My ePortfolio Purpose: As a Teacher who works in an Area School (Year 1-13 or 5-18 year olds) in New Zealand I wish to set up my school with ePortfolios in order to:

a. Build a stronger learning support team for the student that would include teacher, family members and other knowledgeable peers. Together this team would foster learning through formative assessment, collaborative projects and celebrating successes.

b. Develop greater student ownership of the learning process by encouraging a child owned digital portfolio. The portfolio will include the students’ chosen artefacts and will show the processes they go though as part of their learning.

c. Provide a resource bank of students’ data for information, accreditation and accountability purposes.

ePortfolio Platform Selection Criteria: (Note: for the purpose of this table the term ‘user’ refers to the student or owner of the ePortfolio.)

Criteria Description Multiple Spaces or Views

1. Private Space: for personal use like note taking, reflections and unpublished work. This space will be securely locked.

2. Collaborative Space: where users can invite others to work collaboratively. This space would also allow for social discussions. Admittance to this space is granted via a group password.

3. Showcase View: selected pages made public for particular audiences eg: future employers.

Interoperable The ePortfolio files will be able to be exported into or imported from other learning management systems. This gives users the ability to move from platform to platform (eg: school to school).

Easy to Use The eportfolio must be easy to use for users of all ages, including those with learning or communication difficulties. A system that can be quickly navigated by beginners eg: simple test editor, drag and drop functions, post previews and wizard supports. For multiple users; internal email and a class homepage is necessary.

Subscriptions Viewers (eg: parents) will have the ability to subscribe to the ePortfolio and receive email alerts when a new post has been made. (Both RSS and email subscription options.)

Categories and Tags

The user will be able to set up categories and tags that archive their data for:

a) Thematic/subject viewing b) Quick searching of information.

Web 2.0 Friendly

Within the ePortfolio users will be able to embed web 2.0 tools including videos, slideshows, podcasts and others eg: Survey Monkey, Animoto and Voicethread.

Commenting Viewers will be able to leave comments on a user’s public post for the purpose of formative assessment. Comments and replies may be threaded. (Future options for commenting could be via voice and video.)

Editable Templates

The user will be able to choose from multiple templates that can also be edited to enable them to be creative and personalise their ePortfolio. Templates will be appropriate for 5-95 year olds.

Aesthetics The interface will be “pleasing to the eye” to 5-95 year old users. Web Hosted The ePortfolio will be hosted online so users will not have to sort

out problems that come with locally hosting the ePortfolio. This is especially important for schools so teachers can continue to focus on teaching and not have to worry about using up local server storage space, maintenance issues, password enquiries, software updates, etc.

Backed Up The data library and ePortfolio cosmetics are backed up regularly by the ePortfolio provider.

Mass Set Up Profiles and groups can be set up by the ePortfolio providers at the commencement of the ePortfolio.

Moderation Options

Teachers will be able to monitor and edit user’s work as well as having options to control a users access to pages within the ePortfolio.

Storage Space

The ePortfolio will have sufficient storage space to upload and house text, audio, pictures and movies (those movies not already embedded using web 2.0 platforms) with annual increases to allow for growth.

Low Cost The ePortfolio will be free or of a low cost so that all can access it.

Technical Support

A technical helpdesk that promises to fix a problem within 12 hours will be available. Other options for support will be found in online forums and video tutorials.

Sustainable The ePortfolio provider must be committed to long-term support, research and development.

Mobile Integration

The software will support the use and interaction of mobile technology.

J.Lietze 4.09

www.lietze.edublogs.org