Documenting Learning with E-Portfolios Blurring personal and professional

Michael Seery School of Chemistry &

Centre for Science Education

University of Edinburgh

michael.seery@ed.ac.uk @seerymk

www.michaelseery.com

Overview

• What do we mean by an e-portfolio?

(Short answer: I’m not sure)

• Documenting learning for a 21st Century Student

E-portfolio www.michaelseery.com/portfolio/

E-portfolio www.michaelseery.com/portfolio/

E-portfolio www.michaelseery.com/portfolio/

Challenging our conception of e-portfolio

• My portfolio was assessment driven

• I had to make it… stuff had to go in a place… (Wordpress vs Mahara)… I was showing off my best, rather than reflecting my journey.

• Does it represent who I am (for employment, CPD, digital identity…?)

E-portfolio

Who am I? gif

Conundrum for educators

Does the imposition of an e-portfolio structure on students as we aim to

document their journey diminish the outputs we exactly wish to capture.

Documenting the learning vs

Documenting what is learned

Different approach?

E-portfolio structure

Digital artefacts Digital artefacts

Digital artefacts

Digital artefacts

Showcase 1 “book of evidence”

Showcase 2 “book of evidence”

Showcase using scoop.it

Showcase using Tumblr

CVs for the 21st Century, Education in Chemistry, 2016, 2, 32 (@RSC_EiC).

What do we mean by an e-portfolio?

Does it reflect continual change?

What is the value of the “e” part?

Structure driven vs Artefact driven

Overview

• What do we mean by an e-portfolio?

(Short answer: I’m not sure)

• Documenting learning for a 21st Century Student

Creating Digital Artefacts: Digital Badges

Creating Digital Artefacts: Digital Badges

Assessment process generates digital artefacts

Creating Digital Artefacts: Wikis

• Final year course in analytical methods

• Lots of different techniques; students required to discuss techniques and how they complement each other

• Very poor performance in exams

Use Wikis!

• Online document editing space (pbworks.com)

• Traceable – you can see who adds what and when

• Student put into groups of 3 and given assignment to complete over semester

• Students working well contributing regularly

• Editing each others work

• Sourcing information from literature

• Writing scientifically relevant pieces

But

• Apart from a few (notable) exceptions, exam performance reverted to similar approaches in previous years

Third Space

• Run by Institute of Academic Development (UoE)

Conclusions

• E-portfolio have a place in documenting student learning, often outwith the curriculum

• Drawn from a mix of personal and professional digital identities

• Emphasis on creation and showcasing of digital artefacts for a given purpose rather than “filling” an e-portfolio may result in them being more useful

• Opportunities exist for increasing digital artefacts throughout the curriculum

michael.seery@ed.ac.uk @seerymk www.michaelseery.com