Presentation at RCAC, London, Ontario, December 8, 2011

1. What can an ePortfolio
do for your students?
Digital Stories of Deep Learning
Dr. Helen Barrett
REAL ePortfolio Academy
University of Alaska Anchorage (retired)
Seattle Pacific University (adjunct)
New England College (adjunct)
http://electronicportfolios.org
eportfolios@gmail.com
Twitter: @eportfolios

2. Focus of Presentation
Hashtag: #eportfolios
• Reflection and multimedia strategies to
support metacognitionand deep learning
• What, Why, and How of ePortfolios
• Balancing the 2 Faces of
ePortfolios
• Digital &MobileTools
• Digital Storytelling

3. Legacy from the Portfolio
Literature
 Much to learn from
the literature on
paper-basedportfolios
 As adult learners, we have much to
learn from how children approach
portfolios
“Everything I know about portfolios was confirmed
working with a kindergartener”

4. The Power of
Portfolios
what children can teach
us about learning and
assessment
Author: Elizabeth Hebert
Publisher: Jossey-Bass
Picture courtesy of Amazon.com

5. The Power of Portfolios
Author:
Dr. Elizabeth
Hebert, Principal
Crow Island
School, Winnetka,
Illinois
Picture taken by Helen Barrett
at
AERA, Seattle, April, 2001

6. From the Preface (1)
Hebert, Elizabeth (2001) The Power of Portfolios. Jossey-Bass, p.ix
“Portfolios have been with us for a very long time.
Those of us who grew up in the 1950s or earlier
recognize portfolios as reincarnations of the
large memory boxes or drawers where our
parents collected starred spelling tests, lacy
valentines, science fair posters, early attempts at
poetry, and (of course) the obligatory set of
plaster hands. Each item was selected by our
parents because it represented our acquisition
of a new skill or our feelings of accomplishment.
Perhaps an entry was accompanied by a special
notation of praise from a teacher or maybe it was
placed in the box just because we did it.”

7. From the Preface (2)
Hebert, Elizabeth (2001) The Power of Portfolios. Jossey-Bass, p.ix
“We formed part of our identity from the
contents of these memory boxes. We recognized
each piece and its association with a particular
time or experience. We shared these collections
with grandparents to reinforce feelings of pride and
we reexamined them on rainy days when friends
were unavailable for play. Reflecting on the
collection allowed us to attribute importance to
these artifacts, and by extension to ourselves, as
they gave witness to the story of our early school
experiences.”

8. From the Preface (3)
Hebert, Elizabeth (2001) The Power of Portfolios. Jossey-Bass, p.ix-x
“Our parents couldn’t possibly envision that
these memory boxes would be the inspiration for
an innovative way of thinking about children’s
learning. These collections, lovingly stored away
on our behalf, are the genuine exemplar for
documenting children’s learning over time. But
now these memory boxes have a different
meaning. It’s not purely private or
personal, although the personal is what gives
power to what they can mean.”

9. Let’s get personal…
Think for a minute about:
Something about your COLLECTIONS:
Suggested topics:
 If you are a parent, what you saved for
your children
 What your parents saved for you
 What you collect…
 Why you collect…

10. Some issues to consider
 What do your collections say about what
you value?
 Is there a difference between what you
purposefully save and what you can’t throw
away?
 How can we use our personal collections
experiences to help learners as they
develop their portfolios?
The power of portfolios [to support deep learning] is
personal.

11. Golden Circle
What?
How?
Why?
11

12. WHAT?

13. specialty case responsibilities
Portfolio
One Word,
Many Meanings
art work collection of artifacts investments

14. What is a Portfolio?
• Dictionary definition:
a flat, portable case
for carrying loose
papers, drawings, etc.
• Financial portfolio: document
accumulation of fiscalcapital
• Educational portfolio: document
development of humancapital

15. Who was the
first famous
“folio” keeper?
Definitions

16. Leonardo da Vinci’s Folio

17. +Electronic
• digital artifacts organized online
combining various media
(audio/video/text/images)

