Use of ePortfolio to enhance student learning Hokling CHEUNG City University of Hong Kong May 11, 2009 @ e-Learning Forum Asia 2009

Use of ePortfolio Use of ePortfolio to enhance student learningto enhance student learning

Hokling CHEUNGCity University of Hong KongMay 11, 2009 @ e-Learning Forum Asia 2009

http://www.cityu.edu.hk/edo/elearning_forum/2009/

2009-10 TDG- ePortfolios for All: A Roadmap for Success- 3-pronged approach: students, staff & roadmap- Generic ePortfolio structure- Roadmap: transition, outcomes, ideal graduate &

career preparation

2005-06 TDG- pilot 10 ELC courses- language portfolios- technologies

2007-09 TDG- ELC & other disciplines like BCH, BST, DCO, EN, SA, SG and co-curricular activities- learning portfolios- reflection

Note: There were other courses of different departments and colleges integrating ePortfolios into student learning and assessment activities who were not involved in our projects.

Language portfolio Learning portfolio Generic ePortfolios

One-web-page (simple HTML)Digital storyMore emphasis on reflection

Website Advanced HTMLEmphasis on technologies

Bb Basic Portfolio functionDirect use of templatesEmphasis on reflection

2005-2006 2007-2009

Bb Personal Portfolio functions, Google Sites & RoadmapGeneric ePortfolio structure Formative and summative reflection

2009-2010

Course-based Wikis and Blogs Digital story More emphasis and facilitation on feedback

Wiki functions in MyExpoUser centric application

CoveragePhase 1st (2006-2007) 2nd (2007-2009)

Departments • English Language Centre

• English Language Centre

• Biology and Chemistry

• Computer Studies

• Public and Social Administration

• English and Communication

• Division of Building Science and

Technology

• School of Graduate Studies

Staff 2 investigators

1+9 teachers

1 RA

9 investigators

9+40+7 teachers

4 EDO staff

Students(# portfolios)

260 2333

Should we ask Should we ask students to first students to first

create an create an employment employment portfolio?portfolio?

The two-fold strategyePortfolios + Reflection

Feedback from students

• Most students (65%) realise that preparation and planning like goal setting, action planning, knowing the course ILOs and assessment criteria, etc. are helpful for achieving better performance.

(634 students responded in Semester A & B 2008-9)

Having the experience in developing ePortfolios and learning to reflect, many students identified important factors or strategies that can help them learn better.

• After the portfolio development experience, students find their major achievements are in raising the awareness in different aspects of learning (50%), increasing their ability to handle technical tasks (48%) and enriching their knowledge with some new concepts and ideas (40%).

• Students think that portfolio development helps them to learn better as they have to keep reflecting on the process/during the course of learning (50%), have to organise their learning when going through the editorial process for the portfolio (43%) and to record their thoughts, work, dialogues and interaction with others (38%).

There are

ways to learn

better!

The positive effect on learning is related mainly to the practices of reflection and the process of portfolio making.

I think both the ePortfolio and

reflection are useful for learning.

• Both formative and summative reflection were agreed to be important by about half of the students. – 56% reflection is very important during the

process of learning. 

– 46% reflective review and summary at the end of a particular course or activity is important. 

• 62% students think that the process of developing a portfolio is useful for learning. 34% students think the end product of the portfolio is useful for learning. 

Generic & Nesting Structure of ePortfolios

Types of Portfolios

“These different “types” of ePortfolios reflect the fact that ePortfolios are being produced and consumed (used) in many different processes, or to manage different processes.”

Serge Ravethttp://www.eife-l.org/publications/eportfolio/documentation/positionpaper

• Learning portfolios• Employment/Career/Professional portfolios• Assessment portfolios• Showcase portfolios• Personal development portfolios• Teaching portfolios• Training portfolios

Generic Structure of ePortfolios

Personal particulars, biography, values & beliefs, interests and hobbies etc

Purpose, audience, achievements and development, reflection and future direction

Representative work & evidence

Official recognition of achievement, qualifications, contribution and participation

PROFILE

SUMMARY

SHOWCASE

QUALIFICATION

Generic Structure of ePortfolios

PROFILE

SUMMARY

SHOWCASE

QUALIFICATION

Personality Goal setting

Rhetorical purpose & strategic useAchievements (outcomes, competencies, attributes & standards)Reflection (Critical thinking skills)Future direction life long learning

Room for students (self-directed learning, belated mastery, creativity etc)Editorial and technical skills

Standards and quality/Benchmarking/AccreditationParticipation in professional communitiesContribution to other communities

Nesting Structure of ePortfolios

A “big” portfolio holding “smaller portfolios”/artifacts

PROFILE

SUMMARY

SHOWCASE

QUALIFICATION SUMMARY

MY WORK

PERFORMANCE

SUMMARY

SHOWCASE

QUALIFICATION

ACHIEVEMENT

GALLERY

QUALIFICATION

Metaphors for Reflection

Use the mirror to prompt reflection about yourself.

Go deeper and analyze the details of an event, task, or experience.

What choices lie ahead?

Look for connections and relationships.

