developing and piloting an eportfolio for lifelong learning: - the role of web services peter rees...

Developing and Piloting an ePortfolio for Lifelong Learning: - the role of

Web Services

Peter Rees JonesCETIS ePortfolio feasibility study &Centre for International ePortfolio

Development

Overview: The distance Travelled

• From gathering requirements to create an overview of a process flow,

• through a view of the flow of Domain Services a learner experiences,

• to the machine to machine Web Services orchestrated by a Domain Service.

• We now begin to see repeating patterns,• which permit the adaptation and re-use of

ePortfolio Web Services,• lowering the complexity and hence the cost of

implementing ePortfolios for Lifelong Learning.

The distance travelled: from requirements to patterns

• We began by gathering requirements• But patterns became indispensable• “Every pattern we define must be formulated in

the form of a rule which establishes a relationship between a context, a system of forces which arises in that context, and a configuration, which allows these forces to resolve themselves in that context.” The Timeless Way of Building (C. Alexander, 1979)

• Why did we have to go beyond requirements?

Where Nottingham began

• By 2002 the Nottingham Local Education Authority had developed a learner owned “passport” for schools

• Colleges wished to use it also• The University had an eProgress File• The University bid for JISC funds to migrate

these initiatives to Lifelong ePortfolio• Information from one episode of learning

would pass to the next.

School Passport

College Passport

University ePortfolioLifelong ePortfolio

• At the end of each episode the learner reflects on what to do next and receives advice

• This draws on and creates entries in the ePortfolio• This process is termed PDP in the UK• Relevant information is transferred from one

ePortfolio in one episode to the ePortfolio in the next episode

Age 19Year 1Univ.

Age 20Year 2Univ

Age 17College

Age 18College

School Passport

College Passport


Age 16School

resu

lts

PDP

Where Nottingham began

Age 19Year 1Univ.

Enrols EnrolsAppliesUniv.

PDP PDP PDP

resu

lts

resu

lts

Age 20Year 2Univ

Age 17College

PDP PDP

Age 18College

Registers @ Univ. &

enrols

School Passport

resu

lts

College Passport


Age 16School

A repeated pattern?

But how can we get inside the Black Box to identify repeatingpatterns?

The distance travelled: Pilots

• Exchanges of information between ePortfolios in different episodes of learning were piloted

• IMS LIP worked but was monolithic and over complex

• LIP needs significant simplification if it is to offer an implementable solution

• How can we reduce the problem to simpler terms in which it becomes capable of easier resolution?

• Perhaps by using Web Services

The distance travelled: What’s inside the black box?

• Web Services break the PDP Black Box into discrete modules

• The eFramework offers a very promising means of achieving this

• Suggesting where the ICT supporting “PDP” in one episode be adapted and re-used in another

PDP

Looking Inside the Black Box

• In 2005 Nottingham was funded by JISC to create a Reference Model of ePortfolio for Lifelong Learning

• This first looked at PDP “services” as the learner experienced them

• The next set of slides looks at a flow “choreographing” the “domain services” making up PDP.

• I will then look at the machine to machine “Web Services” within a domain service.

• Each Domain Service may “orchestrate” several Web Services

ePortfolio

Assessment Results & comments

Assessment Service

LearningPlans

1.

Trigger

1. An assessment result

• Mark+comments from formative assessment;

• This requires an interface (the hatpin)

ePortfolio: Individual Learning Plans (ILPs)

The 2nd “P” of PDP stands for PlanningHow is a plan created?

ePortfolio


Assessment Service

Personal Development Service

LearningPlans

1.

2.2. I call this information into an ePortfolio enabled Personal Development Service.

• (The 1st “P” of PD stands for Personal Development)

ePortfolio: ILP

ePortfolio


Assessment Service


LearningPlans

Learner Goals

1.

2.

3.

3. I review the results against my goals...

ePortfolio: ILP

ePortfolio


Assessment Service

Learner Reflections


LearningPlans

Learner Goals

1.

2.

3.

4.


4. …in the context of past reflections…

(saving my current reflections as I go)

ePortfolio: ILP

ePortfolio


Assessment Service

Learner Reflections


Pathway Information Service

LearningPlans

Learner Goals

1.

