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THE PLE CONFERENCE 2011
A Case of an Institutional PLE: Integrating VLEs and E-Portfolios for Students
Jesús Salinas, Victoria Marín and Catalina Escandell
Grupo de Tecnología EducativaUniversitat de les Illes Balears
Introduction
Exploratory study derived from a larger project carried out by GTE research group.
Its aim is to overcome the rigidity of LMS by integrating other environments and to use student-centred educational strategies.
Picture by Jeffrey Beall: http://www.flickr.com/photos/denverjeffrey/2561885967/
Background
The rigidness of LMS
Relations among formal, non-formal and
informal learning
The increasing possibilities for
groups to collaborate and work together
The need for new teaching/learning
models with student-centred
approach
Conceptualization (I)
What do we understand by PLEs?
Tools (reading, reflecting & sharing)
+ Communities
+ Services
= Individual Educational
Platform
Used by students to manage their own learning
processPicture by David Hopkins: http://www.dontwasteyourtime.co.uk/web-2-0/ple-personal-learning-environment-whats-yours-like/
Conceptualization (II) An Integrated Environment or iPLE
Towards a Flexible Learning Model
LMS
Eportfolio
Web 2.0
Background context of the study
Course: 'Distance and Flexible Education’ Academic year 2010-2011
University of the Balearic Islands4th year of teacher training degree
Objective: design a prototypeCourse methodology: based on projects and work in
teams
E-portfolio: to work and collaborate with
the group
LMS: to deliver
the task done
Questions of the study
Is e-portfolio an useful tool in the personal organization of the academic data of the students?
Does this system of working with the content matter give them more control over their own learning process?
Does the e-portfolio offer more flexibility in the learning process?
Does the e-portfolio facilitate group work and collaboration?
As the project work develops during the different phases, do the
students customize their learning environment more?
Information obtained
Students' perceptions of the e-portfolio's use
Customization of the environment: Handling and use of views and
dashboards: customization of the environment
Quantitative changes in the creation of views, groups and blocks
Methodology
Intentional sample of 73 students, but 60 participants
Ages: 22-35
Most women
Medium-to-high previous familiarity with
Procedures to gather data:
Observation and monitoring evolution of Mahara activity
Student questionnaire
Observation of student output
Study phases
Research results
3 sources: Observing and Monitoring the Evolution
of the Activity
Student Questionnaires
Observation of Output
Evolution of the activity
First week of October: workshop on the e-portfolioSecond half of October: first deliverables (group views)
4.05 views/person
Frequency of options
Collections: barely used.Groups views: important increase.
Student questionnaires (I)
Interesting tool and method for boosting group work in this context
E-portfolio facilitates group work E-portfolio facilitates social interaction
They had continued using familiar ways to interact not included into the
dashboard
Picture by Tom Woodward: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bionicteaching/3099664790/ Picture by University of Nottingham: http://www.flickr.com/photos/uonottingham/5489240124/
Student questionnaires (II)E-portfolio as a data organizer
Student questionnaires (II)E-portfolio as a data organizer
Suitable for
academic work
Not very appropriat
e for organizing personal
data
Picture by adesigna: http://www.flickr.com/photos/adesigna/3923138328/
Student questionnaires (III)
E-portfolio gives students more control over the learning process
Students agree with the method's flexibility and its adaptability to their own learning
process
Observation of output (I)
One group view:
Observation of output
Personal view of a student’s course
Conclusions
Students think that e-portfolio is a good tool for the personal organization of academic information.
They consider that the configured iPLE is suitable for academic work, but
not very appropriate for organizing personal data.
They regard this way of working as giving them more control over their own learning process.
The e-portfolio facilitates group work and collaboration. However, it is
not perceived in the same way when it comes to its possible role as a tool in social interaction.
During the different phases of the project, the students incorporate an
increasing number of views; but there is little customization of the views.
Future research activities Towards putting into practice a new integrated
design:
Improvements in the integration of Moodle and Mahara.
Any questionsVictoria Marín
GTE home page: http://gte.uib.es/ Picture from http://www.flickr.com/photos/wwworks/4759535950/
