Reflections on Core Activity 2.1

Activity 2.1 was an extremely confusing activity for me. I am slightly disappointed that my group was not massively enthusiastic about completing the task, and that we ended up with a less than perfect template . I am also left feeling I have not picked up the broader purpose of the task; although a template was the output of our efforts, the main purpose, I now realise, was to get our heads around the whole subject of e-portfolios and their uses. But what I have learned in the past about OU courses is that the task is not the main point - the main point is the personal learning. Using the personal development template of H808, here are some reflections on lessons that I can take forward to future activities.

Practice related
I reached the end of this task not being absolutely clear why we had been asked to create a template of drivers. I now realise, having read back over the course materials, that this activity was intended to raise my awareness of e-portfolios, their application and the pros and cons of their use. Had I realised this at the outset, I would have spent my time differently, doing much broader reading, and considering the arguments for and against e-portfolios with a more critical eye.
So my resolution from this piece of learning is that with every new activity I must ask myself, why am I doing this, what do I need to get as a personal learning outcome and how will it contribute to my H808 studies?

Communication related
I find that online group activities are notoriously tricky to mediate, especially when a group is still quite newly formed. The experience with my group on Activity 2.1 was that few members became active participants in the group aspect of the activity. Most people checked in, nominated texts to read, and then disappeared. My sense is that at the outset, we would have done better to take a little longer discussing the task and what we think we needed to get from it, and then to have agreed how to collaborate on getting it done. But by collaboration, I don't just mean sharing the work out, I mean working out how we can genuinely co-create knowledge. For me that co-creation is where the most value added has come out of previous OU modules.
In future, whilst not wanting to assume that that I should take a lead role at every stage, I will be conscious of the dynamics at the outset of new group activities, and lobby for discussion about the process and underlying purpose of the activity.

Technology related
A big 'aha!' moment came for me when I found myself trying to fill in the template on a wiki - I was working out how to use the technology, and then discovered I didn't have much to enter in the template.
Just because technology exists does not mean you have to use it. In fact, I often find that technology gets in the way of conversation, as those who are not accomplished users end up struggling with making the technology work, and even worse, feel useless because of this. (An example of this frustration came from Jan Moreland in her forum post of Unit 2 Activity 2.1 Group A , 27th September, right back at the beginning.) True, it could be argued that if learners are not forced to use the technology, then they will never become adept at using it, but there is a balance that I need to strike.
In future activities, I want to do a better job of positioning the technology as the servant of the learning and not the other way around.

Research related
My learning about my approach to research is linked to my point above about practice; namely that I must be clear what I am researching and why!

In future, I must take a step back from the exercise, and consider what background research is going to provide me with material I need to complete (1) H808, (2) my e-portfolio, and then (3) the activity. Had I done this with Activity 2.1, I would not have spent well over 12 hours wading through a most lengthy study from the Centre for Recording Achievement. Whilst interesting, it has not provided me with the grounding in understanding and making the case for or against e-portfolios that I really do need. So that learning will have to be picked up in later studies.

My e-portfolio project

As part of my H808 studies, I am required build my own professional development portfolio; an e-portfolio. In this portfolio I must evidence my progress in each of four areas of competency; practice related, communication related, technology related and research related. Each area of competency involves skills, reflection, critique and pro-activity.

At the outset of H808, I was determined to devote my time to subject matter that will be directly relevant to my work life; I am looking for more than knowledge, I want demonstrable improvement in my skills! For this reason, my initial plan for this e-portfolio is that I will focus my reflections on a distance learning project at work, for which I have managed to attract 8 paying delegates. This project is being run between 5th October and 2nd November and the 8 participants live in 5 different countries. This project is a completely new departure for my company, and one that could open up significant new markets for us, not just for this Distance Learning training, but also the additional products and services that delegates may then wish to buy from my company. This is indeed what our company founder, Tom Peters, calls 'Work that Matters'.

I plan to use the portfolio initially, to use Barrett's (2009) distinction, as a workspace rather than a showcase. And having focused largely on formative reflections, my hope is that by the end of the 6 month period, I will be in a position to focus on what she calls prospective reflection, creating new goals for the next iteration of the programme. There may be a role for showcasing my learning, as this may be a piece of work that will have PR or marketing applications for my company.

As an initial piece of work in this portfolio, I will analyse my previous experience of running a distance learning project, working out how I fared on each of the four practice areas.

My next reflection piece will be to describe the decisions we have made about this latest distance learning project, with my rationale for the these decisions. Again, I will use the H808 Professional Development Framework to structure my thinking.

I hope then to be in a position in 6 weeks time to reflect on the actual experience of running this latest course, to critique how it has progressed, and make resolutions for the next iteration of this programme, always assuming I am able to assemble a second group.

Not only does this seem to be an interesting porfolio, it also has very practical applications for me and my business. Win, win, I would say!

