The pragmatic portfolio : an assessment approach for distributed learning
conference contribution
posted on 2010-01-01, 00:00authored byMatthew Allen, E Tay
Portfolios, especially where they involve some use of or link to online technologies, are currently a popular focus for learning innovation in universities, drawing on a tradition of using portfolios in some areas of higher education and attempting to extend and broaden this practice. In some cases this focus has led to ambitious plans for whole-of-institution approaches, often involving significant technological development. However, the term portfolio can also cover a wider variety of possible learning and assessment activities and there are ways of using portfolios which, while quite traditional in their own form and approach, enable teachers to approach other aspects of their curriculum and pedagogy in far more innovative ways. This paper explores the conceptual basis on which the Department of Internet Studies at Curtin University of Technology is utilising a pragmatic approach to portfolio assessment within individual units of study, so as to enable a more thorough implementation of distributed learning. In this form of learning, where students regularly contribute to their own and others' learning through short tasks and conversations, the evidence of achievement is widely distributed and not easily accessible for either formative or summative assessment. As explained in the paper, students are required to collate, select, and then contextualise a sample of these numerous productive moments of their ongoing study. The paper concludes that while other goals for portfolio assessment (such as encouraging reflection) can also be used with this approach, its primary value is in unleashing the potential of social media creativity in a manner that motivates students via the requirement of assessment, enables feedback to be provided to guide learning, and which promotes shared responsibility between teachers and students in determining the kind and extent of their learning activities.
History
Event
Teaching and Learning. Forum (19th : 2010 : Perth, W. A.)
Publisher
Edith Cowan University
Location
Perth, W. A.
Place of publication
[Perth, W. A.]
Start date
2010-01-28
End date
2010-01-29
Language
eng
Notes
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Publication classification
EN.1 Other conference paper
Title of proceedings
Proceedings of the 19th Annual Teaching Learning Forum : Educating for Sustainability