31
Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning Vance Stevens Presented August 21, 2011 at the MMVC11 Online MoodleMoot Conference http://moodlemoot.integrating-technology.org/ First presented at University of Oregon August 10, 2011

Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

Embed Size (px)

DESCRIPTION

Abstract: Vance Stevens has been teaching a course on multiliteracies and revising it for a number of iterations over the past several years now. One recent innovation was to set evaluation of the course by means of e-portfolios. I have started referring to them as "Me-Porfolios" to draw attention to their constructivist/connectivist nature. The presentation describes the multiliteracies course and how it has recently evolved a MOOC approach with berry-bush supermarket presentation rather than prescribed guidance through course components. MOOC stands for "massivie open online course" but I have suggested scaling the concept where "massive" becomes "miniscule". User choice in material to be covered makes it logical to encourage participants to adopt Me-Porfolios in (1) specifying their own course objectives and outcomes as they orient in the course; (2) presenting their individually tailored plan of achieving those objectives, and ; (3) documenting their accomplishments through an online portfolio linking to deliverables prepared in showcasing those outcomes. The presenter has found it wise to model e-portfolios to the participants as well as identify successful examples of e-portfolios. This presentation covers the literature on e-portfolios as presented in the course and shows the portal linking the Me-Portfolios prepared by the participants in the most recent rendition of the course. This presentation is online http://tinyurl.com/meportfolio Slides: http://slideshare.net/vances Multiliteracies course http://goodbyegutenberg.pbworks.com Vance Stevens: [email protected] / http://adVancEducation.blogspot.com

Citation preview

Page 1: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

Vance StevensPresented August 21, 2011 at the MMVC11

Online MoodleMoot Conferencehttp://moodlemoot.integrating-technology.org/

First presented at University of Oregon August 10, 2011

Page 2: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 2

This presentation covers

• My background in e-learning– TESOL Principles and Practices of Online Teaching– EVO Electronic Village Online

• My Multiliteracies course– http://goodbyegutenberg.pbworks.com

• MOOC – Massive online open courses– Can massive scale to miniscule?– Assessing MOOC with Me-Portfolios

Page 3: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 3

This presentation is online

• Written version– http://tinyurl.com/m

eportfolio

• Slides– http://slideshare.net/

vances

• Multiliteracies course – http://goodbyeguten

berg.pbworks.com

Page 4: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 4

TESOL e-learning programs

• 2003 - TESOL Online Academy course entitled “Enhancing Online Communities with Voice and Webcams” http://www.tesol.org/edprg/olw/academies.html#w3

• 2004 to present - TESOL PPOT (Principles and Practices of Online Teaching) program – Multiliteracies for connected learning

http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/sec_document.asp?CID=664&DID=2642

– My 1st use of portfolios approach in 2007 http://portfolios2007.wikispaces.com/

Page 5: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 5

EVO Electronic Village Online

Sessions conducted:• 2002 – Webheads in Action http://webheads.info

• 2003 – Communities of Practice http://vancestevens.com/papers/tesol/baltimore2003/copractice.html#workshop

• 2005, 2006 – Web Presence http://webpages.csus.edu/~hansonsm/WebPresence.html

• 2007 – Webcast Academy http://evo07sessions.pbworks.com/w/page/5965481/webcast-academy

• 2000 – helped with Blogging for Educators with http://writingmatrix.wikispaces.com

• 2009 to present – Evolution of the Multiliteracies course as EVO session http://goodbyegutenberg.pbworks.com

Page 6: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 6

What’s different about Multiliteracies?