Ref: Barrett, HC, (work in progress, last update 23rd April 2009), Balancing the Two Faces of ePortfolios, (online) http://electronicportfolios.org/balance/index.html (Accessed 25th September 2009)
Peters, TJ, (1999), Re-inventing Work, Professional Service Firm 50, Alfred A Knopf Inc, New York. See Chaper 4a.

What is it I am meant to be doing?

A re-reading of the H808 Course Guide and Assignment Guide has led to a bit more fog lifting for me;-)

A big 'AHA' moment came when I re-read the Diagram with the Framework for Personal and Professional Development on H808. I know I had seen the chart before, but I didn't really take it in the first time around. But now I am beginning to discover what some of the organising principles of my H808 e-portfolio need to be. I need to be providing evidence of my (and maybe other peoples'?) Skills, Reflection, Critique and Proactivity in my Research, Technology, Communication and Practice Competencies. It seems to me that I would do well to get my head around my level of competency in each of these areas before I set off on the H808 Journey.

I am, however, quite excited about one thing; the distance learning project that I am embarking on as part of my job is going to be an excellent artefact for my e-portfolio, as it is a real prototype, and I am deliberately keeping the technology to the minimum. I want to get to the bottom of what the learning issues are that can be supported by e-learning before getting too caught up in whizzy features. I guess the course itself will be a chance to use such skills as I already have.The reflection and critique I will have to do as the course progresses and completes will be essential for me to be able to be pro-active in designing programme number 2.

So I am still not sure I have quite got my head around H808, but I'm feeling relieved I can see a way through the fog!

Task 2.1 My first summary - phew!

I offered to review one of the supplementary resources (The Centre for Recording Achievement) to identify what will be some of the drivers that will lead to a greater adoption of the use of e-portfolios.

The study that I focused on (rather selfishly, I have to admit) was a review that looked at the use of e-portfolios in supporting employer engagement and workforce development.
The 68 page report looked at evidence (both literature and practice) from a very wide range of Higher Education and Professional institutions of the relevance of e-portfolios to adult learners who are in employment. There is also a fairly cursory review of evidence from outside of the UK.

If I had to sum up the findings of this report, I would say that e-portfolio practice has not yet demonstrated relevance to adult, employment based learners. The report admits in its executive summary that although there is a great deal of evidence about work based learning, “literature about existing e-portfolio practice implemented with work based learners is sparse!”

There was evidence in the report of a number drivers that, in theory, ought to stimulate the adoption of e-portfolios. I would group them into four categories; government and higher education policy and practice, employer policy and practice, professional institution policy and practice and learner practice.

Successive UK and EU governments have identified the critical importance of developing a highly skilled workforce that can maintain the competitiveness of European business. The constantly changing economic landscape and relentless global competition mean that citizens of the EU must be encouraged to see lifelong learning as a condition to embrace. Hence, the UK government has targeted the Higher Education sector to engage more actively with employers, supporting them in developing programmes that are relevant to employers and employees alike. This has led to HE establishments finding ways to give academic accreditation to work based learning, and to the adoption of the use of Personal Learning Plans for many vocational learners. But whilst these are helpful developments for employees and employers alike, they have not yet stimulated the adoption of e-portfolios as common practice.

Professional Institutions such as the Institute of Physics, and the Institute for Learning report more positive attitudes to e-portfolios. Such Institutes demand that members demonstrate ongoing professional development and apply professional standards to their work. E-portfolio platforms offered by the institutes enable members to create a personalized record of their professional development that can be used in their work life, as well as validating their membership of the institution. Since there is clearly a benefit to professionals for maintaining and submitting their e-portfolio to their professional institution, this would seem to be amongst the most promising drivers for workplace learners to adopt the use of e-portfolios.

Employers, who have been on the receiving end of the Government’s encouragement to invest in employee training and development, are driven predominantly by strategic and operational demands, and these demands can be at odds with the priorities of employees and/or the Higher Education Institutions. For those employers who do see the value of recruiting the best people and then deploying and developing their careers, the e-portfolio certainly offers a valuable tool, but few to date have embraced the opportunity. We can only speculate as to why this would be, but a lack of awareness of the potency of this medium must play a part in this lack of take up. Another important factor is that the creation and maintenance of an e-portfolio is totally driven by the employee, and requires their willing engagement for success. So, whilst the information available in an employee’s e-portfolio would undoubtedly be useful to an employer, it may be difficult for them to mandate its use.

Finally, the learners themselves could become key drivers in the adoption of e-portfolios. An e-portfolio is an excellent way of demonstrating to potential employers the broad range of professional and personal skills that have been developed over an individual’s career. Work based skills can be more effectively recognized and it can be a tool to help to develop personal aspirations. The fact that e-portfolios are as yet little used in work based learning situations probably reflects the fact that the digital technologies are constantly developing and employees may have had no awareness of their existence, let alone their usefulness. As the e-generation of young people join the active workforce, their facility with web based interactions will increase the acceptability of e-portfolios as a part of working life.

