scad de l2010-s_porto

USING SOCIAL MEDIA FOR EPORTFOLIOS

Dr. Stella PortoMaster of Distance Education & E-LearningGraduate School of Management & TechnologyUniversity of Maryland University College

Agenda

• Introduction ePortfolios defined Background & context

• Eportfolios in the MDE Challenges & Issues: technology

Social media impact Challenges & Issues: management

Support Examples Future

• Final remarks

ePortfolios defined

Blog

Documents

Photos Videos

Journal

Projects

ePortfolio defined

• Electronic version of portfolios Collection of artifacts in different digital

media;• Serves the purpose of

Assessment of competencies, skills and knowledge;

Showcase and evidence abilities and achievements in specific areas; and

Promote reflection of one's development and learning.

Background: the MDE

Context:The program

• Potential managers of the DE enterprise

• Entirely online for part-time working adults

• International• Collaborative

FacultySupport

InstructionDesign &Support

Leaders &Managers

HigherEducation

Media & technology

CorporateTraining &Learning

DistanceEducation

The MDE focus on developing managers and leaders in the areas of e-learning & distance education within different settings, including: K-12, higher-education, corporate, non-profits, government and military.

Our mission is our means and our

means is our mission

ePortfolios in the MDE:Goals & process

Development Process Students' journeys and growth in the DE field

The MDE ePortfolio will:

•Portray students’ qualifications•Demonstrate students’ knowledge and skills in a variety of DE contexts.

Gather

Select

Reflect

Evidence

ePortfolios in the MDE:Earlier Challenges

Before• Students spent significant

amount of time learning the technology

• Instructors were not savvy enough

• Storage was done through an ‘ftp’ interface to a common server Limited time Student would have to transport

the website somewhere else• Development using

‘Dreamweaver’ type software• Not technical support available

for development

Possible answers

• Institutional support Financially Personnel

• Specific environment/platform

• Creating tutorials, supporting materials

ePortfolios in the MDE:Earlier Challenges

Why these didn’t/don’t work

• Institution not committed to an ePortfolio philosophy MDE is the exception

• Such answers go against the MDE ePortfolio philosophy and goals

Possible answers

• Institutional support Financially Personnel

• Specific environment/platform

• Creating tutorials, supporting materials

ePortfolios in the MDE:Issues

• Institutional involvement can have unintended consequences. Faculty and administrators might define too

tight a framework Ownership

“Conundrum between student ownership, interoperability and the continuous use of ePortfolios beyond the program.”

Web 2.0 tools web users are now at the helm when it comes to

generating, storing and sharing content.

ePortfolios in the MDE:the closed institutional approach

Inst

itutio

nal c

ontr

ol

ePortfolios in the MDE:and Open approach

Per

sona

l con

trol

Social media impact:OLD an new - Walti’s ePortfolio

http://info.umuc.edu/mde/Portfolios/cwalti/default.htm

Social media impact:Old an NEW - Walti’s ePortfolio

http://sammelsurium.weebly.com/

ePortfolios in the MDE:Further managerial challenges

• Continuous activity vs. activity allotted in the end of the program Students

overwhelmed and underprepared

Need for constant attention and work from the learners throughout the program.

Focus is on current courses

• ePortfolios must be promoted in a programmatic way Help students

understand the nature of the activity

Students need to be proactive and disciplined

Need for institutional support

ePortfolios: Examples

sporto.wordpress.com

www.epsilen.com/sporto

ePortfolios: Examples

www.netvibes.com/stellaporto

umuc.academia.edu/StellaPorto

Do I have more time?

If I have time, I’ll talk about the support structure we created for students.If not jump to slide 24…

ePortfolios in the MDE:Support

• Action research initiative undertaken within the program (A series of consecutive, iterative steps to identify and enhance support to students) The use of Web 2.0 tools has been ingrained

in this process Web-based tutorials; Creating and maintaining a learning journal in

at least one course in the program; A one-week online orientation; and An ePortfolio wiki that is always available

ePortfolios in the MDE:Support

• Promoting the use of learning journals• MDE student lounge

•Continuous support: answering students questions•No prescribed or suggested activities

• Creation of the ePortfolio tutorial

ePortfolios in the MDE:Support - Rubric

ePortfolios in the MDE:Support - Wiki

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ecap

sto

ne.

pb

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com

ePortfolios in the MDE:Support - Orientation

ePortfolios in the MDE:Future

• Protecting ownership and authenticity Copyright policies for all the posted work

• Vertical study following up with students and how they continue to use their ePortfolios

• How to make it useful after the program?• Outcomes assessment ties into the

program• Commentary/feedback from selected

faculty/experts• Enhance reflective aspects• Institutional support viable?

Learning lessons…

The need for continuous support at the program level

Enhancing the inter- relationship within the curriculum

Learning lessons…

Social media can provide enormous support

Making ePortfolios important for professional development and career planning

Thank you!

Questions? Presentation is available @

slideshare.net

Contact: sporto@umuc.edu