Eportfolio-platforms
From RSCWMWiki
ePortfolio-platforms "Try before you buy"
Contents |
Introduction
RSC West Midlands can now offer you your own externally hosted, learning platform for free, for a six month trial period - until July 2010. What better way than to try before you buy?
An increasing number of learning providers are now using e-learning platforms and e-portfolio systems, with this number growing as providers realise the many benefits that they offer. (This includes the ability to share resources online, access documents 24/7, offer learners the chance to present evidence electronically, and more).
To support this growing area of e-learning, Kevin Brace has set up a West Midlands based initiative which now offers all of our supported learning providers the chance to use one or more of five open source e-learning platforms/e-portfolio systems completely for free. In simple terms, this is a chance to ‘try before you buy’; it offers a great opportunity to try out some of this very popular software before you commit to either securing a hosting arrangement of your own, or to buying commercial systems for your e-learning.
In addition to this we are currently negotiating a chance to offer free training and continuing support with these platforms with a local training provider. Full details of this partnership to be confirmed here early in Februrary 2010.
As part of the project, the following hosted e-learning platforms are now available for you to trial (with complete functionality). Applicants can choose to pilot one, two, or all of these platforms simultaneously.
* Moodle (including specialist ILP blocks) * Wordpress * Mahara * Mahoodle * ELGG
Learning providers will be able to access the hosted e-learning platform for a period of six months during which time they will also receive the help of selected members of the RSC team for getting the system up and running. In return, Kevin would appreciate a short evaluation highlighting the benefits/shortfalls of each platform piloted.
Project Scope and Overview
The JISC RSC West Midlands would like to provide the use of a suite of Open Source e-learning platforms that can be utilised to pilot a wide range of eportfolio related activities. The JISC RSC West Midlands have set up five “eportfolio” platforms on their own servers. These learning platforms have been chosen for their pedigree, currency, and compatibility with existing IT infrastructures. The eportfolio platforms details are listed above.
These “eportfolio platforms” will be made available to supported learning providers for approximately six months. In return, each learning provider will complete a simple evaluation and short report highlighting the benefits/shortfalls of each platform piloted. We are also interested in comments on the entire pilot process. Collated details will be published on the RSC West Midlands Wiki, our eportfolio community of Practice, or included in LSIS Excellence Gateway e-case studies. Pertinent evaluation information will be shared with other learning providers (locally and nationally) to help with piloting or evaluation of eportfolio platforms. Applicants can choose to pilot one, two, or all of these platforms simultaneously. It is advised that any teaching staff embarking upon a pilot should enlist the assistance of their IT and/or e-learning support to help manage the pilots. We insist that this agreement is approved by a line manager which will ensure pilot support.
RSC WM recommends a selection of commercial eportfolio platforms as alternatives;
- eFolio: http://efoliointheuk.blogspot.com/
- PebblePad: http://www.pebblepad.co.uk/
- Taskstream: http://www.taskstream.com/
- Onefile: http://www1.onefile.co.uk/
- My Knowledge map: http://www.myknowledgemap.com/
- Axia HE Progress: http://marketing.axiainteractive.net/heprogressnow.html
- For a more comprehensive list of eportfolio platforms available, please access the USA wiki page.
- This recent survey conducted in Europe compares commercial against Open Source eportfolios, which may help support your eportfolio evaluations.
evaluation links
Sources of information regarding e-learning evaluation & criteria;
- A typical evaluation matrix can be seen in my Jan' blog post
- http://www.cegnet.co.uk/files/CEGNET0001/resources/777.doc :Getting what you want: e-portfolios 14-19
Terms and conditions
Print these off, sign it and send it back to us.
Media:EPortfolio_Pilot_Platforms_Project-TERMS_AND_CONDITIONS.pdf
Kevin Brace. HE Co-ordinator: Kevin Brace JISC Regional Support Centre West Midlands, University of Wolverhampton, Technology Centre, Wolverhampton Science Park, Glaisher Drive, Wolverhampton WV10 9RU
contact us
Interested applicants should get in touch with Kevin Brace who can be contacted by email, or contacted by accessing the RSC WM website.
related wiki pages & RSC support
- http://delicious.com/deliboy/e-portfolio (shared web links)
- http://kev-brace.blogspot.com/search/label/eportfolio (regular blog posts)
- http://groups.google.co.uk/group/rscmeg?hl=en (JISC RSC WM Community of Practice)
- http://wblwestmids.blogspot.com/ (Work based learning blog)
- Next ePortfolio forum: April 27th, central Birmingham covering CPD and PDP. More details to follow, plus booking at URL: http://info.rsc-wm.ac.uk/events/default.asp
