Creating E-Portfolios to Support Student Career Opportunities Joe Luca and David Polinelli School of Communications and Multimedia Edith Cowan University
[email protected] Julie Howell Careers Advisory Service Edith Cowan University
[email protected] Abstract This paper presents a description and analysis of salient issues related to the development of an e-portfolio application implemented at Edith Cowan University to help students track and accumulate evidence of skills developed over their period of study. The online application has been designed to help students provide evidence required by employers in a progressive and reflective manner by considering ongoing situations experienced by students during their course of study, the action taken and the outcomes. Technical issues, legal issues and security issues are discussed, as well as considerations for future developments based on the experiences of this study.
Introduction The word ‘portfolio’ comes from two Latin root words: ‘port’ meaning to carry, to move; ‘folio’ meaning sheet, leaf paper. Together they suggest a collection of papers (evidence) which are portable (Poehnell and Amunsdon, 2001, p.8). However, advances in technology have seen opportunities to incorporate multimedia techniques into the storage and presentation of portfolio materials. Hence an electronic version has emerged as a potential foundation for future portfolio development. Today the definition of a portfolio may encompass a learning process: “It focuses on growth and development over time and can be seen as a concrete representation of critical thinking and reflection of skills and achievements; implemented through the selection of evidence for goal setting and self evaluation and therefore ongoing professional development” (Barrett, 1999, 2000). Electronic portfolios have received widespread support and uptake in North America and Europe, with a variety of institutions incorporating portfolios as a key element of the student experience. The American Association of Higher Education lists 42 examples of university portfolio programmes at www.aahe.org/teaching/pfoliosearch3.cfm. Florida University provides one of the best examples of a university currently using portfolios (http://www.career.fsu.edu/portfolio/index.html). In the US and Europe, online portfolios are becoming the most common platform, whereas in Canada much of their work is still in hard copy format.
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The ever-advancing capabilities of computer technology and the increased need for portability of evidence related to qualifications, knowledge and attributes means that the ‘shoe-box’ approach to storage is no longer adequate. An electronic version offers a different type of storage and a more flexible means of presentation — be it a PowerPoint, hyper linked text, or an Acrobat PDF presentation. Also, as a career management tool to help write job applications, students can quickly and effectively store and access large amounts of information that is easy to update, reflect upon and improve (Rogers and Williams, 1999). Electronic portfolios focus on ‘growth and development over time, implemented through selection, reflection and inspection of skills, attributes and achievements, along with goalsetting and self-evaluation’ (Barrett, 2001). Additionally the e-portfolios provide the capability of directly linking students' portfolio evidence to the standards for which they may need to demonstrate achievement. These standards may include the recently introduced Edith Cowan University graduate attributes, employment or graduate studies selection criteria, or practicum and/or course assessment outcomes. Despite the many advantages of portfolios, there are also disadvantages, many related to their implementation: ‘Portfolios are messy to construct, cumbersome to store, difficult to score and vulnerable to misrepresentation (Wolfe, 1999, p.129) and there is always ‘the possibility of (portfolios) becoming a useless paper chase and a futile exercise’ (Wheeler, 1996, p.89). Also, a lack of technical support and assistance (at both micro and macro levels) is seen as a major area of concern with Bloom and Bacon (1995, p.2) ‘highlighting that especially new students may have difficulty with the lack of structure in the process.’ The focus of the application built in this project is not on illustrating creative works or multimedia presentations, but rather on helping students collect evidence for skill development with an emphasis on continual reflection throughout the course of study. Traditionally e-portfolios come in specific forms that have a specific purpose. These include career, technical, course-specific or for general performance purposes. This e-portfolio system is general in its design, and can be utilised to generate an e-portfolio for any area without any modification to the system.
Product Description and Software Considerations The application allows students to enter evidence based on the Situation, the Action taken, and the Outcome (SAO), along with up to three samples of work to demonstrate the skill. By storing samples and evidence of skill developed the student is able to build a history of their experience. This information can then be viewed online, or alternatively saved to the users computer as plain text (txt) or in rich text (RTF) format. This enables the user to use the information from the e-portfolio system in other documents, or alternatively generate a repository of skills that can are formatted and structured for CV purposes. Three categories of users were defined — student users, staff users and administration users. Each were given the following privileges: 1.
Student users would have the ability to: • •
Define a customised e-portfolio based on content skill sets and graduate attributes, with the ability to add up to three samples of work that demonstrate competency for each item; Add, update or remove portfolio items; and
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• 2.
Select any portfolio items and save down all relevant entered information in either txt or rtf format. Staff users would have the ability to:
• • 3.
View any currently defined student e-portfolio; and Search for a particular student and view there associated e-portfolio. Administration users would have the ability to:
• • • • • • •
Search for any student; View student e-portfolios; Disable/enable individual accounts; Delete users from the system; View the number of times and date/time users log-in; Add ‘new’ users to the system who does not have a current ECU ADS account; and Update and delete streams, skill sets and skills.
