Introduction to ePortfolios
For this week ICT, we focus on ePortfolios, e-assessment and Ethical issues such as Copyright.
Workshop Activities
In the ICT workshop, we learned about ePortfolio and Microsoft publisher. I simply loved learning new computer softwares. I think Microsoft Publisher is easy to learn and fun to use. I have attached a copy of my classwork below.Microsoft Publisher seemed to combine features of Word, Excel and Powerpoint and I find it really useful after many practices. This site explains the importance of teaching Microsoft Publisher to the students: http://baywood.metapress.com/app/home/contribution.asp?referrer=parent&backto=issue,7,7;journal,75,158;linkingpublicationresults,1:300326,1
"Desktop publishing is a meta-technology that allows professional writing students access to the production phase of publishing—which is crucial to readers' perception of the writer's text, yet is almost never controlled by the writer. Desktop publishing offers the most convenient means of giving students hands-on practice in preparing text for printing and in learning how that preparation affects the visual meaning of documents". Attached below is a brochure on Holidaying in New Zealand which I have done in the workshop.
BROCHURE DESIGNING: HOLIDAYING IN NEW ZEALAND!!
For this week ICT, we focus on ePortfolios, e-assessment and Ethical issues such as Copyright.
Workshop Activities
In the ICT workshop, we learned about ePortfolio and Microsoft publisher. I simply loved learning new computer softwares. I think Microsoft Publisher is easy to learn and fun to use. I have attached a copy of my classwork below.Microsoft Publisher seemed to combine features of Word, Excel and Powerpoint and I find it really useful after many practices. This site explains the importance of teaching Microsoft Publisher to the students: http://baywood.metapress.com/app/home/contribution.asp?referrer=parent&backto=issue,7,7;journal,75,158;linkingpublicationresults,1:300326,1
"Desktop publishing is a meta-technology that allows professional writing students access to the production phase of publishing—which is crucial to readers' perception of the writer's text, yet is almost never controlled by the writer. Desktop publishing offers the most convenient means of giving students hands-on practice in preparing text for printing and in learning how that preparation affects the visual meaning of documents". Attached below is a brochure on Holidaying in New Zealand which I have done in the workshop.
BROCHURE DESIGNING: HOLIDAYING IN NEW ZEALAND!!
EPortfolio
On the other hand, ePortfolio is a new concept to me. ePortfolio is a very powerful multimedia tool and I learned that besides Word document, Excel spreadsheets and Powerpoint presentations, there are a whole range of other multimedia stuff that I can include in my ePortfolio. These include publisher, music, sounds and voice recordings, digital images, Kahootz expressions and links to websites. I think it is very similar to blogs. It is quite an eye-opener for me and I have learned new ICT skills over and on top of my current knowledge. It will be an extremely important means for my teaching and assessment purposes.
With further readings, I found out that ePortfolio process involves collecting, selecting, reflecting, directing and celebrating. Through the use of multimedia, hypermedia and eLearning structures, ePortrfolio will enable me to archive, link and think, do story telling, colloborate and publish.
According to the Australian Flexible Learning Framework, "an e-portfolio can assist you with your personal development by providing an organised online space where you can:
According to the Australian Flexible Learning Framework, "an e-portfolio can assist you with your personal development by providing an organised online space where you can:
- develop a holistic overview of your learning, experiences and development beyond individual classes
- understand your learning and experience in terms of work-readiness
- extract evidence to demonstrate your learning and achievements
- identify skill gaps through review of all and reflection on your e-portfolio content
- plan, set and review personal development targets."
Types of ePortfolios
I also found out that there are mainly 3 main types of academic portfolios:
I also found out that there are mainly 3 main types of academic portfolios:
1) Teaching portfolios - comprising mainly of syllabi, assessments, assignments and student work collected by teachers for self-reflection purposes and peer review of teaching.
http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/files/aep_tt_240909_web.pdf
http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/files/aep_tt_240909_web.pdf
2) Students learning portfolios -are mainly collections of students' work and students' personal reflections. http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/files/aep_learners_240909_web.pdf
3) Institutional portfolios - usually contain institution's activities, programs and initiatives plus reflections. http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/files/aep_it_240909_web.pdf
There are also 4 types of ePortfolios being used in schools in the United Kingdom as presented by a study by Bussitil-Reynard et al (2006), namely:
1) Assessment ePortfolios - collection and management of work undertaken by the learners and their achievements against specified standards and criteria.This link explains what is an assessment ePortfolio: http://www.edtekservices.com/practice_areas/eportfolios.cfm
2) Presentation ePortfolios - where learners choose and present proof of personal information or achievement. This link shows some examples of presentation ePortfolios:
http://desktoppub.about.com/cs/freelance/a/portfolio_use.htm
http://desktoppub.about.com/cs/freelance/a/portfolio_use.htm
3) Transition ePortfolios - where the learner's administrative and education information is transferred from one institution to another as the learner progresses. Here is a link on transition portfolios: http://www.ah.ouhsc.edu/tolbert/Portfolios/Index_Portfolio.ASP
It provides the guidelines and instructions of how to set up a transition portfolio and shows us a number of examples.
It provides the guidelines and instructions of how to set up a transition portfolio and shows us a number of examples.
