Web 2.0, Literacy and ePortfolios

Sheryl Abshire, Ph.D. Cindy Cummings, Ed.D.

Lamar UniversityCollege of Education

Educational LeadershipBeaumont, TX

Web 2.0

• Term Web 2.0 made popular, initially to describe business models and trends that were sustained beyond the tech sector crash of the 90’s (O’Reilly, 2005)

• Things that had survived were similar in several ways. They tended to be collaborative, interactive, and dynamic.

• Users consuming content and creating it simultaneously. • Today, term Web 2.0 not recognized as web of text, but

rather web of multi-sensory communication.

Web 2.0/Literacy• K-12 world huge consumer of dynamic user-centered

Web 2.0 resources. • K-12 classrooms using a wealth of Web 2.0 resources

across subject areas. • Web 2.0 resources are available to students and

teachers to create engaged interactive learning environment.

• King (2011) observed students’ culture has dramatically changed

• To align with student’s world, educators have altered their pedagogical approaches.

Web 2.0/Literacy• New pedagogical approaches are student centered and

are in response to the cultural and literacy demands of the information age.

• Solomon and Schrum (2007) defined literacy today “acquiring new skills, including those of using technology, understanding science, having global awareness, and most important, having the ability to keep learning” (p.20).

• Consequently, we have seen huge strides made in contributing to the growth of literacy with the use of Web 2.0 tools.

Web 2.0 Research

• Enables interaction and collaboration (Parker & Chao, 2007; Tapscott & Williams, 2008)

• One-fifth of US higher education students actively contributing content to blogs, wikis, photo or video websites and 18% contributed regularly to at least three of these (OECD, 2009)

• Relatively new paradigm which enables contributions and communication (Mills, 2007)

e-portfolios PK-12• Web-based or electronic portfolios (e-portfolios, ePortfolios, efolios,

digital portfolios, etc.) are a relatively new, but quickly expanding, component of teacher education programs (Strudler & Wetzel, 2005).

• e-Portfolio templates in teacher education programs range– highly structured(e.g., foliotek) to those that are– loosely defined by rubric where students

independently organize and construct format of their own entries using website design program (e.g., Google Sites).

• Electronic portfolios (ePortfolios) basically operate as a "content-management system" (Jafari, 2004, p. 40).

e-portfolios PK-12• Chen and Light (2010) observed, ePortfolios allow students to select a

variety of digital artifacts and assemble them in one place in order to exhibit presentation skills or reflect, inquire and analyze material

• ePortfolios require students to reflect on their learning. • Richards and Guilbault (2009) contend that reflection has become as

essential way for students to speak in their own voices.• Critical reflection at strategic points in the development of the

ePortfolio creates a pathway for the formative examination and demonstration of learning

Web 2.0 Tools

• EdShelf• Google Tools, Slideshare, AudioBoo• DropBox, DropVox, & MediaFire• Web Conferencing, Skype, Google Talk/Chat• Animoto, Podcasts, Stykz, Audacity, Wordle, Tagxedo• Assistive Technologies• YouTube, TeacherTube, SchoolTube, YouTube Education• WikiSpaces, Blogger, WordPress• EdTech Toolbox• Cool Tools for Schools

Questions: Web 2.0 Tools

• What Web 2.0 tools and resources impact the way you learn, communicate, and assess growth?

• How are you currently using Web 2.0 tools and eportfolio components with students?

• How are you providing leadership using Web 2.0 tools to support and train faculty or staff?

Questions: Using Eportfolios

• What is the purpose for having students develop electronic portfolios?

• What are three types of student eportfolios?– Storage– Workspace– Showcase

• https://sites.google.com/site/eportfolioapps/overview/levels

Dr. Helen Barrett: http://electronicportfolios.com/

Questions: Considerations for You• What ages are the students?• What content areas? • What is your current technology infrastructure (i.e., will

your network keep up with GoogleDocs network traffic?)?

• What is your computer-to-student ratio? • How many students will be implementing portfolios? • Will you use some type of Internet/cloud/Web 2.0

system?

Dr. Helen Barrett: http://electronicportfolios.com/

Questions: Eportfolio Answers

• What? (The Past) What have I collected about my life/work/learning? (my artifacts)

• So What? (The Present) What do those artifacts show about what I have learned? (my current reflections on my knowledge, skills and abilities)

• Now What? (The Future) What direction do I want to take in the future? (my future learning goals)

Dr. Helen Barrett: http://electronicportfolios.com/

Promising Practices

• Collaboration• Project-based Learning• Personalized Learning (Choices)• Standards-based• Critical Reflection• Authentic Assessment• Mentoring, Coaching, and Peer Review

Samples from Dr. Helen Barrett

• https://sites.google.com/a/brvgs.k12.va.us/chloemiksovic/home

• https://sites.google.com/a/brvgs.k12.va.us/hunter-wallace/home

• http://web-2-0byjc.wikispaces.com/• http://nicola-eportfolio.blogspot.com/

• Ashley – Student Dayton (Janette Hill, Teacher)http://informaitonstation.weebly.com/index.html

• Port Arthur – (Hope Scott, Teacher)http://www.teacherweb.com/TX/MemorialHighSchool/HopeScott/apt4.aspx

• (Kim Talley, Teacher)https://sites.google.com/site/talley2012portfolio/

Cloud Computing Student Eportfolio Samples

Cloud Computing Professional Eportfolio Samples

• Sara Tarragona http://www.sites.google.com/site/sarabaragona/

• Janette Hill https://sites.google.com/site/janettehilleportfolio

• Pamela Comer https://sites.google.com/site/visionforedtechleadership/final-comprehensive-exam

• Sarah Lopez http://smlopez.wikispaces.com/

• Marie Grigsbyhttps://sites.google.com/site/mariegrigsby/

• Matthew Kitchens https://sites.google.com/site/gradesandupgrades/home

• Paula Brewtonhttps://sites.google.com/site/brewtonsinternshipportfolio/

Cloud Computing Samples

Teacher Collaboration

• Kathy Payne, Erin Cobb, Michelle Barberhttps://sites.google.com/site/science2project/home

• Stephanie Connor http://bhsenglish2009.wikispaces.com

Cloud Computing Professional Eportfolio Samples

Contact Information

Sheryl Abshire, Ph.D. sheryl.abshire@lamar.edu

Cindy Cummings, Ed.D. cdcummings@lamar.edu

For More Information: Lamar University

Beaumont, TX

http://luonline.lamar.edu/ACP/graduate/med_edtechleadshp.htmhttp://lamar.edu/

http://stateu.com/lamar/