Using Apple’s OSX operating system, and the continued support they have given in providing open source technology tools lead to the fast and efficient development of the e-portfolio system. OSX’s inclusion of directory tools such as LDAP allowed login access to Edith Cowan University’s ADS infrastructure (Microsoft’s Active Directory Service), a secure user authentication and login system, allowing staff, admin and student logins to take place. Automated account status updates that allowed graduating students the ability to continue using the system after their ECU ADS account is suspended as a result of their graduation. A full description of the application can be seen in the Appendix, or accessed online at http://eportfolio.scam.ecu.edu.au — student login username: 0990174, password: 0990174. The e-portfolio system was designed and developed to be an open source product that could be run on most systems providing they had the following installed technologies: • • • •
PHP 4.2.2 for Apache with sablatron XML library available http://www.entropy.ch/ MySQL 3.23.39 Database Server available http://www.mysql.org/ Mac OS 10.1.5 Server Apache/1.3.26 (Darwin) Web Server available http://www.apache.org/
PHP offers developers a large amount of programming tools for deployment to the web. A recent survey found 12,000,000 domains using php-enabled websites since January 1999 (PHP, 2003). MySQL was chosen as the database back-end having proven itself with an estimated 4,000,000 customers worldwide (MySQL, 2003). As an open source technology it provides a huge support base of developers and in our situation, 100% uptime. Another key feature of the MySQL database system is its operational speed and reliability. PHP, MySQL and the Mac OSX operating system has enabled the e-portfolio system to be truly versatile, usable and dynamic application.
Issues Encountered with Students Uploading Media Files During the design and development of the product, a number of issues arose from the decision to enable students to upload and host files using an Edith Cowan University server. This
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requirement led to a number of the un-foreseen legal issues, technical issues and security issues related to allowing students to upload documents onto the university server: From a legal perspective, the hosting of ‘unknown’ and ‘un-managed’ student documents is un-acceptable at Edith Cowan University. Due to the nature of the eportfolio system we were building, students were able to host documents that potentially could cause legal issues. Edith Cowan University requires that all material hosted on Edith Cowan University servers be regulated to ensure the content is appropriate. If the ability to upload material was given to students, there would be no easy method of policing this content, other than opening and reviewing each item and searching for such things as pornography, racist or sexist slurs, mp3 files or any other illegal material. From a technical perspective, the hosting of ‘unknown’ and ‘un-managed’ student documents can lead to many problems. Issues such as what document types to allow, as well as who supports various technologies that may want to be uploaded, such as MySQL and php or Microsoft Access and ASP become apparent. In addition, the limitation of server space becomes an issue and a decision is needed to define how much is enough server space per student. This then raises other hardware issues, such as the need for dedicated server space, login accounts and security issues. From a security perspective, facilitating the uploading of student documents to the server would open the system to a number of possible threats such as viruses and corrupt code. Users could easily upload shell scripts or similar, that when run could execute server commands to permanently corrupt/cripple the system, whilst at the same time delete all other student documents, records, and portfolio items. To help avoid these legal, technical and security problems, students are required to host their media documents elsewhere. However, students can post links to their material hosted on other external servers, or compile all their multimedia resources onto a CD-ROM. This change had the effect of focusing the students’ attention on their subject and graduate skills, rather than on their multimedia products. Within this setting, students then focus on identifying evidence of skill development within specific situations, and then reflect on their outcomes (SAO). These reflective comments can then be saved as Text or Rich Text File (RTF) format for use with job selection criteria. As a result the e-portfolio system has become an useful resource for helping students identify the development of professional skills, as well as helping them determine any skills they may still require to develop. This has the potential to aid students, both current and past with job application opportunities.
Future Developments As a result of the issues identified with hosting student materials, the School of Communications and Multimedia is currently developing an extension the system. A CDROM based application is being built that will allow students to showcase their materials. However, the content would be managed and entered by the student, thus empowering them to be responsible for the development of their own portfolio. The CD-ROM application will guide students through the process of entering their media as well as reflective reports and skill identification. Upon completion, the student would be able to create a CD-ROM, to
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distribute to potential employers. The CD-ROM will have the ability to communicate with the student’s online e-portfolio, in order to synchronise their online e-portfolio with the media elements created on the CD-ROM. This will allow students to distribute their portfolio readily to locations that do not have Internet access, in a format that is user friendly to potential employers. It should also be noted that this model suites particular streams more than others. For example, a Photomedia student wanting to showcase a collection of photographic material may require extensive storage space — space that an online system could not provide. In addition there are two other online applications currently under development that complement the e-portfolio application: • •
The projects web site (http://studentprojects.scam.ecu.edu.au/), allows students to showcase specific group based projects constructed during their third year of study. The careers job board (http://careers.scam.ecu.edu.au/), provides a forum that enables employers and students to interact and discuss job and work experience opportunities. This application will soon host employment opportunities across the whole university.
A further extension of this suite of products currently being considered is to create a career management program that assists students in identifying gaps in their career development.
