e-portfolio funding supports learner mobility
National Monday Update Issue:
Three registered training organisations (RTOs) have been awarded funding to implement and trial an e-portfolio system which enables learners to move quickly and efficiently between education and training, employment and industry areas.
Funded and supported by the Australian Flexible Learning Framework (Framework), the E-portfolios implementation trials will help to establish a national standards-based approach to e-portfolio technologies for managing learner information, and support the VET E-portfolio Roadmap’s key goals of embedding and transitions.
Conducted over six months, the trials will also examine the application of the Framework’s VET E-portfolios Privacy Draft Guidelines,provide feedback about their usability and adoptability, and develop resources to support learners’ understanding of privacy risks when using an e-portfolio system.
Trial outputs will be made available in the Framework’s E-portfolios Resource Bank – a comprehensive and central online resource including reports, articles, news, blogs and events dedicated to e-portfolios and their application in vocational education and training (VET).
The three E-portfolio implementation trials are:
e-Pathways – Centre for Adult Education (CAE), Victoria
This trial will investigate the positive impact that e-learning can have on the personal development of disengaged and at-risk young people. Using the Mahara e-portfolio system, learners will create and maintain an e-portfolio to record and monitor their progress in achieving personal and academic goals.
The trial will examine critical success factors in introducing e-portfolios to this specific learner group and track the transition from the current paper-based system of mapping individual pathways to a more flexible, accessible and engaging online system.
An online survey will be conducted with teachers/trainers and learners at the end of the trial to measure the extent to which learners engaged with the e-portfolio, as opposed to traditional methods, as a tool to monitor their personal and educational outcomes.
Mahara and regional RPL – Polytechnic West, Western Australia
This trial will investigate the potential of a Mahara e-portfolio system as a RPL (recognition of prior learning) tool for regional and remote laboratory technicians undertaking a Certificate IV in Laboratory Techniques.
The introduction of an e-portfolio system will help trainees provide evidence of competency and skills they have gained through on-the-job training, helping them to up-skill to either a diploma (Diploma in Laboratory Technology) or a university degree (Bachelor of Science in Laboratory Medicine).
The trial will closely examine the digital literacy skills of learners and assessors as well as levels of technical and industry support, given the impact these factors can have on engagement and the extent to which an e-learning pedagogy is embedded.
The suitability of POV (point of view) camera glasses in a laboratory setting will be assessed along with more traditional recording methods for capturing and uploading evidence to Mahara. Third party validation from laboratory managers will be used to ensure the evidence captured complies with AQTF (Australian Quality Training Framework) standards.
E-portfolios for nursing – Royal District Nursing Service, South Australia
In this trial, Diploma of Nursing students will use the PebblePad e-portfolio system to compile and present evidence to support a range of course and professional competencies, including those required by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council.
The use of an e-portfolio system is expected to overcome complexity in integrating, applying and translating evidence of competencies required under both course and professional frameworks and to meet increased regulatory requirements around learning evidence.
Learners, many of whom are following study pathways to university, will also complete activities that require them to reflect on their work placements, in a bid to facilitate and smooth the transition between learning and work.
Learners will use PebblePad’s webfolio function to publish learning outcomes and experiences to demonstrate the system’s capabilities and help future learners in building their e-portfolios.
For further information on the trials, visit http://flexiblelearning.net.au/e-portfolios
Learn more about e-portfolios.