E-Portfolios in Assessment:Emerging Learning-Centred Pedagogy

Collect… Select… Reflect… Connect

Gail MorongDonna DesBiensTRU

ETUGJune 6, 2013

Presentation Outline

• Portfolio definitions• Pedagogy• Benefits and challenges• Emerging Trends• Research Lessons/Tips• Future Research Directions• Discussion

What’s a portfolio?•A collection of items or artifacts that

represent an individual in some way

Many kinds, both traditional and digital: •Showcase •Teaching •Educational

Showcase Portfolio

Teaching portfolio

What is an educational portfolio?

“ an educational portfolio contains work that a learner has collected, reflected upon, selected, and presented to show growth and change over time”

(Barrett, 2007)

What is an educational portfolio?

“Purposeful selection of artifacts together with reflections that represent some aspect of the owner’s learning.”

(Chen, Stanford University,2009)

Traditional educational portfolios•Paper based, 3 ring binder

•May include CD / DVD file (Prior Learning Association Canada, 2008)

Traditional Portfolios at TRU

TRU Traditional PLAR Portfolio

e-Portfolio Research Beginning

What is an e-Portfolio?

“e-Portfolios are personalized, online collections of your work, chosen by you to represent to diverse audiences your knowledge, skills and interests.”

(UBC Portfolio Community of Practice, accessed 2013)

E-Portfolios may include•Presentations, papers, projects •Multimedia images, videos •Reflections on learning / work •Selective collaboration and feedback•Customization for different audiences

Many e-portfolio systems

TRU – Mahara & WordPress

Mahara e-portfolio features

Levels of educational e-portfolios•Course (Individual or Group)

•Program

•Campus-wide

Individual e-Portfolio in WordPress

Digital Storytelling Project (iPad)

TRU Education and Skills Training Program

TRU Student Group e-portfolio

Program Level

Campus-level Portfolio

TRU Centre for Student Engagement & Learning InnovationRecognizes intercultural and international experiences in any credit program

Contemporary Technology

Traditional E-PortfolioCollect ArchiveSelect Link/ThinkReflect Tell a storyProject CollaborateCelebrate Publish

(Barrett, 2007)

Learning shift

Educational uses of e-portfolios•Job search•Learning assessment•Course evaluation•Plan educational programs•Track development within a program•Document ‘KSA’ and learning•Monitor and evaluate performance

(Barrett, 2007; Lorenzo & Ittleson , ELI, 2005)

Major Uses of Student e-Portfolios • Career preparation• Showcase accomplishments• Capture the learning process• Document specific learning outcomes• Learning representation, reflection and

revision

(Barrett, 2007; Lorenzo & Ittleson, ELI, 2005)

Critical Parts of Learning PortfoliosDocument, reflect, and collaborate:

•Individual learning artifacts•Overall story of learning

(Barrett, 2007; Zubizaretta, 2004, cited in Barrett)

So…what are the benefits of using e-portfolios for learning?

Potential Benefits •Engage students in active learning•Help students become critical thinkers•Help develop writing and communication

skills•Help develop information and digital

literacy •Promote deep learning•Integrate learning across multiple

contexts•Enable life-long learning

(Lorenzo & Ittleson , ELI, 2005; Tosh et al., 2005)

Learning Potential

Shared Challenges •Multiple purposes & stakeholders•Ownership issues•Assessment issues – what, how, why?•Multiple new technologies•Workload – time and effort•Training and support access•Interoperability – silos vs. collaborative

COP•Storage capacity

(Goodine, 2010; EIfEL team blog, 2009; Barrett 2007)

Assessment Purposes Tension

2 main purposes:

•Assessment of learning•Assessment for learning

(Barrett 2007)

Assessment of learning•Document achievement of standards, e.g.

learning outcomes, competencies•Assume meaning is constant across users,

contexts and purposes•Measure prescribed learning

(Barrett, 2007)

Past to Present

Assessment for learning•Invite digital stories of deep learning•Provide structure for systematic critical

reflection on learning process over time•Improve /negotiate learning

Present to Future

(Barrett, 2007)

Things to think about•Can tension be resolved?•What learning outcomes do you want to

assess?•What kind of assessment is appropriate?

Supporting Multiple Needs 3 interconnected systems:

•Archive of student work•Authoring environment for creative

learning•Institutional assessment management

system

(Barrett, 2007)

Challenges for Students•Buy-in •Motivation•Assessment•Technology

(Tosh et al., 2005)

Buy-in / Motivation Concerns

•Weak induction and instructions•Didn’t understand reasons for collecting

info•Need to know ‘What’s in it for me?’