2.

3.

4. 5.

5. …taking account of pathway information about the grades I need to meet my goals.


4. …in the context of past reflections…

(saving my current reflections as I go)

ePortfolio: ILP

ePortfolio


Assessment Service

Learner Reflections



IAG planning Service

LearningPlans

Learner Goals

1.

2.

3.

4.

6.

5.

6. I make available some of my reflections to my advisor in an Information Advice Guidance Planning Service

ePortfolio: ILP

ePortfolio


Assessment Service

Learner Reflections



IAG planning Service

LearningPlans

Learner Goals

1.

2.

3.

4.

6.

7.

5.

6. I make available some of my reflections to my advisor in an Information Advice Guidance Planning Service

7. Formal Pathway Info is called (mainly by the advisor; I now have loads of formal & informal stuff.)

ePortfolio: ILP

ePortfolio


Assessment Service

Learner Reflections

Dialogues



IAG planning Service8.

LearningPlans

Learner Goals

1.

2.

3.

4.

6.

7.

5.

8. My dialogue with my advisor is recorded

(I may may well be accessing other advice from other sources, like a google group)

ePortfolio: ILP

ePortfolio


Assessment Service

Learner Reflections

Dialogues




LearningPlans

Learner Goals

1.

2.

3.

4.

6.

7.

5.


(but what about the other informal conversations?)

9. I negotiate a formal learning plan with my advisor

ePortfolio: ILP

ePortfolio


Assessment Service

Learner Reflections

Dialogues




LearningPlans

9.

Learner Goals

1.

2.

3.

4.

6.

7.

5.

10.

Enrolment Service


9. I negotiate a formal learning plan with my advisor10. The first action is to enrol on a new set of classes

ePortfolio: ILP

• Some ePortfolio systems contain some of these services.

• It is to the advantage of the learner if any type of any service can be plugged into any ePortfolio.

• A modular approach aids implementation

• because it permits prioritisation• a thin, web based ePortfolio• drawing on rapidly developing

webservices.

ePortfolio


Assessment Service

Learner Reflections

Dialogues




LearningPlans

9.

Learner Goals

1.

2.

3.

4.

6.

7.

5.

10.

Enrolment Service

ePortfolio: ILP

Comment:

ePortfolio


Assessment Service

Learner Reflections

Dialogues




LearningPlans

9.

Learner Goals

1.

2.

3.

4.

6.

7.

5.

10.

Enrolment Service

Is ePortfolio for LifelongLearning feasible?

A thin ePortfolio drawing on Webservices looks a promisingApproach: -

• This offers an easy entry point for developers and vendors

• A market offering wide choice to learners

• Which with careful govt management can deliver personalised learning

• But what do the Web Services within a domain service look like?

Web Services for Personal Development

ePortfolio


Assessment Service

PrivateLearner

Reflections


USE CASE 1: - Personal Development Webservices

Learner Goals

1. Assessment Results & comments

Personal Development Domain Service2. Notify result

3.Goals

4. Private Reflection

6. Reflection withaccess permission

Notify Learner

Develop presentation

Assemble relevant

materials

PresentationalLearner

Reflections

Reflect

• Each Web Service could be used in other domains

• The same orchestration could be used for PD in different contexts

• The lower the level of the attainment the the greater the granularity

Where we are now

• “Every pattern …must be formulated in the form of a rule which establishes a relationship between a context, a system of forces which arises in that context, and a configuration, which allows these forces to resolve themselves …”

• A particular configuration enables particular behaviours

• The present task is to establish rules between systems of forces in contexts which will allow teachers to configure these forces so that the learner can develop his capacity to resolve them

Where we go next

• Review the implications for specifications and standards

• Propose lightweight profiles of specs/standards• That can demonstrate their capacity to deliver

key govt policies within 3 years• Present work has concentrated upon the lifelong

dimension for ePortfolio• But ePortfolios must be capable of supporting

learners within the emerging single employment market within Europe

• And globally

developing and piloting an eportfolio for lifelong learning: - the role of web services peter rees...

Documents

advisor eportfolio

pdp slide

ilp slide

hatpin eportfolio

group eportfolio

web services slide

pdp services

college pdp age