Mahara : E-portfolio

1. Mahara: E-portfolio An introduction for beginners Renata van Dam – FE Tutor and Course Leader, ILT development officer Lyndsey Welch – HE Lecturer and ILT Coordinator in Sport, Exercise and Fitness

2. Mahara What is Mahara? Te Reo Mãori - the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand “To think, thinking, thought” Student centred e-portfolio system Learners and staff can use Mahara to demonstrate their learning, skills and development and record their achievements over time to a selected audience.

3. Session overview To introduce Mahara to maximise both formative and summative feedback quality and opportunities in teaching and learning Case studies: - To share ideas on how Sport have used these technologies To compare “traditional” assessment methods and Mahara pages To discuss current and potential uses of such tools in different sectors To summarise potential departmental and pedagogical affordances To offer insight into the other things to consider Aim How do you want to use Mahara?

4. Good feedback The seven principles of good feedback (Nicol and MacFarlane-Dick 2006) helps clarify what good performance is (goals, criteria, expected standards) facilitates the development of self-assessment (reflection) in learning delivers high quality information to students about their learning encourages teacher and peer dialogue around learning encourages positive motivational beliefs and self-esteem provides opportunities to close the gap between current and desired performance provides information to teachers that can be used to help shape the teaching 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

5. Mahara – case study 1 Reflective journals Period of extensive staff development as part of LSIS bid Reflective process over 6-7 weeks Technology ‘expert’ supported process by commenting on reflection offering ways to move forward. Employability skills – journal of skill development Professional development for students Building criteria into the assessment grading grid to promote reflection Ways to build two way dialogue Other examples Further work 1 2 3 4 Example 5 6 7

6. Mahara – case study 2 Supporting student work Used to support 1st time pass rates on Higher National Diploma. Final outcome – students to submit 4 pages on different topics. Student share page with tutors Tutors give intermediate feedback on at least one occasion Students submit final assignment Extending this provision across other HND and Level 3 units Encouraging more formative feedback in other units Example Future work 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

7. Supporting feedback

8. Putting it into practice

9. What can be in a Mahara page?

10. What about IV and EV? Several options to share or export pages • Secret URL • Give IV access to group as an admin • Export page at webpage to put onto USB/disc • Print page Obviously there will be no video Possibly add video link in a textbox underneath

11. Other uses of Mahara Wiki type activities - getting small groups to work on developing a webpage on a certain topic Then students can peer review each others work and post feedback Groups can be set up by tutors for student to join, share pages, discuss in forums and submit work “It’s like Facebook but in college” Feedback is private by default, but can be made public.  The owner of the content can then make it private – but this can’t be changed back once done Editing of feedback is only available for 30 minutes Once left, feedback can’t be deleted/edited by the owner of the page/journal or by the leaver of the feedback – it can only be made private. Group work/Peer reviews Create networks, online communities and profile pages Things to be aware of when providing feedback 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

12. Discussion Small groups How could Mahara be used with YOUR students? If already using Mahara, how have you used it? How could Mahara be used to improve your current feedback practices? If already using Mahara, how does it improve your practice? Feedback One example from each group

13. Possible pedagogical benefits More timely and accessible feedback – enhance reflection More private feedback Access to potentially more feedback from a range of sources Online feedback improves common issues such as illegibility of writing and gives options for student to increase size of font etc… Directive feedback More opportunity to reflect Encourages creativity and presentation skills

14. Possible departmental benefits Efficiency Consistency • The potential of peer feedback reduces the pressures on staff time • Reduces the need for admin support collating assignments/returning assignments to students • More flexible access to assignments for marking • Students can store work all in one place, minimising lose of work • Reduces paper and printing • Template pages can be set up in Mahara

15. Final thoughts – practical application

16. Where to go now References Other interesting papers on this topic Contact us – Renata van Dam or Lyndsey Welch • Nicol, D. and MacFarlane-Dick, D. (2006). Formative assessment and self-regulated learning: a model and seven principles of good feedback practice. Studies in Higher Education 31(2): pp. 199-218. • Price, M., Handley, K., Millar, J. and O'Donovan, B. (2010). Feedback: all that effort but what is the effect? Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education 35(3): pp. 277-289. • Shortis, M. and Burrows, S. (2009). A review of the status of online, semi-automated marking and feedback systems. Proceedings of: ATN Assessment Conference 2009: Assessment in Different Dimensions. Melbourne, Australia, pp. 302-312. • Yorke, J., Gibson, W. and Wilkinson, H. (2010). Towards sustainable marking practises and improved quality of feedback in short-answer assessments. ATN Assessment Conference. Sydney, Australia.