Here is my sense of how e-portfolios may eventually become mainstream learning tools;

1. Government policy will continue to emphasize personal development/lifelong learning as a priority for the country.
2. The HE sector will continue to model the way and develop best practice in e-portfolio platforms and practice and any learners taking part in HE programmes will be exposed to the methodologies
3. Professional Institutions will progressively enrich their common practice of using portfolios for professional ongoing assessment by shifting to e-portfolio platforms and providing their members with advice, guidance and space for their storage and use.
4. Employees who graduate from HE programmes and who are members of professional institutes will begin to submit e-portfolios for interviews and assessments with their employers. Their employers will be impressed!
5. Employers will discover the benefits of e-portfolios and will encourage all employees to adopt this practice.

E-Portfolio thoughts

I have been feeling rather overwhelmed at the prospect of compiling an e-portfolio, but in the last few days, my H808 colleagues have added some balance to this perspective.

Perhaps what was concerning me was the technology of managing an e-portfolio, such as My Stuff on the OU website. And although this technology can be a lot to take in, as I look at the way I presently organise my professional learning, I have to admit it is a bit of a shambles ;-)

When I read something of professional or personal interest in the press, I often cut out the article, or store the URL. I wish I could say that I have an orderly way of storing this information, but I can't! When I read a new book of interest, I mark up the points that seem relevant and make notes in the book; when it seems important enough, I write a summary and action list. My professional activities are stored on our work server, but are filed by customer. When I make a public contribution; press article, blog, facebook, twitter etc, these are stored on the site/journal that published the item.

When I think back to my two previous years of Masters study, the process I used to collect my thoughts was essentially manual; hand drawn mind maps, printed out articles and journals, key themes on post-it notes, word documents summarising key quotes and themes......it makes me wonder how I ever got my act together!

My photographs, professional and personal, are stored in several different places. My hobbies are almost totally unreported, even though my choral performances are regularly broadcast publicly, and receive critical acclaim. I save the programmes and sometimes cut out newspaper reviews, but not in any systematic way. Isn't it a pity I don't keep track of this?

An e-portfolio approach to my life's documentation and learning would enable me to link various learning streams together, and better still, to be able to search and find information that has influenced my thinking. It would also be excellent to have a focus for summarising key learning points and for cataloguing my development as a professional, rounded human being.

I am not sure that I have ever aspired to be an E-Learning Professional. Rather I want to be an excellent learning professional, who helps people get the most out of their lives, not just their work. Having a good grasp of how E-Learning can contribute to that ambition is, in today's world, essential, as technology is a major enabler of learning, particularly for younger generations. For this to be a meaningful exercise, I am inclined to think it needs to be focused on me as a professional human being, not just on me as a professional educator.

So, here is my latest thinking on how to organise my e-portfolio. The organising concepts will be threefold; the professional skills that I feel are important to doing a good job today; the professional skills that I feel are important to my family, friends and hobbies; how my professional and personal skills must develop in future.

I am inclined to think that I should not spend too much time looking back to collect data for the e-portfolio, but if choose the right meta categories, and then begin to break them down into smaller organisational units, I can, if I choose, add historical information for posterity.

And the sooner I set up these organising themes, the more organised I can be about making H808 matter in my life, not just in order to gain a Masters Degree;-)

What is H808 about? First thoughts

As the E-Portfolio seems to be central to this course, here is a definition:

"The process of creating an eportfolio consists of collecting pieces of work, assessments, presentations, websites, blogs etc., explaining how the learning experiences relate to course content or learning objectives and documenting this with evidence from the pieces submitted. Students can share their eportfolio with staff and/or other students, who can add their comments."

(reference p44-45, Elearning, the Key Concepts, Robin Mason and Frank Rennie, 2006, Routledge, Taylor and Frances Group, London and New York.)

The first TMA has two parts.

1. To show understanding and awareness of what an eportfolio is and the functionality that they offer. I will need critically to examine the arguments for and against the use of such systems in my chosen context. I will need to read the background literature on these learning environments, to develop my knowledge of eportfolio teaching and learning practices, to describe the teaching context of my own situation.
2. To use the eportfolio system to reflect on the development of my own skills as an elearning practitioner; defining the skills I will need, reflecting on my own development, learning to critique the practice of others, identifying the kind of proactivity that is productive in the elearning environment.

It is beginning to dawn on me that one of my key pieces of professional learning will be to create a learning space in which I organise my thoughts in a completely different way. The way I understand it at the moment is that I will have to get much better at identifying meta concepts about which I want to collect my thoughts and develop my thinking. The eportfolio will be a place to organise and link material that illuminates the (new?) concepts and enables me to construct new meaning and argumentation.

