Why Open Source Portfolio (OSP) in Sakai Works For Us

Nancy O’Laughlin, nolaug@udel.eduMarc Zaldivar, marcz@vt.edu

Teggin Summers, teggin@vt.edu

During session presenters will …• Share their perspectives on why Open Source

Portfolio (OSP) in Sakai works for them.• Describe the implementation and management

decisions made for their own institutions.• Share the features within OSP that enable them

to meet course, program or institutional needs.• Critically reflect on those decisions and features

summarizing their current situation and plans for the future.

Tool name Purpose

• Matrices• Evaluations

• Forms• Portfolio• Portfolio templates• Glossary

• Provides structure, guidance• Views outstanding evaluations

of students matrices• Collect structured data• Create a personal portfolio• Guided presentation portfolio• provides definitions for row and

column names in matrices

Portfolio tools in Sakai

Why we chose Sakai at UD• Information Technologies had prior experience

with Open Source software• Interest in e-portfolios, led to an early installation

of Sakai for OSP tools• UD adopted Sakai in 2008 as its LMS– Course sites – primary focus of use – set of tools

matched our current needs– Project sites – provide an online working environment

for groups– Portfolio sites – interest increasing on campus,

continue pilots

Portfolios at UD• Programmatic portfolio

(TLA portfolio)– Faculty driven– Program level– Connected to student

program learning goals & General Education goals

– Reflective• Presentation portfolio

(piloting)

LEARNING

ASSESSMENT

TEAC

HIN

G

E-PORTFOLIOS

How we use Sakai for programmatic portfolios

• Matrices tool– Gather student data

• Submitted artifacts• Self assessment• Responses to reflective prompts

– Provide feedback• Instructor• Peer

– Provide evaluation • Instructor• Peer• External

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Process: Matrix Building Workflow (outside Sakai)

CFEE*

Design

*Center for Educational Effectiveness

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Matrix Building Workflow (inside Sakai)

IT CS&S*

Development

*Information Technologies, Client Support & Services

Sample matrix/portfolio in Sakai

Presentation portfolio is one artifact in the programmatic portfolio

Presentation portfolios

Piloting• OSP Sakai (using

matrices, portfolio tools)• Google Apps (Google

Sites)• Dreamweaver• Other

Considerations• Access after graduation• Sharing• URL• Download and save• Ease of use• Technical background of

student/faculty

Learned to date• Takes time• Complexity of e-portfolio, – One model does not fit all

• Need for faculty development

• Technology– Common advantages/challenges– What goes in, must come out – reporting

“My teaching is improving with every session!”

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Why we chose Sakai at VT

• Our Sr. Dir. of Strategy and Planning was on the founding board of Open Source Portfolio, which was subsumed by Sakai.

• When VT made the decision to leave Bb, Sakai was compelling because of its incorporation of other activities in addition to classroom management capabilities, i.e., project sites and OSP tools.

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…why we chose Sakai

• Knowing that our university was facing SACS accreditation, we emphasized the OSP tools for assessment needs

• We also have a Dean and VP of Undergraduate Education who is a big proponent of ePortolios, and the Sakai eP tools made the most sense for university-wide deployment of ePs (with tools built right into the university CLE).

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Biggest Advantage to Using Sakai

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Example:learning, assessment, and prof. dev.

Kelly Anne Stahl

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Example: feedback and assessment

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Advantages to using Sakai

• Tools built into CLE/OAE– Systems and Development teams are able to

provide support and infrastructure • Tools are robust/diverse– Matrix and template tools span the spectrum of

needs and functionality• Rigorous Private/Share capability• Balance between templates & student

creativity

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…advantages to using Sakai

• Assessment, assessment, assessment– Specific tools for assessment– Student still owns the content, but

administrators are able to save data for assessment purposes

• Provide scaffolded learning environment• Embed reflection forms and offer places for

reflective activities

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Challenges to using Sakai• Not always intuitive• Two tools (matrix and template) can be

confusing to people (nomenclature)• Lots of clicks needed• Multiple databases can slow things down• Permissions can present sharing problems

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…challenges to using Sakai• Portability• Easy to get data in, difficult to get data out• Scale up• Not easy for faculty to do development on

their own

Discussion• What are your technology challenges

implementing eportfolios?• What support challenges do you face?• Are there policies you need to develop?– How long to keep data?–Who needs access?– Training?

Questions?

Nancy O’Laughlin, nolaug@udel.eduMarc Zaldivar, marcz@vt.edu

Teggin Summers, teggin@vt.edu