School of Education (Masters in Learning, Technology and Education), University of Nottingham

e-Portfolio context: The MA in Learning, Technology and Education is a course designed for professionals involved with learning technologies. This is currently a f2f course  but will have an online version in January 2013. Moodle VLE is used to supply resources and activities, but a range of other technologies are used to enhance the learning experience but also to provide an experience of their use for the students - Mahara is one of these.

Dates of provision: Since September 2011

Reason for implementation: The students need experience of using tools for learning as they critique these on the course. In addition Mahara provides a means of supporting alternative assessment approaches, both formative and summative, and for collobarative working. There is a concern that progression through the course could be improved and the use of the e-portfolio is being consdered to support this - to be used for PDP.

Purpose/s: To provide and experience of using an e-portfolio tool to support critical evaluation and to enhance the learning process itself through sharing and collaboration and offering an alternative approach to traditional module assessment.

 Mahara is also used as a blended learning tool on the f2f course. A group blog in Mahara is used by students to share pre-session activities and for sharing group work during taught sessions - see collaborative/blended learning example below.

Learning processes involved: Collaboration, sharing, feedback, reflection, assessment 

Practice: 

Mahara is a reference point for the class in that they have their profiles and pictures there and carry out specific assigned activities in all 4 modules. In modules 1 & 2 the students create a formative blog wihihc they share with the course tutor.  Formative activites within the online course materials invite a response and feedback can be given by the tutor. Summative activites at key points in the module are also responded to in a summative blog - this is assessed (20% of the final mark). In modules 3 and 4 a shared blog is used to support  both face-to-face and online activities.

Key staff involved:  Charles Crook https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/education/people/charles.crook and Gordon Joyes https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/education/people/gordon.joyes
Example:

Collaborative/blended learning example - Gordon Joyes

Formative and summative assessment - Charles Crook