I have just completed a survey form for someone doing a Masters research project on what leadning educators say about trends in the use of eportfolios in teacher education. This has lead to me revisiting what had written here in 2007 and I realise how remiss I have been in keeping this blog up-to-date.
I have noted increased knowledge and use of digital technology amongst the staff and a determination to consider how we can use digital technologies to enhance our programme and more importantly student learning. I think getting out heads around the possibilities does require us to individually become familiar and excited about it. So the use of Facebook is the most notable evidence of me and my colleagues trying out new digital places - Facebook certainly seems to fulfill its function as a social networking site. I personally have found several old friends I had not had dontact with for many many years and the site enables you to view their photo albums etc. It also provides a very workable medium for brief messages and photo posts that increase our socialising and therefore sense of connectedness.
However I don't think Facebook is the write digital environment for education, but certainly a similar type of environment, many which do exist I am sure but I have not yet had time to explore them. So let me know if you find a digital environment that would work really well for student teacher s
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2 comments:
Hi, Cheryl, Yes, a lot has happened in the last two years in terms of VLEs, PLEs and e-Portfolios! Certainly, the technology has improved but more so the actual thinking and practice have improved possibly four-fold.
I think that you are falling into the very same trap that most academics have fallen into, that of trying to understand e-Portfolio practice from both an historical standpoint (this is how we have always taught children) and secondly from an adult perspective (these are the tools I use).
I have argued repeatedly that if academics insist on designing e-Portfolio practice at an institutional level and delivering adult functionality, then we are creating a silo from which others, including the young children, the less-able and the elderly are excluded.
What we need to do is start from first principles and decide what both teachers and learners need and to THEN decide what technologies would be appropriate to assist what all the different groups want to do.
Rather than go on at length, here, perhaps interested readers migh wish to visit my links:
P: http://www.raytolley1.xfolioworld.com
B: http://www.efoliointheuk.blogspot.com/
W: http://www.maximise-ict.co.uk/eFolio-01.htm
Readers might also be interested to know that others from NZ have been showing an interest in my blog and possibly using my eFolio product!
Best Wishes,
Ray T
Thanks for the links i wll have a look. We are introducing eportfolios using wix.com for our first year students a part of their Professsional inquiry course. I will blog how they find it.
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