Identify relevant and best evidence to support claims

Think about how you could have done something better.

Cheung, Dean, Pickard & Chan 2009

Metaphors for Reflection

How do you feel till now at the last lesson of SG8001? Try to use at least three different adjectives to describe your feelings.

What is/are the most remarkable thing(s) you came across in this course?

How will you apply what you have learnt from this course?

What have you achieved in this course?

How would you describe your achievement?

How do you know you have achieved at which level?

Is there any evidence to support your claims of achievement? What can they be?Is there anything you think you could have done better? What is it?

What capacity do you have now as a teacher?

How would you describe your achievement in terms of the course outcomes?

How relevant and related it is between what you have learnt from this course to your duties, studies or else?

What aspects of yourself will need to improve or enhance?

What is the concrete action plan for that?

Reflection – mental activities

Reflection – content domains

ePortfolio pedagogies

ObjectivesOutcomesObservationObstaclesOpportuniti

esOpinions

Reflection

• Discovery

• Problem Solving

• Evaluation

• Learning &

Advancement

Learning management skills

IT skillsEmployability skillsGeneric skillsEditorial skillsPresentation skills

Self-directed learning

Learning community

Life long learning

Transitions

Documentation

Learning management

Engagement

Mentoring

Collaboration

Academic advising

Career Preparation

Whole Person

Development

Accreditation

Assessment of• Process• Product/

Performance• Outcomes• Competencies

Formative reflection

Summative reflection

Formative feedback

Summative feedback

The two-fold strategyePortfolios + Reflection

• Ownership of learning• Learning community and collaboration• Goal setting and internalization of

outcomes• Facilitate self-assessment• Development of critical thinking,

technical, communication, and presentation skills

• Some quotes from students talking about benefits gained from creating an ePortfolio.

"I remember not just the goals that I want to achieve in this course but also my intention to become a marine Biologist."

"Review of all my coursework. From others' comments and feedback, I can learn more. Train my web-page design skill. Putting my smile to everyone makes my confident. My classmate, friends, instructors or even strangers can have a platform to know me.“

"I understand more of my self and learning experience. I can summarize the learning material and my past experience. I know how to create the e-online-CV(Resume). I know I need to learn how to organize my own materials. (Resume and certificates).“

"I learned to figure out problems on my own, problems like how to use the Dreamweaver. It gives me more confidence. I treated my works, assignments and reflections seriously, which makes them more valuable. The process of creating an eportfolio developed my patience. I got to know more about myself, not only the learning ability but also the personality"

"I can summarize all my works and the quality of my works can be improved next time. I can also reflect myself and look what I've done in this year." 

"This increase my "index" of my creative. I found it interesting to write down and comment what I learnt. It really help me to remember it and even more."

"In the creation of an ePortfolio, I have learnt to create a simple movie in the computer that I have never done it before. The confidence in using the computer to make a movie in the computer is improved."

"Know what is my strength and weakness. Clear understanding for my self. Better reflection. Evidence for future career."

"Should be neat. Should be reflective. Show your effort."

"I know the importance of recording my process of study and the importance of reflection."

• "Importance of reflection / what should be put and what should not be put in an ePortfolio."

•

• "It really made me think of what I have done and what I should have done. I think reflection is the most useful part because I feel I really gained something after an activity or my learning. Also, looking back the goals I had made let me know how much I have to do, what aspect I should put effort on."

My life University study Graduation Promotion

exchange

internshipstudy trip

workshops

group projects

community services

final year projectcourses further study

community services

professional membership

projects

awardspart-time jobsStudent unions

study tripevent organisation recognition

competitionpublication

Language portfolios

Learning portfolios for courses

Learning portfolio for a programme study

Employment portfolio

Performance Appraisals

Work portfolio

My life University study Graduation Promotion

Language portfolios

Learning portfolios for courses

Learning portfolio for a programme study

Employment portfolio

Performance Appraisals

Work portfolio

Benefits of Discipline Specific ePortfolio Templates

Ownership of Learning and Development

Career Preparation

OBTL

CityU Ideal Graduate

ePortfolios as RoadmapsDiscipline Specific ePortfolio Templates

Transitions

Life long learner

ePortfolio technologies

Structured or free form?

Search Data! Ownership issues User friendliness Scalability

Personalisation IT skill requirement Time & effort Connectivity Interoperability & compatibility

Database Free form

DreamweaverHTML/websites

electronic video/doc/ppt/digital story telling

Blogs

pre-defined structure & forms

Wikis

Bb/LMS

Google Sites

home grown systems

A lot of choices but

looking forward to a

perfect one!

Would that be the case that an ideal ePortfolio tool is actually a user-

centric e-Learning system?

eP tool = {user-centric}n eL platform

ePortfolios Showcase• Students’ work

– 2005– 2006 or Darry’s portfolio– 2007– 2008– 2009

• Sample portfolios– Vera’s Graduate Portfolio – Gut’s Portfolio (GoogleSite)– Gut’s Portfolio (Bb)

• Portfolio templates– CTL (discipline specific ePortfolio template)– Employment portfolio– Sandy Wong’s Language Portfolio