4) Learning ePortfolios - provides a broader and more general resource that can support the learner in whatever the learning is doing and also form the basis of any of the learner's previous portfolios. Dr. Helen Barrett, Researcher and Consultant, Electronic Portfolios and Digital Storytelling for Lifelong and Life Wide Learning of the United States created this blog to discuss her ideas on electronic portfolios to support lifelong learning. http://blog.helenbarrett.org/ She also shared some of her concerns about the current direction of electronic portfolios in Higher Education and K-12 schools. Here is another site that explores the progress and impact of technology in education : Harnessing Technology Review 2007 http://www.ttrb.ac.uk/viewArticle2.aspx?contentId=15926 According to the site, assessment of ICT was weak in one fifth of schools at Key Stage 3 and in one eighth at Key Stage 4 in the UK. "In many cases, teachers were too easily impressed with mediocre application of ICT by pupils. Even where ICT work was assessed, pupils generally received insufficient feedback on how they could improve their work. In many schools teachers did not evaluate how well pupils applied and used their ICT skills across the curriculum (Ofsted 2005) (p27)." I will be exploring ePortfolio to create a resume for myself and also for my ICT Minor Assignment. I will have to include educational philosophy, curriculum vitae/resume, and reflections from Teaching Practicum.
Ethical issues related to ePortfolios
In the lecture, we also looked at the ethical issues related to ePortfolios including:
1) Copyright,
2) Copying and Distributing Software;
3) Privacy;
4) Hacking;
5) Obscenity; and
6) Truthfulfulness, responsibility and Respect for others.
1) Vocational Education and Training (VET) E-portfolio Privacy Impact Assessment research report: Determining the privacy requirements for e-porfolio use in the Australian VET sector. http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/files/VET_E-portfolios_privacy_impact-assessment-RRF.pdf
2) VET ePortfolio Privacy draft guidelines: Considerations for managers of learner information and e-portfolio service providers. http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/files/VET_Eportfolios_privacy_guidelines_F.pdf
The UK has specific laws against misuse of computers including hacking and obscenities. This law is the Computer Misuse Act of 1990: http://www.jisclegal.ac.uk/LegalAreas/ComputerMisuse/ComputerMisuseOverview.aspx
Here is an example of a framework for ethical use of ICT equipment and systems created by St Patrick's College of Launceston, Tasmania: http://www.stpatricks.tas.edu.au/policies/public/documents/ICT_Ethical.pdf
Conclusion
In conclusion, ePortfolios are important tools for reflections and assessments. However we must not overlook the issues of copyrights and the infringements of copyrights when using ePortfolios.
Ethical issues related to ePortfolios
In the lecture, we also looked at the ethical issues related to ePortfolios including:
1) Copyright,
2) Copying and Distributing Software;
3) Privacy;
4) Hacking;
5) Obscenity; and
6) Truthfulfulness, responsibility and Respect for others.
This website provides good insight into ePortfolio and its copyright implications: http://www-public.jcu.edu.au/libcomp/library/copyright/JCUPRD_031121 First it defines ePortfolio as a "Web-based curriculum vitae (résumé) that may showcase and document an individual's accomplishments and experiences at the University". Then it looks at the copyright implications. It clearly explains that individuals who created the ePortfolio(s) works usually own the copyright and any unauthorised upload of the works of others may constitute an infringement of copyright. Under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth), ePortfolio owners are responsible for any copyright infringements of reproducing and communicating copyrighted materials that belong to others. Under this law and through international conventions and treaties, a wide variety of material is protected by copyright, including:
- literary works (e.g. novels, poems, essays, books, journals, newspapers);
- dramatic works (e.g. plays and screenplays etc);
- musical works (e.g. sheet-music);
- artistic works (e.g. paintings, sculpture, cartoons, photographs, illustrations etc);
- audio-visual material (e.g. sound recordings; films - including animations and moving images; radio and television broadcasts).
Computer programs are classified as "literary works" under the copyright act. As such, authorized copying and distributing of software may constitute a copyright infringement. This kind of copyright infringement is extremely common. Although most countries have copyright laws which apply to software, but the degree of enforcement varies.
Some websites such as ePortfolio dot org:http://www.eportfolio.org/legal.cfm grants user a limited license to access and make personal use of the site and not to download (other than page caching) or modify it, or any portion of it, except with express written consent of the ePortfolio. It has strict legal and privacy statements with regards to its site's usage.
The Australian Flexible Learning Framework has conducted a privacy impact assessment (PIA) on the use of e-portfolios in the vocational education and training sector.
An outcome of the PIA has been the release of following documents:1) Vocational Education and Training (VET) E-portfolio Privacy Impact Assessment research report: Determining the privacy requirements for e-porfolio use in the Australian VET sector. http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/files/VET_E-portfolios_privacy_impact-assessment-RRF.pdf
2) VET ePortfolio Privacy draft guidelines: Considerations for managers of learner information and e-portfolio service providers. http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/files/VET_Eportfolios_privacy_guidelines_F.pdf
The UK has specific laws against misuse of computers including hacking and obscenities. This law is the Computer Misuse Act of 1990: http://www.jisclegal.ac.uk/LegalAreas/ComputerMisuse/ComputerMisuseOverview.aspx
Here is an example of a framework for ethical use of ICT equipment and systems created by St Patrick's College of Launceston, Tasmania: http://www.stpatricks.tas.edu.au/policies/public/documents/ICT_Ethical.pdf
Conclusion
In conclusion, ePortfolios are important tools for reflections and assessments. However we must not overlook the issues of copyrights and the infringements of copyrights when using ePortfolios.