• It has always been open– Web 1.0 portals sidestepped Desire to Learn– Added Web 2.0 portals in Moodle and Ning– Stores all past and present content at

http://goodbyegutenberg.pbworks.com • It encourages community– Other courses start afresh each rendition;

Multiliteracies revolves same online spaces– Welcomes participants for free or for fee– Encourages past participants to return

Page 7: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 7

Differences in Materials and Tasks

• Overabundance of materials– Displayed as menu, not all meant to be consumed – Scanlon & Scanlon, conduit and berry-bush

• Tasks are– Optional, suggestions– Self-selected by

participants themselves– Chronicled in Me-Portfolios

Page 8: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 8

More differences: Utilization ofmultiple open spaces

• Listserve http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/multilit/

• LMS forums (Moodle, Ning) http://multiliteracies.ning.com/

• Blogs and Wikis (posting and commenting)• Tagging and RSS (of posts, Flickr photos)

http://spezify.com/#/evomlit• Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/search/%23evomlit

• Facebook http://www.facebook.com/groups/194181233930205/

• Curated sites – Pageflakes:

http://www.pageflakes.com/vancestevens/13498617– Scoop.it: http://www.scoop.it/t/multiliteracies

Page 9: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 9

As the course evolves, it becomes …

• Incubator for ideas on education, teaching, and learning

• Lab for experimentation in relatively uncontaminated conditions – Minimal constraints on content or assessment– Except that PPOT participants are evaluated as

having passed or failed

Page 10: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 10

MOOC as framework for Multiliteracies

• First MOOC in 2008, a dozen since then http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massive_open_online_course

• Some taking place now and in near future– Connectivist and Connected Knowledge

CCK11 (Jan to April 2011) - http://cck11.mooc.ca/– EduMOOC (June to Aug 2011) -https://sites.google.com/site/edumooc/– EpCoP MOOC (July to Sept 2011) -

https://sites.google.com/site/eportfoliocommunity/epcop-mooc

– MOOC-like courses at Stanford (Fall 2011) -http://www.openculture.com/2011/08/stanford_computer_science_courses_this_fall.html

– Change MOOC (Sept 2011 to May 2012) - http://change.mooc.ca/

These courses are open, announced onlineAnyone can join them, for free

Page 11: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 11

Some literature on MOOC

• McAuley, A., Stewart, B., Siemens, G., and Cormier.D. (2010). The MOOC model for digital practice. Created through funding received by the University of Prince Edward Island, Social Sciences and Humantities Research Council's "Knowledge synthesis grants on the Digital Economy." Available, http://davecormier.com/edblog/wp-content/uploads/MOOC_Final.pdf

• Kop, R. (2011). The Challenges to connectivist learning on open online networks: Learning experiences during a Massive Open Online Course. International review of open and distance learning Vol 12, No 3 (March, 2011). Available, http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/882/1689

Page 12: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 12

What is a MOOC?

• Wikipedia article crowdsourced @EduMOOC: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massive_open_online_course

• Dave Cormier’s three videos are simply explained, with fanciful animations in the style of Commoncraft –Easily found on Google or YouTube–Linked from Leigh Blackall’s page:

http://leighblackall.blogspot.com/2011/01/networked-learning-explanation-made.html

Page 13: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 13

Cormier Video 1: What is a MOOC?

• Participatory– Participants don’t complete assignments but engage in material with each

other– Engage in material elsewhere on the web– Make connections between ideas and other people

• A course (an event)– A way to connect and collaborate– A way to engage in the learning process

• Open– You might pay for a certificate on

completion– You don’t pay to take the course– All work done is shared– You own / keep your work

Page 14: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 14

Cormier Video 1: What is a MOOC?• Distributed

– Blog posts, discussion posts, videos, tweets, tags– These are all over the web

• No one right way through the materials– Participation helps build distributed knowledge base on Web

• Supports life-long networked learning– Develops learner independence– Encourage learners to work in own spaces– Create authentic networks – Promote the kind of network creation that lifelong learning is all about

You choose to take it, choose what you do, how you participate, and YOU decide if you’ve been successful

Page 15: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 15

Cormier Video 2: Success in a MOOC

People take MOOCs for various reasons. These techniques enable participants to adapt course to individual needs:• Orient