18. E-Portfolio Components
< Multiple Portfolios for
Multiple Purposes
-Celebrating Learning
-Personal Planning
-Transition/entry to courses
-Employment applications
-Accountability/Assessment
< Multiple Tools to
Support Processes
-Capturing & storing evidence
-Reflecting
-Giving & receiving feedback
-Planning & setting goals
-Collaborating
-Presenting to an audience
< Digital Repository
(Becta, 2007; JISC, 2008)

19. WHY?

20. Reflection:
The “Heart and Soul”
of a Portfolio
Metacognition = “thinking about thinking"

21. What is Reflection?
• Major theoretical roots:
• Dewey
• Habermas
• Kolb
• Schön
• Dewey: “We do not learn
from experience… we learn
from reflecting on
experience.”

22. Self-Regulated Learning
Abrami, P., et. al. (2008), Encouraging self-regulated learning through electronic portfolios. Canadian
Journal of Learning and Technology, V34(3) Fall 2008.
http://www.cjlt.ca/index.php/cjlt/article/viewArticle/507/238
Captions/Journals
Blog
Mobiles
Blog Pages Web Sites

23. Resource on Biology of
Learning
• Enriching the Practice of
Teaching by Exploring
the Biology of Learning
• James E. Zull
• Stylus Publishing Co.

24. The Learning Cycle
David Kolb from Dewey, Piaget, Lewin, adapted by Zull

25. Experiential Learning Model
Lewin/Kolb with adaptations by Moon and Zull
Practice
Have an experience
Try out what
Reflect on the
you have experience
learned
Metacognition
Learn from the experience

26. Portfolio Learning
Experience
Reviewing Feeling
Publishing & Selecting Recording
Sharing &
Receiving Synthesizing Dialogue Organizing
Planning Collaborating
Feedback
Understanding Conceptualizin
Reflecting
g
& Constructing
Meaning
Figure 2 A model of e-portfolio-based learning, adapted from
Kolb (1984) JISC, 2008, Effective Practice with e-Portfolios, p.
9

27. Deep Learning
• involves reflection,
• is developmental,
• is integrative,
• is self-directive, and
• is lifelong
Cambridge (2004)

28. “metacognition lies at
the root of all learning”
“…self-knowledge, awareness of how and
why we think as we do, and the ability to
adapt and learn, are critical to our survival as
individuals…”
- James Zull (2011) From Brain to Mind: Using Neuroscience to
Guide Change in Education

29. Temple at Delphi
“Know Thyself”

30. Managing Oneself
Peter Drucker, (2005) Harvard Business Review
• What are my strengths?
• “Success in the
knowledge economy • How do I perform?
comes to those who
know themselves – • What are my values?
their strengths, their
• Where do I belong?
values, and how best
they perform.” • What should I contribute?
• Purpose: Use e- • Responsibility for
portfolios for Relationships
managing knowledge • The Second Half of your Life
workers' career

31. Purpose
• The overarching purpose of
portfolios is to create a sense of
personal ownership over one’s
accomplishments, because
ownership engenders feelings of
pride, responsibility, and
dedication. (p.10)
• Paris, S & Ayres, L. (1994) Becoming Reflective Students and
Teachers. American Psychological Association

32. Student Literacy Achievement
through Blogging
• The Project definitely provided a
motivation for writing, an improvement in
audience awareness and purpose and in
presentation skills. Other school
interventions also had an impact on
literacy achievement; however the
Project has provided a purpose and
enthusiasm for literacy.
• The students of Manaiakalani were
provided with a “hook” (e-learning
outcomes published in on-line spaces)
which gave these decile 1 students a
voice to be heard globally. Subsequently,
participating in the Manaiakalani Project
enhanced their literacy, engagement,
oral language and presentation. (p.70)
Tamaki Schools, Auckland, NZ

33. What is Your Online
Personal Brand?
ePortfolioscan help build
a positive online identity.

34. Digital Identity
• Creating a positive digital footprint

35. Lifelong Context for E-
Portfolios

36. http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/2010100
Digital Birth: 006722/en/Digital-Birth-Online-World
Welcome to the Online World
• Mothers with children aged under two (N=2200) that have
uploaded images of their child (2010)
• Overall – 81%
• USA – 92%
• Canada - 84%
• (EU5 - 73%)
UK - 81% France - 74% Italy - 68% Germany - 71% Spain –
71%
• Australia – 84%
• New Zealand – 91%
• Japan - 43%
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sailbit/3329477282/
The research was conducted by Research Now among 2200 mothers with young (under two) children during the week of 27
September. Mothers in the EU5 (UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain), Canada, the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Japan
were polled.

