

Brainstorm - Level 2

How are you supporting student reflection on their learning?

How are you providing feedback on student learning?

Who is currently bloggingwith students? Give abrief description.

Less abouttelling

More about talking!- Julie Hughes, University of Wolverhampton

Take advantage of Web 2.0 strategies in learning

Reflection reminder

Create a blog entry with a link to at least one of your GoogleDocs documents you created.

Reflect on how collaborative documents could be used to facilitate collaborative projects as well as feedback on student work.

DON’T JUMP TOTHE FINAL PRESENTATION PREMATURELY…

Document the learning process over time… through a learning journal.

Deep Learning involves reflection, is developmental, is integrative, is self-directive, and is lifelong

Cambridge (2004)

Moon on Reflection

One of the defining characteristics of surface learning is that it does not involve reflection (p.123)

Reflective Questions that tie the Past to the Future

North Carolina

Reflection Cycle

Self-Assessment: The Reflective Practitioner

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/pbl/pblreflect.htm

Writing a Reflection - 1 http://www.ncpublicschools.org/pbl/pblreflect.htm

1. Select: What evidence/artifacts have you included?

2. Describe: This step involves a description of the circumstances, situation or issues related to the evidence or artifact. Four "W" questions are usually addressed: Who was involved? What were the circumstances, concerns,

or issues? When did the event occur? Where did the event occur?

Writing a Reflection - 2 http://www.ncpublicschools.org/pbl/pblreflect.htm

3. Analyze: "digging deeper." • "Why" of the evidence or artifact• "How" of its relationship to teaching practice

4. Appraise: In the previous three steps, you have described and analyzed an experience, a piece of evidence, or an activity. The actual self-assessment occurs at this stage as you interpret the activity or evidence and evaluate its appropriateness and impact.

5. Transform:This step holds the greatest opportunity for growth as you use the insights gained from reflection in improving and transforming your practice.

REVIEW EXAMPLES OF SCAFFOLDING FOR REFLECTION

http://sites.google.com/site/reflection4learning

Forms of Assessment

Formative Assessments Provides insights

for the teacher

Assessment FOR Learning Provides insights

for the learner

Summative Assessments (Assessment OF Learning or Evaluation) Provides insights

(and data) for the institution

Nick Rate (2008) Assessment for

Learning & ePortfolios, NZ Ministry of Ed

Purposes for Assessment

Assessment OF Learning

=

Summative Assessment

Assessment FOR Learning

=

Formative (Classroom-based)

Assessment

Crucial Distinction

Assessment OF LearningHow much have students learned as of a particular point in time?

Assessment FOR LearningHow can we use assessment to help students learn more?

Rick StigginsAssessment Training Institute

www.qca.org.uk ages3-14

Principles of Assessment FOR Learning

Definition:Assessment for Learning is the process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by learners and their teachers to decide where the learners are in their learning, where they need to go and how best to get there.

Formative assessments to improve student achievement

“Through their rigorous research, Black and Wiliam proposed that formative assessments, in which classroom evidence is used to adapt the teaching to meet student needs, is the best way to improve student achievement.” Source: http://teachfirst.com/2009/09/14/formative-assessments-is-the-feedback-on-student-learning-or-on-our-teaching/

Electronic portfolios contribute to the ‘feedback loop’ integral to formative assessment (Cambridge, 2001).

7 Principles of Good Feedback Practice for Formative Assessment:

1. helps clarify what good performance is (goals, criteria, expected standards);

2. facilitates the development of reflection and self-assessment in learning;

3. delivers high quality information to students about their learning;

4. encourages teacher and peer dialogue around learning;

5. encourages positive motivational beliefs and self-esteem;

6. provides opportunities to close the gap between current and desired performance;

7. provides information to teachers that can be used to help shape the teaching.

Feedback - Use the acronym THIRD...

TIMELY:  Feedback must be timely in order to give your students the opportunity to learn from their mistakes and do better on the next assignment.   

HONEST: or assignment better. IMPROVING:   Make sure your feedback provides

constructive criticism… Sharing your rubric is a good way to do this.

RELEVANT:  Make sure your feedback makes sense. DIRECT:  If your student needs to get help with grammar

or writing techniques, say so and put him or her in touch with resources available at your university. 

http://www.delaneykirk.com/2009/09/dear-dr-kirk--i-need-some-advice-on-how-to-handle-giving-feedback-to-my-students-i-always-struggle-with-just-how-much-to-s.html

Checklist of Observable Behaviors for Feedback

1. Practice: Students exercise with the purpose of enhancing knowledge and skills.

2. Teacher: The instructor gives students verbal or written input.

3. Peer feedback: Peers provide verbal or written input.

4. Cues about how to improve: The learner gets information back that includes suggestions on how to do better.

5. Corrective feedback: This input is meant to help improve performance.

6. Supportive feedback: A mentor or peer provides encouragement.

Reference: Ewell,  P.  T.  (1997).  Organizing for learning: A point of entry. Draft prepared for discussion at the 1997 AAHE Summer Academy at Snowbird.  National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS). p.9  Available: http://www.intime.uni.edu/model/learning/learn_summary.html

Level 3: Primary Purpose: Showcase/Accountability

Brainstorm - Level 3

How might you support student presentation of their achievement?