Conclusion We anticipated developing an e-portfolio system that would store actual student work samples as well as evidence of skill development with a view of enhancing career opportunities. However, due to legal, technical and security issues it was decided to focus on skill development only. The e-portfolio product developed now helps students track and accumulate evidence of skills developed over their period of study to help fulfil CV criteria required by employers as well as identifying gaps in their knowledge and skills. The application allows students to enter information with reflective comments on subject skills and graduate attributes (see Appendix). This helps provide a means of ensuring students leave their field of study with a more complete knowledge set, and required graduate attributes. A key element in the success of this project has been close working relationship developed between the School of Communications and Multimedia and the Careers Advisory Service. This has enabled some creative ideas, and use of resources to work productivity toward a common goal, and enhance the employability of ECU students.
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Appendix: E-Portfolio APPLICATION Logging In The e-portfolio system makes use of the Edith Cowan University ADS system to allow login (Figure 1) to the system. All students and staff members have an Edith Cowan University ADS account and this is the login details required to access the system. ADS login account details can be obtained from within ECUWES or via the help desk.
Figure 1. Logging into the e-portfolio system
Student Menu Upon successful student login, the student is presented with a menu of options as shown in Figure 2. Students have the ability to update their current profile, view their portfolio, update their portfolio, build an output file or log-out.
Figure 2. Student menu options
View Portfolio The view portfolio option gives the user the ability to review their portfolio (Figure 3). Skills are classified under two headings — “Graduate Attributes” and “Specialist Skills/Samples”. A brief overview of each skill is shown, the first 75 characters, and a link which when clicked provides a complete view of the selected skill as shown in figure 4 below.
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Figure 3. View portfolio screen
Figure 4. Portfolio item view screen
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Update Portfolio The update portfolio option gives the student the ability to add, edit and remove current portfolio items. The screen has the same format as the “View” option with the exception that it has “add new item”, “edit” and “delete” buttons (Figure 5). The system allows a maximum of 20 portfolio items to be defined, however the system administrator within the site configuration file may modify this number. When adding a new item the user is prompted with a new window in which to complete the request. Edit request similarly displays in new windows. Delete options require a confirmation of the action to ensure no accidental deletion, delete permanently removes the record and cannot be reversed.
Figure 5. Update portfolio screen
When adding new portfolio items the user is presented with a screen as shown in figure 6. The user must select a number of options in order to identify which category, skill and skill set they are attempting to enter. They must firstly select which stream the skill is in, so multimedia students would select multimedia, advertising students advertising and so on. The page then refreshes and displays skill sets defined for the selected stream, similarly the user now selects the appropriate skill set and then skill from the drop down select menus available (the administrator is the only user that can add skills not present in these menus). The user then completes the rest of the form outlining the situation, action and outcome along with links to sample if any, upon submitting the form the window will close and the list of skills can be updated by clicking the refresh list option. The added skill is now accessible in all other components of the site.
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Figure 6. Add new portfolio item screen
Build Output The build output allows the student to select specific skills that they have entered as show in figure 7, select a file format and save down a file containing the skills they selected (in RTF or PDF format).
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Figure 7. Build output screen
Staff Menu Upon successful login staff members are presented with a menu as shown in Figure 8. Staff members have the ability to update their portfolio and view any currently defined student portfolios. Staff members can search for students specifically by student ID, first or last name or they can select to view only current or past students and be provided with a list from which to choose.
Figure 8. Staff menu
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Administration Menu As shown in Figure 9, the administrator has the ability to view all portfolios, manage accounts, add new students, and manage streams, skill sets and skills.
Figure 9. Admin menu
Administration Menu, Option 1 — Manage Accounts The manage accounts option (Figure 10) gives the administrator the ability to disable/enable accounts delete accounts and search for both current and past students held within the system.
Figure 10. Manage accounts screen
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Administration Menu, Option 2 — Add a Student As shown if Figure 11, this option allows the administrator to add a student to the system that does not have a current ADS account. This would only be used if the administrator wanted to add a user who was not an Edith Cowan University student and allow them to define an eportfolio. Alternatively it could be used to define a past student whom had never logged into the system whilst they were a student.
Figure 11. Add new student screen
Administration Menu, Option 3 — Manage streams: The manage streams option (Figure 12) allows the administrator to administer the streams, which affect both the skill sets and the skills. If a stream is deleted, all associated skill sets and skills are removed as well any student entries that relate. The administrator has the ability to define a new stream. View the skill sets associated with currently defined streams, edit current streams and delete streams.
Figure 12. Manage streams screen
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Administration Menu, Option 4 — Manage Skill Sets The manage skill sets option (Figure 13), acts much the same was as the manage streams option. The administrator has the ability to define new skill sets, view skills associated with any of the currently defined skill sets, edit each skill set and delete a skill set. As with streams if a skill set is deleted, all associated skills and related student entries are removed.
Figure 13. Manage skill set screen
Administration Menu, Option 5 — Manage Skills The manage skills option (Figure 14) acts much the same was as the manage streams and manage skill sets options. The administrator has the ability to define new skills, edit each defined skill and delete a skill. As with streams and skill sets, if a skill is deleted all related student entries are also removed.
Figure 14. Manage skills screen
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