ePortfolios: A User Generated Link
"I think the answer to student portfolios is Web 2.0 — that is, students should be doing (authentic) work somewhere, and turn in a URL to that work." (Maybe Universities should not host ePortfolios)
Interesting thought. What if you adopted a decentralized stance towards ePortfolios? You would solve plenty of problems like: Who owns the ePortfolio? Who keeps it when the student graduates? My server is hosting the ePortfolio of a few hundred students, and boy that’s getting mighty expensive!
A decentralized approach would also enable greater autonomy and creativity.I have been exploring a few university ePortfolio programs, and I’ve not enjoyed a lot of what I’ve met. The majority feel boxy, like eCookie cutters that don’t seem to openly embrace messy learning.
I think that feeling of "I don’t like this space" is an important one to pay attention to. If you don’t feel drawn in, you won’t stick around. If you don’t want to hang out in your ePortfolio, chances are you’ll just use it to get the grade, and that soundly defeats the point of a personal learning environment doesn’t it?
Web 2 is fun. It’s a cool place to be. It’s a cool space to work in. I would even say it’s addictive. Shouldn’t that be a foundation to ePortfolios? A place where students could become easily addicted to ongoing learning? A place where development is fun?
I really wouldn’t want my blogfolio hosted by my current employer/institution.
I think a) the free host is going well and b) I’ll eventually pay for WP hosting. Or to say it more pointedly, I want complete control over my blogfolio and its content. Having an employer host it requires I give up some control.
Also…Aaron, I would love for you to host an edition of the Carnival of Education!!! What do you say?
Comment by daniel — April 17, 2006 @ 6:20 am
I agree with Daniel that I wouldn’t want my employer hosting my portfolio. Additionally since it is a portfolio that needs to appear professional I would recommend paid hosting and a domain name and organize everything the way you want it.
I’ve already purchased a domain for my hosting and am just waiting for my next vacation to work on the site design and content.
Comment by EFL Geek — April 17, 2006 @ 7:07 am
Daniel,
Thanks for your comment, and my apologies for not replying sooner. I really like what you have to say here: the learner needs, or should be, in complete control of the portfolio. It’s a Personal Learning Environment - to me, that means it should be portable, and it should be totally how the student wants it.
I too am considering my own web presence, and by that I mean one that I pay for, domain name and everything. I think a strategy like this would really help encourage ownership of, and engagement with the learning portfolio.
I would be happy to help you with the Carnival of Education. Just hit me with an email to let me know what that would mean, and how you want it. My gmail: mailtoaaron at gmail.com
Cheers!
Comment by Aaron Nelson — April 20, 2006 @ 9:30 am
EFL Geek,
I wonder if the idea of professional (paid by me) personal web presence will become a trend in the future. I was thinking about your comment the other day, and I thought to myself “What if one day everyone has their own domain name and webspace. Instead of business cards or resumes, you give out URLs.”
I totally agree with you around the ownership issue. IMHO, the more ownership and control over all aspects of a portfolio a student has, the more engaged he/she will be with it.
Portfolios shouldn’t be dry, boring, boxy spaces. They should be rich, engaging, and addictive.
What do you think?
Comment by Aaron Nelson — April 20, 2006 @ 9:36 am
Aaron,
I think that you have just introduced the Hammer to the Nail and it went well. I honestly believe this trend has already started.
More and More teachers that I meet have a web presence of some sort that they are using with students and as a selling point when looking for employment. Consider that you have two prospective teachers, but one has a web site for his students and is technically inclined and the other does not, but in all other aspects they are equal. Who would you hire?
Comment by EFL Geek — April 20, 2006 @ 3:39 pm
I’ve been interested in the idea of a electonic portfolio for some time but i haven’t figured out quite how to integrate it into the rest of the course I teach. I found your posts had some great ideas.
Interestingly, the European Union is introducing the European Language Portfolio for all students.
BTW I linked you to my blog, I hope you don’t mind.
Comment by Craig — May 4, 2006 @ 1:12 am
Hi Craig,
Thanks for your comment! I’m glad you found me, and found something of use here. I too have been trying to bend my brain around using porfolios in class. It’s easy to chatter about, but quite another thing to DO eh? I’ve seen the EU’s porfolio scheme. It’s fascinating! Have you seen their benchmark tables for measuring language proficiency?
Please do let me know, on your blog or here, what you do decide to do with portfolios. I’m very interested to read what other teachers are up to in this area.
I’m more than greatful for the link…thanks! I’ll put one to you up on mine.
Aaron
Comment by Aaron Nelson — May 4, 2006 @ 12:10 pm