37. 5 Reasons Why Your Online Presence
Will Replace Your Resume in 10 years
1. Social networking use is skyrocketing while email is
plummeting
2. You can’t find jobs traditionally anymore
3. People are managing their careers as entrepreneurs
4. The traditional resume is now virtual and easy to
build
5. Job seeker passion has become the deciding
factor in employment
http://blogs.forbes.com/danschawbel/2011/02/21/5-reasons-why-your-online-
presence-will-replace-your-resume-in-10-years/

38. Dan Schawbel, Forbes
“personal branding guru”
“Your online presence communicates,
or should communicate, what you’re
truly and genuinely passionate
about… I firmly believe that you won’t
be able to obtain and sustain a job
without passion anymore.”
• http://blogs.forbes.com/danschawbel/2011/02/21/5-reasons-why-your-online-
presence-will-replace-your-resume-in-10-years/

39. Students Explore &
Find
Purpose& Passion
Through Reflection
&Goal-Settingin their
ePortfolios

40. HOW?

41. Some Basic Concepts
 “ePortfoliois both process and
product”
Process: A series of events (time and
effort) to produce a result
- From Old French proces(“„journey‟”)
Product: the outcome/results or
“thinginess” of an activity/process
- Destination

42. Think!
Engagement
Factors?
Social
networks?
ePortfolios?

43. Processes
Portfolio Social Technology
Networking
Collection Archiving
Connect
Selection (“Friending”) Linking/Thinking
Reflection Listen Digital Storytelling
(Reading)
Direction/Goals Collaborating
Respond
Presentation (Commenting)
Publishing
Share
Feedback (linking/tagging)
43

44. Digital
Tools?
Expressive vs.
Structured
Models

45. Why Web 2.0?
Access from Anywhere!
Interactivity!
Engagement!
Lifelong Skills!
Mostly FREE!
All you need is an <EMBED>
Code

47. Balancing the Two Faces of
ePortfolios
Presentation
Working Portfolio
Portfolio(s)
Digital Archive The “Story” or Narrative
(Repository of
Artifacts)
Docs Multiple Views
Sites (public/private)
Collaboration Space
Varied Audiences &
Reflective Journal Blog Purposes
Portfolio as Portfolio as
Process Product
Workspace Showcase

48. Level 1 Workspace:
Collection in the Cloud

49. Level 2 Workspace: Learning/Reflection

50. Showcase
Level 3: Primary Purpose: Showcase/Accountability

51. Timeline
Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
Level 1 X X X X X X X X X
Level 2 X X X X X X X X
Level 3 ? XX
Level 1: Collection
Level 2: Collection + Reflection
Level 3: Selection + Presentation
51

52. Developmental Plans
• K-2– no individual student accounts & Class
Portfolios [Blogger]
• Grades 3-5 – Individual student accounts & Level 1
portfolios with introduction to Reflection
[Blogger & Docs]
• Grades 6-8 – Individual student accounts & Level 2
portfolios (Collection + Reflection) [All tools]
• Grades 9-12 – Individual student accounts & Level 3
portfolios (Selection & Presentation) [All tools]

53. Is the Future
ofePortfolioDevelop
ment
in your Pocket?
• “Capture the Moment” – Reflection in the Present Tense
• What am I learning at this moment?
• Using the tools in our pockets!

54. 2011 Horizon Report – K-12
Time-to-adoption:
• One Year or Less
• Cloud Computing
• Mobiles
• Two to Three Years
• Game-Based Learning
• Open Content
• Four to Five Years
• Learning Analytics
• Personal Learning
Environments
New Media Consortium http://www.nmc.org/

55. Mobile Web is becoming the
Personal Learning
Environment
Learning the is… Generation”
of that “Net
o Social and Participatory
o Lifelong and Life Wide
o Increasingly Self-Directed
o Motivating and Engaging
o … and Online all the time!