– A MOOC is paced, participants plan accordingly

– Decide what materials you want to cover

• Declare– Start a blog, post to forums– Tag your posts

• Network– Find other people with whom

to exchange comments– Reply, discuss

• Cluster– Find others whose work you

relate to, connect– Form PLN, community

• Focus– Why are you trying to do this

course?– Get your cluster to help you with

your project

Page 16: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 16

Cormier Video 3: Knowledge in MOOC

• MOOC does not assume there is one thing to know, or that there is a certain appropriate knowledge– Knowledge is negotiated– Knowledge emerges, its direction is unpredictable

• Themes merge with course material to create knowledge base

• Participants come to understand how their knowledge stacks up against others in the field

• Participation produces a knowledge network – Basis for ongoing focus and discussion– May push knowledge in the field to new level

Page 17: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 17

Connectivism

In this YouTube video, Siemens says at min 1:13http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqL_lsogeNU&feature=youtu.be

"Have you ever thought about how completely irrelevant structured learning is?"

Siemens, G. (2004-5). Connectivism: A Learning theory for the digital age. Elearnspace. Retrieved August 17, 2011 from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm

Siemens’s conclusions can be startling

Page 18: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 18

Siemens on ‘the path to knowledge’

• “I’m not aware of any research actually that says linear structure produces better outcomes than more chaotic meandering structure.

• Our intent, based on our theories of learning is to argue that the experience of learning, making sense of that chaos, is actually the heart of the learning experience,

• but if an instructor makes sense of that chaos for you and gives you all the readings and sets the full path in place for you then to a degree you are eviscerating the learner’s experience because now you’ve made sense of them and all you’ve told them is ‘walk the path that I’ve formed’.

• When it comes to complexity I’m a great fan of letting learner’s hack their way through that path and getting the value of that learning experience and that sense-making process.”

Quotes on this and next slide transcribed fromhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMfipxhT_Co&feature=related.

Page 19: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 19

Siemens on Connected Knowledge

• “encourage students to really broaden their networks … to think as a global participant,

• recognizing that the knowledge that you need to learn a complex subject matter is not going to be contained in one individual and it’s not going to be contained in one institution likely.

• It’s going to be distributed and as a result of that distribution we need to design a distributed learning model.”

Page 20: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 20

Miniscule open online courses

Size is essence of MOOC, but features of M(iniscule)OOCs still include:• Extremely student centered• Highly networked• Course consists of rich content• Facilitators provide coherent PLE• Participants navigate curriculum according to

their interest and individual choices

Page 21: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 21

Student concerns• Students prefer their courses laid out for them

– Dislike the idea of synthesizing their own order from chaos• They find MOOC content overwhelming

– Do not understand initially that • the materials there are meant to be filtered• those that appeal can be used as catalysts to construct sense-making with

others• Misinterpret facilitator avoiding firm lead

– Participants complain when facilitators do not direct• but facilitator encourages participants to construct meaning on their own • gives them space to do that

• Where is the center?– Cormier's advice critical

• orient, etc.

In the end, student feedback is positive, many return to future courses

Page 22: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 22

Points in favor

• A program of study needs balance– Most courses are likely to be tightly structured– Creating some chaotic courses rounds program

• Granted, there are sound pedagogical reasons for simplifying for students, but …– Complexity happens

• Learners need to learn to cope with authenticity, reality

– Risk of "narrows" • David Weinberger cautions about "narrowing the richness of shared

experience to a manageable trickle”

– Learning happens best when we ourselves resolve doubts, • We can explain simple things • Resolving complexity requires deep thought and understanding

Page 23: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 23

Why it works for courses like mine

• Course content is about multiliteracies• Participants are mature learners • Participants motivated, passionate, usually

self-select to be there• The subject matter is truly complex• The knowledge required is partly ineffable• Assessment of participants is constructivist,

formative, under their control

Page 24: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 24

Might not work for

• Immature or inexperienced learners• Unmotivated learners• Cases where emphasis is on training• For simple or simplified material• Where assessment instruments do not truly address

skills – Where teachers must ‘teach to the test’

Kristin Gorski has a nice presentation where she gives limitations of MOOCs and suggests applications for middle and high school students: http://www.slideshare.net/krgors/k-gorski-moocfinalpresentationmay2011mobimooc-7942094

Page 25: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 25

Where are the standards?

