A Cross Section of E-portfolio Use in Danish Education

1. A Cross Section of E-portfolio Use in Danish Education Lise Agerbæk, Knowledge Lab, University of Southern Denmark, Chairman of the Danish E-portfolio Konsoritum

2. Agenda • Building a book/website showcase with usecases • Why the book/website • How the book/website • Who is behind it • Key concept or representations of e-portfolio • 2 use cases so far • Results 2

3. Why the book/website • Interview with 12 practitioners (2 so far) • The interview frame has been chosen because in our experience people at conferences and workshops in Denmark are asking for use cases. • ”How do we get started?” • The interview frame allows a parallel structuring of the content • Time frame for the book: finished by January 2008 3

4. How the book • We want to look at good practice • Method:inductive description of the way e-portfolio and a number of key terms are being used • Purpose: to create a “stratigraphy”, a cross section of e-portfolio use in Denmark – by focusing on the actual use and meaning of key concepts in different contexts 4

5. Who - Publishers • Published by Knowledge Lab, University of Southern Denmark • Knowledge Lab has hosted e-portfolio related conferences in May 2005, August 2005, April 2006, December 2006 and May 2007 • Danish E-portfolio Consortium • Founded May 2005, events March 2006, December 2006, May 2007 and November 2007 5

6. A framework of key concepts • Questionnaire based on key concepts that focus on the setup of the e-portfolio • Based on • Prof. Lars Qvortrup (2006): Knowledge, Education and Learning • Erving Goffman (1959): Presentation of self in everyday life 6

7. Lars Qvortrup • Have written 3 major works on knowledge and learning reflecting on Luhmann and Bateson • According to Qvortrup the e-portfolio is • “particular interface for interaction between the individual student and the teacher, among students, but also between the individual student and the education system”. (Qvortrup 2006: 83) • a support system for the learning context 7

8. 5 spheres in the e-portfolio 8

9. Still more complex levels of learning is created • When the borders between the spheres are crossed • Qvortrup calls it learning orders • 1 order learning (factual learning) reflecting on what you have made • 2 order learning (situational learning) – reflecting what you can use it for • 3 order learning (creative learning) – reflection ”out of the box”, knowledge of the schemata of the learning • 4 order learning - reflecting on the learning environment as such 9

10. Learning orders 10

11. The setting • According to Qvortrup learning takes place when “places him/herself in the place of the other” (Qvortrup 2006: 94) • How is this perceived by the student/pupil? • Is the setup of the e-portfolio at the different levels taking this into account? • That’s what we are asking the practicioners (not in those words) 11

12. Aagaard Efterskole • An ”after school” • 1 year of boarding school for pupils age of 14-16 • 134 pupils. Two 9th grade classes. Four 10th grade classes. 12

13. Aagaard Efterskole • Uses an intranet to involve the students in formulating the ”competence” certificate, they receive at the end of the school year • On the intranet section “the pupils pages” the pupils can write their learning goals and discuss it in writing with the teachers in every subject. • These are then “published” every three month. Only student and teachers have access. • Allows the students to see own progress 13

14. Is it an e-portfolio? • Has no storing of school work in the intranet – but a lot of reflecting. • Has a lot of reflecting and written communication student-teacher regarding formal competences. • But student-student communication is done in groups and only relates to generic competences. This is done in a separate environment (”citizens meetings” in the group they live with) 14

15. According to Qvortrup 15

16. Multimedia Designer AC, Odense • A short cycle non-university higher education, diploma level – 120 ECTS • 202 students. 4 international classes, 5 Danish classes. 16

17. Multimedia Designer AC, Odense • Each student presents him/herself in a dedicated e-portfolio website that is provided by the college (Plone) • The presentations are made according to a stipulated structure • Everybody has access • The websites are assessed according to a formalised assessment rubric at the end of each semester. • Primarily focus on generic competences 17

18. No private sphere • Storing of own work is down in a public website – with a clear and stipulated structure. • The reflections function as introductions for the stored work • Has a lot of reflecting and written communication student-teacher • But no dedicated student-student discussion scene • Assessment is done as a conversation, based on giving points 18

19. According to Qvortrup 19

20. Results • A book with a website, that showcase the different examples • Will be followed by a conference Scaffolding learning – e-portfolios and learning orders 3. Scandinavian Research and Development Workshop on e-portfolio and orders of learning • Host: Knowledge Lab • February 26-27 2008, University of Southern Denmark • Please come  20

21. Thank you • Lise Agerbæk, MA • My own e-portfolio • Knowledge Lab • Danish E-portfolio Konsortium • E-mail: eag@knowledgelab.sdu.dk 21