56. Mobile Touch:
A Guide to Implementing Mobile E-learning in Your Organisation

57. With iOS
(iPod
Touch, iPhon
e, iPad)
Text
Image
Capture the
s
Moment
Audio

58. Evernote
One Account, Many Devices
• Capture Anything
• Access Anywhere
• Find Things Fast
• Capture something in one place
-- access it from another
• Web page access
Emailing your memories
Email notes, snapshots, and audio directly into your account.
Emailed notes will go directly into your default notebook.

59. Evernote
• All in one recording/saving to Evernote
Account (email address)
• Grades 3-5, Trillium Charter School,
Portland (see my blog)
iPod Touch4 $239 &
Lexmark Pinnacle Pro901 $199

60. Learning is a Conversation
ePortfoliosshould be
more
Conversation
than Presentation
Because Conversation
transforms!

61. Blogging* by eMail
*the act of sharing yourself
Tumblr Posterous
• Set up account on website • Just email to
post@posterous.com
• Send email to:
myaccount.tumblr.com • iPhone App
• iPhone App • Cross-post to Facebook&
• Call in your posts for audio Twitter
post to blog
• Cross-post to Facebook&
Twitter

62. Digital Tools
for Reflection
Reflective Journals
(Blogs)
Digital Storytelling
and Engagement

63. Convergence

64. Do Your E-Portfolios have
CHOICE and VOICE?
• Individual Identity
• Reflection
• Meaning Making
• 21st Century Literacy
• Digital Story of Deep Learning

65. Portfolio as Story
"A portfolio tells a story.
It is the story of knowing. Knowing
about things... Knowing oneself...
Knowing an audience... Portfolios
are students' own stories of what
they know, why they believe they
know it, and why others should be of
the same opinion.”
(Paulson & Paulson, 1991, p.2)

66. Roger Schank, Tell Me a Story
“Telling stories and listening to
other people's stories shape the
memories we have of our
experiences.”
Stories help us organize our
experience and define our sense of

67. Digital Storytelling Process
• Create a 2-to-4 minute digital video
clip
• First person narrative
[begins with a written script ~ 400 words]
• Told in their own voice [record script]
• Illustrated (mostly) by still images
• Music track to add emotional tone

68. Tori’s2nd Grade Autobiography

69. Tori’s 2nd Grade
Autobiography

70. Tori – 6th grade poem
QuickTime Required: (Victoria, 2007)
http://homepage.mac.com/hbarrett/family/iMovieTheater85.html

72. Bremerton High School
student

73. A Reminder…
Reflection & Relationships
… the “Heart and Soul” of an
e-portfolio…
NOT the Technology!
73

74. electronicportfolios.org/academy/
*Reflection REAL*
Engagement ePortfolio
Assessment for Academy
for K-12
Learning Teachers

75. Initial Online Courses
Planned
1. Overview of Student-Centered Electronic Portfolios
in K-12 Education (tool-neutral – focus on “Portfolio”
Reflection Process & Feedback) – online NOW
2. Supplemental courses:
• Implement Electronic Portfolios with K-12 Students using
Google Apps
(Docs, Sites, Blogger, YouTube, Picasa, Digication, Teacher
Dashboard) (Focus on “Electronic”)
• Implement Electronic Portfolios with K-12 Students using
Mobile Devices (iOS, Android)
• Create Your Professional Portfolio (tool neutral)
3. Add Voice to ePortfolios with Digital Storytelling

76. My breakout session
today
• Q&A
• More in-depth discussion of:
• Multiple Purposes of ePortfolios
• Pedagogy of Reflection
• Mobile Apps
• Google Apps
• Blogs as Learning Portfolios
• Examples

77. My Final Wish…
• dynamic celebrations
• stories of deep learning
• across the lifespan
77

78. My Story

79. Dr. Helen Barrett
@eportfolios
Researcher & Consultant
Electronic Portfolios & Digital Storytelling for Lifelong and Life
Wide Learning
eportfolios@gmail.com
http://electronicportfolios.org/
http://slideshare.net/eportfolios
https://sites.google.com/site/mportfolios/