• George Siemens often talks about how we can’t know exactly why students take our courses

• Concludes that "The formal learning process is irrelevant for meaningful learning" – acknowledges that schools must have standards that

control how they credit students for taking their courses, but

– argues that “sense-making” and “meaningful learning” emerge from intrinsic processes more than from external ones.

Page 26: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 26

Me-Portfolio Assessment

In my multiliteracies courses, no external criteria for assessment, so I apply Me-Portfolios• Compatible with MOOC theory of pedagogy• Allow learners to articulate their own reasons for taking the course

and then act on them.

Me-Portfolios let participants:• Specify their own course objectives and outcomes as they orient in

the course; • Present their individually tailored plan of achieving those

objectives, and ; • Document their accomplishments through an online portfolio

linking to deliverables showcasing those outcomes

Page 27: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 27

Rationale for Me-Porfolios

• Helen Barrett, Electronic Portfolios and Digital Storytelling for lifelong and life-wide learning, http://electronicportfolios.org/– TED Talk on Feb 25, 2010:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckcSegrwjkA– Barrett's blog: http://blog.helenbarrett.org/

• K12 Online Conference 2009 | Googlios: A 21st – Century Approach to Teaching, Learning, & Assessment: http://k12onlineconference.org/?p=478 – develops rationale for e-portfolio use– Shows how e-portfolios can be built from Google tools

Page 28: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 28

More RationaleFrom Trent Batson, http://www.trentbatson.com/ • http://campustechnology.com/articles/2008/04/eportfolios-hot-once-again.aspx

– "The learning management system may seem like the quintessential academic technology application, but instead the ePortfolio is ... ePortfolio is the learning technology of this age.“

• Points 8-10 in “Ten Rules of Teaching in this Century“ http://campustechnology.com/articles/2010/09/15/10-rules-of-teaching-in-this-century.aspx – Make sure your students have a digital repository of some sort--a portfolio

system, a wiki, a blog, a Web page builder, a place to store and manage the evidence of their active learning.

– Require your students to interpret their collected online evidence at regular intervals and, finally, in capstone Web presentations.

– Make the collection of evidence the primary work of the course. In other words, students should be graded largely or entirely on their final portfolio for the course. In a learning-centered course, the portfolio is the sine qua non.

Page 29: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 29

Me-Portfolios and paradigm shift

• Elsewhere I've identified 10 such shifts – Stevens, Vance. (2010). Shifting sands, shifting paradigms: Challenges

to developing 21st century learning skills in the United Arab Emirates. Chapter 20 in Egbert, J. (2010). CALL in Limited Technology Contexts, CALICO Monograph Series, Volume 9. pp.227-239.

– My last draft version of this article can be found online here: http://tinyurl.com/vance2010calico

• Students hesitant and confused over what is expected of them, what 'the teacher' wants– Must understand: it’s not for teacher, it’s for them

• Students need models of what e-portfolios might look like – Without suggesting they use certain template– In practice they tend to follow each other's templates

Page 30: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 30

My Model Me-Portfolio

• A portal that links to participants’ work on their e-portfolios. – Models one possibility for them – Helps identify successful examples of

successful e-portfolios of theirs – Helps them relate their progress against each

other's work• Showcase of 2010 Me-Portfolios here:

http://vancestevens.com/papers/tesol/pp107/eportfolios10.htm

Page 31: Me-Portfolios: Putting the 'me' in Me-Learning

MePortfolios - Vance Stevens - Aug 2011 31

Thank youhttp://vancestevens.com/papers