What are strategies you could use to engage students in showcasing their work?

5. Summative Reflection/Selection/Evaluation At the end of a course (or program), students would write a

reflection that looks back over the course (or program) and provides a meta-analysis of the learning experience as represented in the reflections stored in the blog/journal entries.

Students: Review the blog/journal entries for that category, and write a last "retrospective reflection" about the learning represented in the artifacts, selecting one or two examples that best represent achievement. This self-assessment should be the first part of a page set up in Google Sites.

Students:  Prepare a GoogleSites Page for each Outcome, Goal or Standard, and link to the selected "best" blog entries, writing a reflection on each page (by outcome/goal/standard) which should also have the artifact attached or linked.

Teacher: Provide feedback and/or evaluation of the selection of work and rationale, using a rubric.

6. Presentation/Publishing The portfolio developer decides what parts of the portfolio are to

be made public. Student: Create a set of pages that highlight the best components of

the portfolio, linking to specific entries in the blog. Add the evidence (through hyperlinks to blog entries or artifacts) to the appropriate sub-pages in the portfolio.

Students: Create an Introduction page, which should contain an overview of the portfolio. It serves as a “letter to the reader” and provides an explanation of the overall goals of the portfolio. Provide links to other pages developed in the portfolio. Advertise this Introduction page as the initial access point in your portfolio.

Students: Create a page with Future Learning Goals (reflection in the future tense).

Teacher: When used for summative assessment, submit final evaluation of portfolio (assessed using a quantitative analytic rubric or a holistic rubric).

BrainstormAdvantages Teachers

Disadvantages Teachers

Advantages Students

Disadvantages Students

Open – Free Form

Template-Driven – can be modified

Fill in blanks on a Web-based form

Implementing Google Apps with your students

Designate an administrator in your school Work with staff to assign student accounts

in lifegrantnyc.com domain

MAKING CHANGE HAPPEN

Managing Complex Change

IF WE PROVIDE IT…

WILL THEY USE IT?

How do we implement an ePortfolio process that

Sticks?

136

137

Key Qualities of an idea that is made to stick:

SimplicityUnexpectednessConcretenessCredibilityEmotionalStories

138

Simplicity: "How do you strip an idea to its core without turning it into a silly sound bite?"

Unexpectedness: "How do you capture people's attention... and hold it?"

Concreteness: "How do you help people understand your idea and remember it much later?"

Credibility: "How do you get people to believe your idea?"

Emotional: "How do you get people to care about your idea?"

Stories: "How do you get people to act on your idea?"

Qualities of “Stickiness”

MANAGING COMPLEX CHANGE

Managing Complex Change graphic

Vision

Confusion

How will you develop a vision?

Brainstorm strategies you can use to share and create buy-in for your vision for implementing electronic portfolios in your organization.

What should you includein your visionstatement?

Develop a Vision

Explore other school websitesSee what others are doingDevelop a prototypeConduct a pilot projectBe willing to change your vision

Vision

Model it Present it …again and again Revisit it Top down… bottom up Too many priorities?

Skills

Anxiety

How will you develop skills?

Brainstorm strategies you can use to develop the skills necessary for implementing electronic portfolios in your organization.

Student Skills

Collect evidence of learning Select specific evidence that demonstrates a

particular outcome, goal or standard Reflect metacognitively on learning

represented in evidence, making a case that the artifacts constitute evidence of achievement

Make connections in their learning Set goals for future learninghttp://electronicportfolios.org/teachers/competencies.html

Teacher Skills

Model all of student competencies PLUS: Articulate the difference between assessment OF

learning and assessment FOR learning Implement classroom-based assessment FOR learning

strategies Provide/facilitate specific and detailed feedback to

learners about their learning Support student reflection through modeling

and research-based practices Create an environment that facilitates

students' deep learning Modify instruction based on what teachers are learning

about their students’ reflectionhttp://electronicportfolios.org/teachers/competencies.html

Develop Skills

Begin with current software Add new skills when you are ready Go slowly Take Time Be willing to learn along

with your students Do your own e-portfolio!

Don’t double your learning!Consider Cognitive Overload!

When learning new tools, use familiar tasks;

When learning new tasks, use familiar tools.

Barrett, 1991

More Learning Resources

http://mosep.orgMOre Self-Esteem with

my ePortfolio (European Study & Tutorial)

Incentives

GradualChange

How will you develop incentives?

