Project+Scope

With regard to the POCN project, this proposal will incorporate rich media aspects to the development and presentation of items to be found in an e-portfolio. It is this project’s intention to demonstrate the effectiveness of combining rich media and e-portfolio presentation and configuration and to do so across jurisdictions as well as nationally through the VET sector.

This implementation of //mine.edu.au// will provide an important test bed for an educational implementation of e-portfolios as a major educational tool. It will also allow the sector to come to grips with how to provide an Australia-wide service for the provision of authenticated results from the formal systems.

=//mine.edu.au//=


 * //mine.edu.au// is an educational technology with considerable potential to impact significantly on teaching, learning and recognition in the next five years. Of particular note is the role of //mine.edu.au// in supporting informal, flexible, lifelong models of learning that are increasingly regarded as a philosophical and pedagogical imperative for secondary and post-compulsory sectorsmine.edu.au
 * //mine.edu.au// is an e-portfolio system that is nationally networked. It has the potential to link with state and territory systems and services as well as with individual institution-based and owned systems and services. This link up is similar to the current set up of the national LORN, supported by the Framework

Using e-portfolios in the ACT jurisdiction - A model of best practice E-portfolios should be regarded as an important tool for helping individuals reflect on and plan their learning and career pathways. It is a facility that captures assessing their learning, and for supporting their skills recognition and employability when they move within the ACT education system. The implementation of //mine.edu.au// is a strategic imperative for CIT as it positions the institute as a leader in the development of e-portfolios.

//mine.edu.au//, for the purpose of this project, can be defined a space for collation, aggregation and display of certain artefacts and information about an individual, reflecting their current experiences, skills, knowledge and learning. This information can then be selected and displayed to a targeted group, such as potential employers, educational institutions and industry associations.

CIT proposes to lead the design, implementation and evaluation of e-portfolios for three key strategic groups: · individuals (students, teachers and employees) · organisations (CIT, St Clare’s) · and industry (AIS Childcare Centre) Some other examples of the use of //mine.edu.au// may include:

**As a Personal space**
//mine.edu.au// provides a means for students to record their achievements during their studies, and beyond. As a personal tool, mine.edu.au allows students to see what they have achieved to date and plan further study towards achieving their personal goals.

**As a Teaching and Assessment space**
//mine.edu.au// provide educators with a platform for recording the best achievements of individuals within their course or program (how is this different from above?. This can be useful for encouraging individuals to share ideas and learn collaboratively, as well as for building collections of work for assessment.

**As an Academic Recognition Tool**
Individuals who have completed study at other educational institutions can use mine.edu.au as a way of gathering evidence of competency for RPL or other recognition. In addition, individuals who move away or go on to further study (e.g. transition to a university program) can continue to use //mine.edu.au// to demonstrate their learning journey.

**As an Employment/Alumni Tool**
Perhaps the ultimate mission of the VET system is to skill individuals for successful deployment into the workforce. //mine.edu.au// provides a space to enhance employability of individuals by providing an ideal platform for presenting their skills to potential employers using a full range of rich media.

**As a Marketing and Business Development Tool**
//mine.edu.au// is a useful, personal online space that maintains significant utility long after study is completed. It provides individuals with a space that changes as they change in their careers. Individuals can demonstrate how they have changed and evolved in their field is best demonstrated through //mine.edu.au// Individuals can market themselves by demonstrating their growth within their industry as well as demonstrate their knowledge, understanding, attitudes and commitment to their work.

It is already well recognised that many individuals tend to complete their learning sporadically when they have the time or resources; and learning may even be done across a variety of organisations (including employers, private RTOS and ACE providers).

**Longevity**
Because e-portfolios are a natural fit with supporting lifelong learning, and may also serve as a preferred repository of an individual's achievements, the decision to implement an e-portfolio system should not be taken lightly. Rather, it should be done with a deliberate intent to provide the e-portfolio service for long-term use. It is proposed that the Federal Government, through DEEWR, sponsor this initiative.

**Ownership and Privacy**
While DEEWR may host an e-portfolio system, users should be encouraged to 'own' their own e-portfolios without unnecessary institute interference or intervention. Branding and corporate styling should never be encouraged. The only brand should be //mine.edu.au// with the associated Federal Government logo indicating the sole sponsor. Individuals should be given the opportunity to style and design their space as they wish, with strong teacher and industry input on appropriate business styling and layout should they be targeting their information to a particular group or stakeholder.

//mine.edu.au// should be protected with the usual internet filtering, anti-spam and other protective measures to ensure the integrity of the data. This however does not imply that the space will be monitored by anyone or any organisation. Indeed, there must be legally binding privacy provisions provided to all who participate in //mine.edu.au//. However, formal qualifications and the responsibilities associated with these should remain with the enrolling institution.

**E-portfolio Skills**
Many people are unfamiliar with the practices involved with developing and maintaining their curriculum vitae or professional portfolios. Organisations implementing e-portfolios should consider providing support through workshops and tutorials for students on developing and maintaining high-quality records of their achievement, and teachers considering utilising student e-portfolios as part of their teaching and learning approach may also need to be developed and supported. Teachers who are new to the concept of portfolios generally may need to be reminded that the portfolio’s objective is to provide a demonstration of a learner’s significant milestones (a brief, high-impact, highly-relevant presence), not to capture and retain every individual piece of work ever submitted by a student.

**E-portfolios in Australian VET**
A number of e-portfolio tools are already available from both commercial vendors and from open-source organisations. This project will focus on using a product that should satisfy all the requirements of this project.

**Mahara**
Mahara ([|http://mahara.org]) is a free and open-source e-portfolio platform whose development was funded by New Zealand Tertiary Education Commission and whose continuing development is supported by New Zealand Ministry of Education. It is proposed that Australia follow a similar model of sponsorship and development.

Mahara is a purpose-built, scalable 'learner-centred' e-portfolio tool that incorporates many useful features for supported portfolio development and presentation, and can be integrated with other learning systems as part of an online learning environment. Due to its sound design and extensible and customisable free/open-source provision model, it is already being widely acclaimed by a number of Australian VET organisations.

**Summary**
E-portfolios are capable of providing a useful tool for all learners, with applications including learner reflection and development, skills recognition, qualification documentation and employability support. There are also strong benefits to organisations that provide learners with e-portfolios, such as enhanced teaching and learning practices and the development and retention of strong alumni and industry links.