Assessment Concerns•Sensitive to grading of personal

reflections•Didn’t understand what was wanted •Tension between trying to give what was

wanted and meaningful learning•Grade weight / workload imbalance

Technology Concerns•Time required to learn system•Difficult to customize •Public vs. private access – when public,

concern for appearance trumped content and learning

Challenges for Faculty•What is purpose?•How to assess•Tech overload•Time shortage•Training & support

Pause for thought•How many of you have made an e-

portfolio or used them in student assessment?

•What are some of your experiences?

•What technology did you use?

AAEEBL e-Portfolio Survey 2012Ass’n for Authentic Experiential and Evidence-Based

Learning

• 243 responses from 13 countries representing 97 institutions

Who responded? • US (80%)• UK (20) • Canada (9) • Australia (8)

Emerging Trends• Program vs. course-based •Collaborative assessment •More learner/learning-centred beliefs - Student responsibility for learning - Student choices in what, how & how to represent - Cross-disciplinary evaluation teams - Assess multiple examples of student work

(Brown, Chen & Gordon, IJeP, 2012)

Lessons from ResearchFirst step: Define your purpose

Lessons from ResearchEngage learning•Explain and demo how students can benefit•Show examples – good, messy, your own•Align with course & program•Give feedback, support and time to reflect•Connect classroom, community & work

learning

Lessons from ResearchGuide assessment•Scaffold skills in how to reflect•Clear assessment criteria •Self-assessment to develop reflection

and self-management skills•Peer review to develop thinking,

communication, and collaboration skills

CHALLENGE: How do I mark that?

Lessons from ResearchFaculty•Build an evidence-based learning culture•Validate learning evidence •Collaborate on what works and why

Lessons from ResearchTech•Focus on learning vs. ‘look & feel’•Use flexible, user-friendly systems •Enable multimedia file use•Ensure selective permissions/multiple

views •Separate authoring and official record

systems •Need active technology coordinator &

equipment

(Johnson, 2012; Barrett, 2007; Tosh et al., 2005)

Future research•What is valid evidence that e-portfolios

support successful learning & assessment?•What is evidence of deep learning in e-

portfolios?•How does learning-centred practice impact

student critical reflection and agency? •Explore systems that differentiate student-

owned e-portfolios from official records

E-Portfolio Research

Faculty buy-in/uptake in your institution?

TRU-OL:•Mahara and WordPress are supported•Pockets in Communications, Education,

English and Nursing•PLIRC research

More Discussion Questions

•How do different portfolio systems support and influence learning?

• What do we know about how students from different cultural backgrounds response to e-portfolios?

•How long should e-portfolios be kept on server?

•How well do current practices meet challenges?

Contact Information

Gail Morong: ▫gmorong@tru.ca

Donna DesBiens: ▫ddesbiens@tru.ca

Key References• Barrett, H.C. 2007. Researching electronic portfolios and learner engagement: The

REFLECT Initiative. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy (JAAL) 50:6 March 2007. doi: 10.1598/JAAL.50.8.2

• Brown, G., Chen, H. & Gordon, A. 2012. The Annual AAEEBL Survey at Two: Looking Back and Looking Ahead. International Journal of ePortfolio, Vol 2 Number 2, 129-138. Accessed at: http://www.theijep.com

• Chen, H. 2009. ePortfolios: emerging definitions. Accessed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKd5pDuGDJA

• EIfEL team blog. 2009. Learning Futures: 10 ePortfolio challenges. Accessed at: http://www.learningfutures.eu/2009/09/10-eportfolio-challenges.html

• Goodine, M. 2010. Eportfolios: In Search of a Silver Bullet. Accessed at: https://portfolios.kwantlen.ca/view/view.php?id=515

Key References• Johnson, H.L. 2012. Making Learning Visible with ePortfolios: Coupling the Right

Pedagogy with the Right Technology. International Journal of ePortfolio, Vol 2, Number 2, 139-148.

• Lorenzo, G. & Ittleson, J. 2005. (D. Oblinger, Ed.). An Overview of E-Portfolios, EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI). Accessed at:. http://www.educause.edu/library/resources/overview-e-portfolios

• Tosh, D., Light, T., Fleming, K. & Haywood, J. 2005. Engagement with Electronic Portfolios: Challenges from the Student Perspective. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, V31(3) Fall, 2005.

• UBC website. E-Portfolios @UBC – Archive of Projects. Accessed at: http://blogs.ubc.ca/projectportfolio/