PLE's : ePortfolios

What's the difference, and why are they such a hot topic at the

moment?

http://flickr.com/photos/margoconnell/1370918398/

my PLE, VLE or...?

MY EPORTFOLIO? MY PLE?

What Others Say (using Google)

Netvibes:

What’s the Difference?

• Eportfolio: tailored for purpose, designed for specific audience

• PLE: warts and all; primarily personal use with peer network

PLE (Wikipedia):

• Personal Learning Environments are systems that help learners take control of and manage their own learning. This includes providing support for learners to– set their own learning goals – manage their learning; managing both content

and process – communicate with others in the process of

learning – and thereby achieve learning goals.

PLE (Wikipedia):

• may be composed of one or more web-based services.

• integration of both formal and informal learning episodes into a single experience

• the use of social networks that can cross institutional boundaries

• use of networking protocols (Peer-to-Peer, web services, syndication) to connect a range of resources and systems within a personally-managed space.

ePortfolio (Wikipedia):

• An electronic portfolio, also known as an e-portfolio or digital portfolio, is a collection of electronic evidence assembled and managed by a user, usually on the Web. Such electronic evidence may include inputted text, electronic files such as Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF files, images, multimedia, blog entries, and hyperlinks. E-portfolios are both demonstrations of the user's abilities and platforms for self-expression, and, if they are online, they can be maintained dynamically over time. Some e-portfolio applications permit varying degrees of audience access, so the same portfolio might be used for multiple purposes.

Multiple Sites or One?

• “small pieces loosely joined” (Weinberger: Unified Theory of the Web)

• Will employers be willing to search all your ‘small pieces loosely joined’?

• Can you take it with you? (portability)

http://flickr.com/photos/bru/129437516/

Are social software sites like MySpace and FacebookPLEs? Can they be used as e-portfolios? (one student said yes; one employer said yes)

Who owns the content? (does this matter?)

• MySpace – “does not claim any ownership rights in the text, files, images, photos, video, sounds, musical works, works of authorship, or any other materials (collectively, "Content") that you post to the MySpace Services.”

• Ning – no data • Facebook: “are the proprietary property of the

Company”• ELGG - “We claim no intellectual property rights

over any material you provide to the Elgg.org service.”

The halfway solution (the compromise)

• The institution provides the service (Archer College)

• Can an organisation provide lifelong access?

If you use the read/write web you already have an eportfolio

whether you know it or not!

• employers already checking sites like MySpace, searching Google, etc

• Digital Literacy: think about what you share, and the implications

Danah Boyd:

• social networking sites are SOCIAL! And not connected with study….

• But, the boundaries between work and play have been blurred

• Is this an age issue? Will young people change their perspective as they start working?

WHAT you know or WHO you know? Or HOW you know it?

• Will employers make this leap?

Why are they such a hot topic at the moment?

• People don’t know what to do with them!• They reflect a new way of assembling

knowledge• Should they be as anarchic as a typical

MySpace site, or more measured as in ELGG?• Boundary between work and play (formal and

informal) is blurred• Is it an institution’s responsibility?• Should they be portable with

lifelong access?• Who owns the content?

http://flickr.com/photos/13866173@N00/166572859/

You:

• If you were applying for a job right now what would you want to show to a potential employer?

• How would you want to display your skills and experience?

You are an employer assessing a potential candidate for a job

Are you:A. willing to explore ‘small pieces loosely

joined’? (ie explore multiple sites)B. Would you prefer a distilled eportfolioC. Would you prefer a good old fashioned

resume on paper?D. Would you prefer an electronic resume?E. Or would you just search the web?

(Google, MySpace, etc)

What would I do?

• Depending on the degree of IT skills of the employer I would either – Create a Word doc with links to relevant

content– Or create a Wiki with links to relevant content

• That is, I would create a purpose specific document for that ‘event’.