• By: maximise     Date: 23-12-08
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Hum... Wrote a long comment as below and then lost everything when it asked me to login for a second time!

Nick, I liked your presentation very much and appreciate your frankness in describing what you and your pupils are doing. However, two comments if I may:

Firstly, I was trying to understand what you were describing in terms of a definition of an e-Portfolio and e-Portfolio practice. Surely, all the activities and processes that you describe can be done on a standard VLE or remote Learning Platform? This is what my granddaughter does with her access to her school's VLE here in the UK. Surely, the learning environment that you describe only becomes an e-Portfolio if it is firstly owned by the learner and secondly is capable of 'portability' or transition between multiple institutions, from 5-19 and beyond to FE/HE, employment(s) and beyond?

Secondly, on formative assessment, have you read W.J. Popham's book, 'Transformative Assessment'? For over 40 years I have been a keen proponent of formative assessment, both from the pupil's point of view and also in terms of the benefits to teachers. However, his book breaks these two areas down quite analytically, looking at how the learner benefits and how also the teacher benefits by deciding what and when to assess formatively. A real eye-opener!

For more on my views on e-Portfolios, please see:
www.maximise-ict.co.uk/eFolio-01.htm

or my blog at:
www.efoliointheuk.blogspot.com