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=**EDIT518 Wiki**=

IMPORTANT INFO - You will notice there is a 'discussion' tab up the top, there is a seperate discussion for each page. If you want to discuss something that relates to one of the tools, you can post it on the relevant page. Anything general should be posted on the home page. All information posted here can be edited by group members only.

__**Group Members:**__ - Allison - Barbara - Ben - Jo - Kate

__**-- Group Wiki Topic: ePortfolios**__

__**-- e Learning Tools (with contributors names)**__ Allison - Learning Management Systems, Wikis Barbara - Forums and Chat rooms Ben - Connected Classrooms, Social networking tools Jo - Internet, Google Docs Kate - Introduction, Blogs, Podcasts


 * __Introduction__**

A portfolio can be a very powerful tool for students and teachers. They provide us with insight into the learner’s metacognition which many assessment tools neglect to demonstrate. They require the learner to collect artifacts and reflect on learning, as well as set future learning goals, empowers the learner and provides ownership (Paulson, Paulson & Mayer, 1991:61) An ePortfolio or electronic portfolio (also commonly referred to as a digital portfolio) is a collection of evidence to demonstrate learning which has taken place and perhaps future learning goals of the student. The creator makes use of electronic tools to allow a range of media to be included such as text, video and audio and also usually includes hyperlinks to connect information (Barrett, 2000:15).

(Kember 2001)


 * WHAT ARE E-PORTFOLIOS?**
 * (Taken from Wikipedia)**

1. An **electronic portfolio**, also known as an **e-portfolio** or **digital portfolio**, is a collection of electronic evidence assembled and managed by a user, usually on [|the Web]. Such electronic evidence may include inputted text, electronic files, images, [|multimedia], [|blog] entries, and [|hyperlinks]. E-portfolios are both demonstrations of the user's abilities and platforms for self-expression, and, if they are online, they can be maintained dynamically over time. Some e-portfolio applications permit varying degrees of audience access, so the same portfolio might be used for multiple purposes. An e-portfolio can be seen as a type of learning record that provides actual evidence of achievement. Learning records are closely related to the [|Learning Plan], an emerging tool that is being used to manage learning by individuals, teams, [|communities of interest], and organizations. To the extent that a [|Personal Learning Environment] captures and displays a learning record, it also might be understood to be an electronic portfolio.

Students have been taught to create digital identities using presentation software or tools to create web pages. More recently the use of [|virtual learning environments] (VLEs) in schools and universities has led to an increased activity in the creation of e-portfolios for a variety of reasons. Most of these e-portfolios, however, are retained within the VLE and are not easily accessed outside the VLE. This results in problems of exporting data and related interoperability issues. An alternative approach is to use a system externally hosted to any institution. This permits transition through the various stages of education and employments and even into retirement.

E-portfolios, like traditional [|portfolios], can facilitate students' reflection on their own learning, leading to more awareness of learning strategies and needs.[|[][|1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_portfolio] Results of a comparative research, by [|M. van Wesel] and Prop, between paper based portfolios and electronic portfolios in the same setting, suggest use of an electronic portfolio leads to better learning outcomes.


 * 2. Website about Mahara and eportfolios - an example of an Open Source ePortfolio**
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