Brainstorm strategies you can use to develop incentives for implementing electronic portfolios in your organization.

Develop Incentives

Release time? Equipment & software for early adopters What works in your school? With individual teachers?

Resources

Frustration

How will you find resources?

Brainstorm strategies you can use to find resources for implementing electronic portfolios in your organization.

Action Plan

FalseStarts

How will you develop an Action Plan?

Strategies you can use to develop an action plan for implementing electronic portfolios in your organization.

What are the elements of your action plan?

Here are the elements that you will need to include in your action plan for implementing electronic portfolios: Infrastructure (hardware and software) Curriculum Issues Training Issues (Skills) Incentives Resources Other?

Curriculum Issues

Where is the concept of the e-Portfolio introduced to students?

Does the curriculum require “appropriate digital artifacts for electronic portfolio?”

What kind of support is available to student & teachers… class? lab?

How is the portfolio assessed?

Develop an Action Plan

Identify standards/themes to be addressed Identify curriculum areas to be “tweaked” Create a timeline and milestones Assign responsibility Develop an e-portfolio handbook Identify success indicators Develop rubrics Examples

Planning into Action

Focus on what you can do with current resources (technological & skills)

Designate an ePortfolio champion Both teacher and administrator

support Identify opportunities in the

curriculum to develop digital artifacts Tie to standards

Your Small Group Task

Brainstorm Vision Strategies What is your vision for e-portfolios for your

school? (“your elevator speech”) Think about how will you communicate that

vision?

30 minutes

Next Steps

Brainstorm Action Plan Steps What is on your “to do” list? What changes need to happen? What support do you need?

Build web-based resource on ePortfolios in your school

Really Simple Syndication (RSS)

aggregation of content from multiple Web sources in one place

RSS content can be read using software called an "RSS reader", "feed reader" or an "aggregator", which can be web-based or desktop-based.

The user subscribes to a feed by entering the feed's link into the reader or by clicking an RSS icon in a browser that initiates the subscription process.

(Wikipedia)

RSS Feed ReaderGoogle Reader

The RSS reader checks the user's subscribed feeds regularly for new content, downloading any updates that it finds and provides a user interface to monitor and read the feeds.

in Oprah speak, RSS stands for: I’m “Ready for Some Stories”. It is a way online for you to get a quick list of the latest story headlines from all your favorite websites and blogs all in one place.

(Wikipedia)

“Oprah Speak”

http://www.backinskinnyjeans.com/2006/09/how_to_explain_.html

Hands-on activity #10:

RSS Reader

Set up a Google Readeraccount with your GMAIL address

http://www.google.com/reader/Subscribe to RSS feeds.

Collect RSS feeds in a folder in Google Reader.

Google Reader (RSS)

Open GoogleReader to activate it (watch the short little video).

Visit the blogs of class members and subscribe to some or all of their blogs. Click on the RSS feed (usually at the bottom of the blog): Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Select the preferred Reader (Google) and select GoogleReader.

Go to GoogleReader and organize feeds in folders using Manage Subscriptions.

Hands-on activity: #8 Twitter

Set up a Twitter accountusing your GMAIL address

http://www.twitter.com

http://www.edmodo.com

Write your first “tweet” using #web2eportfolios in message

Reflection Suggestion

Of all the tools we have tried so far, Which one is best for reflection? Which one is best for public presentation? Which one is best for documenting

competencies? Which one is hardest to use? Easiest?

Start thinking about what you want to learn next after the workshop is over.

Set some learning goals in your blog

Blogger iGoogleGoogleGroupsGoogle Reader *GoogleDocs DocumentGoogleDocs PresentationGoogle Sites

Making ePortfolios Stick

Will your students want to use the ePortfolio process after they graduate?

Ali Jafari (2004) “The “Sticky” E-Portfolio System: Tackling Challenges & Identifying Attributes” EDUCAUSE Review July/August 2004.

Success FactorsSuccessful ePortfolio Project =

I + J + K + L + M + N + O, where: I = ease of use J = sustainable business planK = advanced featuresL = robust integrated technology architectureM = lifelong supportN = standards and transportability, and O = X (undetermined factors)

Isn’t this Web 2.0 thing just a fad?

Web 2.0 Expo, April 2008, Clay ShirkyAuthor of the book Here Comes Everybody

cognitive surplus

looking for the mouse

Telling about Interview with TV producer

Choices

My Final Wish…

May all yourelectronic portfolios

become dynamic celebrations and stories of deep

learning across the lifespan.

Dr. Helen Barrett

Researcher & ConsultantElectronic Portfolios & Digital Storytelling for Lifelong and Life Wide Learning

eportfolios@gmail.comhttp://electronicportfolios.org/