Ian Munro on eportfolios and their place in the managed learning environment work program. To Auckland secondary schools in October 2010.

1. What is a managed learning environment all about?
Where does an ePortfolio fit?

2. 2 of 8
Presentation objective
• To provide an introduction to the MLE concept
so that
• You can join in no matter where you are at (personally, or school-wise)
and
• To explain the place of the ePortfolio

3. What is an MLE?
“Software tools and digital content that support learning”
• Comprises many different modules, such as an SMS, LMS, eportfolio tool,
blog, repositories for digital learning objects and many more
• Check out the MLE Reference Group to learn more
• Or view the component parts

4. 5 of 8
Curriculum & Pedagogy
National curriculum
School curriculum inc. lesson plans (school, subject,
teacher)
Learning Management Systems (LMS)
ePortfolios (record of learning)
Course Management Systems
Assessment tools
Planning tools
Communication
Blogs
Podcasts
Chatrooms
Noticeboards
Social networking
Discussion threads
Audio conferencing
Administration
Student Management Systems (SMS)
Student Record Transfer (SMS-SMS data exchange)
NCEA returns
Calendaring
Timetabling
eReturns
ENROL
Resources
TKI
Websites
Wikis
Digital Learning Objects
Library Management Systems
Content Management Systems
Authoring/publishing/editing tools
Enabling Services
Identification /
authentication National
Student Index
Parental portal
Transport mechanisms
Metadata schema
Interoperability standards
Specifications
Shared content

5. SMS
ENROLENROL
Student
record
transfer
Student
record
transfer
e-asTTle
PAT
e-asTTle
PAT
Early
notification
Early
notification
eReturnseReturns
Library
system
Library
system
Metadata
searching
Metadata
searching
Web mailWeb mail
Digital
content
stores
Digital
content
stores
IdP
Content
Authoring
Tools
Content
Authoring
Tools
NSINSI
SMS -
directory
integration eportfolioeportfolio
LMS
Parent
portal
Parent
portal
Online
office
suites
Online
office
suites
National
Standards
National
Standards
Electronic
attendance
registers
Electronic
attendance
registers
ENROL
integration
IAM
Reusable and portable contentAssessment support
Attendance support
Authentication flows (existing)
Data flows (existing) Data flows (proposed)
Authentication flows (proposed)
Or as a wiring diagram

6. As a collection of tools

7. Objective of the MLE activity
• To design and promote an
– educationally relevant
– open
– modular
– standards-based
– sustainable
approach to the development and use of MLE for (NZ) schools

8. Key work strands
• Attendance management
• ENROL Integration
• Online systems / LMS / Parent Portals
• E-portfolios
• Reusable and portable content
• Identity and access management (or single sign-on)
• Assessment (including National Standards)

9. Attendance management
• How many of you are using electronic attendance registers?
• How many of you have signed up for the 12 months fee-free
early notification?

10. Online systems / LMS / parent portals
• Uptake subsidies now available many schools
• Working with eTAP (eTAP), Edtech (Ultranet) and Dataview
(KnowledgeNET and Moodle)
• Rapid over-subscription of primary quota but secondary okay
• Intention is to assist 200-300 schools per year
• Check out the SMS – LMS Group to learn more
• But how do you choose?

11. Online systems / LMS / parent portals cont.
• Does your strategic direction include technology?
• Does your technology needs include a LMS?
• Document your needs and your wants
• Review options and what others around you are doing
• The value in sharing an LMS with another/other schools
• Remember the people aspect of change management, including
leadership buy-in and shared ownership
• And yes, you can obtain many/all the benefits without an LMS (by
using other tools) – the decision is yours

12. E-portfolios
• And we have been busy and have much on the go
– Guidelines for schools
– Case studies together with JISC (Starting 9/9/10)
– Mahara
• Investment in usability (Started)
• Scoping integration with LMS (Starting 9/9/10)
• Taster sessions (Taking requests now)
• Finding other partners/backers within the Ministry (Ongoing)
• This is probably the most important part of our current work

13. Musings
• Pre-conditions for successful implementation of (e, b or d) -learning
tools and benefits of school-wide use
• Importance of community
• E-portfolios: Contribute to what tools should be integrated and how we
together build capacity
• LMS: Do you really need one?
• I am reading blogs and groups on learning analytics
• So what are you going to do next?
• And while I am here what questions (or messages) do you have for
me?

14. ePortfolios
We are currently developing guidelines to ePortfolios – the scope includes:
1. helpful information about the evolution of digital portfolios
2. information about what they are, what they contain and how they are
used
3. details of their distinguishing features and advantages
4. evidence of why ePortfolios are described as an approach to teaching
and learning
5. their educational benefits and outcomes
6. the relationship between digital portfolios and learning management
systems
7. information about their relevance for staff as well as students

15. ePortfolios
8. the infrastructure and hardware requirements to implement
9. information about the associated pedagogical shift
10. what to be aware of and look out for
11. a strategy for implementing ePortfolios
12. the details of the common systems (and what they include) available in
New Zealand
13. profiles of a number of schools’ implementation processes, pathways
and key learning lessons
14. appendices with some relevant international research
15. a list of frequently asked questions

16. ePortfolios
• We are undertaking research as to what needs to be done to ensure
better interoperability between common LMS and MyPortfolio
• The providers of LMS that include an ePortfolio are clear about our
position
• At this stage we are quite comfortable with MyPortfolio down to level 7
• We are funding improvements in usability
• Taster sessions being offered

17. ePortfolios – some definitions
• an ePortfolio is a type of online working environment, or learning
journey that can house or has access to many digital artefacts and
resources in various media formats.
• The artefacts can include goals, reflections, feedback, evidence of
activities, assessment etc.
• The artefacts can be combined in various ways to produce different
‘views’ for specific audiences, the ePortfolio is controlled (owned) by
the student.
• A view may contain, for example, relevant evidence of a person's
learning progression, competencies and achievement.
There is no one correct model, approach,
or definition of an ePortfolio

18. ePortfolios – some definitions
• For better understanding it is also necessary to think of the use of an
ePortfolio as an approach, or method, or support structure to teaching
and learning.
• That is, an ePortfolio is both a quantifiable thing and at the same time,
a process.
• The use of digital media enables students to record and collect digitised
artefacts including text, audio, video, and multimedia that represent
their ideas, learning experiences, expressions and reflections.
• The power of the ePortfolio comes from the process – the interaction
between students, peers and teachers as the specific views evolve and
the student’s learning is created, shaped, expressed, and owned.

19. Collect, Select, Reflect, Publish
•What tools can you use – some common New Zealand examples?
•Commercial
• KnowledgeNet
• UltraNet
•Web 2.0
• Blogs, wikis
•Open Source
• MyPortfolio (Mahara)
•Google Aps
•Blended

20. Reflection – what’s the big deal?
It encourages:
• both independent and collaborative learning
• connections between all strands of learning
• user rationalisation of the ePortfolio’s contents to show how learning has
occurred
• goal setting and time skills
• self-thought about one’s own learning – what has been achieved – how to
improve it
• an understanding that learning is self-determined and controlled
• analysing our past experience and applying it in future activities
• planning of where to and what next