Key Learning Points from H802

My first year of the MA ODE programme looked at the use of technology in the learning environment.

In the final Examinable Component, I was challenged to describe the comparative strengths of using technology to enable learning, versus the medium of Print.

I focused on three aspects of learning; transmission of complex information, Interaction with Learning Material, Interaction with Learning Community. The adoption of technology as an enabler of learning becomes more valuable as interactivity (many to many) that is provided by electronic media is demanded.

The theoretical approaches that emerged as most relevant for the professional and managerial population that I serve are:

• Social Constructivism as articulated by Vygotsky and others
• Cognitive apprenticeship as articulated by Brown, Collins and Duguid
• Situated Learning as articulated by Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger (First published 1991).
• Minimalism: Boyle (1997) describes the work of Carroll (1990)

As I look ahead at H808, it would be most helpful if I could use this programme to intensify my understanding of the technologies and methodologies that will increase my competence as an E-learning Professional.
My own advice to myself is to use my forthcoming Distance Learning Programme to expose the learning processes of my professional learners using the minimum amount of 'technology', but to use the experience of observing how the learning actually happens to consider ways of scaffolding learners, and to improve the learning environment for future groups. I intend to discover whether it will be possible to substitute asynchronous communication for the combition of synchronous and asynchronous which will be used in the first version.
I will also be keen to understand what further support material and/or activities will be of use to learners.

First Impressions of H808

The experience of beginning a third module in my MA ODE holds mixed emotions for me. After a gap of almost 6 years since I completed my first two modules, I know that the course will be hard work, but it is wonderful to feel the energy and enthusiasm of my tutor group colleagues, and having done it twice before, I know I can do do it.

Since this module will be encouraging me to reflect on my own development as an e-learning practitioner, the early interactions on H808 have challenged me to consider the rather disappointing progress I have made to date at integrating e-learning into my own personal practice. Do I have any right to consider myself an e-learning practitioner?

My previous two years of MA ODE study were very interesting academically, and encouraged me to experiment with adding modules of online learning to supplement (and hopefully enrich) my face to face teaching practice in the world of business. I feel that understanding more about the disciplines of Distance Learning has helped me to be much more thoughtful about how I plan and structure my face to face work; taking better account of my students' needs, and being more structured in my learning design. But, being honest, the experience and the learning have done little to change the nature of my work - the vast majority of the training I offer is still face to face. If the final year of my studies is to result in a more fundamental change in my practice, I will do well to approach this year with the benefit of the legacy learning from years one and two.

In my previoua MA ODE experiments, I had convinced myself that if I could engage my face to face learners in an online dialogue around their application of the new ideas and skills we would be teaching them in our face to face sessions, we would create greater momentum around them putting these lessons into action. Success would come as a result of; more thoughtful reflection on the part of the students; the sustaining of the learning community beyond the face to face training; and a sense of peer pressure through seeing others being successful with the new ideas. Probably the most telling lesson that I learned was that it is the students' motivation to engage with the subject matter, not the ingenuity of the online interaction that really made the difference. Over the course of three experiments, which became more and more sophisticated in the technology and learning methodologies that I deployed, the engagement of my students became progressively lower. When I step back and ask why, I feel that the excitement of the first group at being part of something very different ignited their interest to participate, and made them feel like pioneers. To be honest, I had some of those same feelings myself. But by the time my more sophisticated third group came together, this 'new' medium was no longer so new or such an adventure and their participation was similarly lacklustre. Online participation became a chore like any other work task!

As I embark on module three, my mental note to myself is to guard against my own enthusiasm for a new approach and to consider what I can do to use distance (and e-) learning in situations where I can generate genuine engagement. The excitement and dialogue that my colleagues on H808 are showing for the intellectual ideas is infectious, but I must guard against getting carried away with best practice and stay focused on what will deliver results that my customers/students are looking for.

The really good news is that I now have a real Distance Learning project that has many motivational factors working in its favour. I have been able to assemble a small group of consultants who really want to learn about and use my company's newest consulting model. Since they are located literally all around the globe (from Costa Rica to New Zealand), the only practical option is to offer Distance Learning. This medium makes the learning process much more cost and time effective for delegates, and I have a strong sense that they will be 'model' learners. Likewise, their participation in the Distance Learning modules will be used to assess whether they will be granted a license to offer our consulting model in their market place. Finally, the participants have all had to pay for the training out of their own pockets, and so will be keen to get value for money, I'm sure.

But I must be very careful not to fall into the same trap of convincing myself I have the perfect solution once again. My personal resolution both for H808 and for my latest work DL project is to have the motivation of others (learners and work colleagues) very much in mind. Enthusiasm on my part may have made me blind to the realities of my situation in the past, and I now have a great opportunity to tune in to the feedback and any reluctance of others and to find other ways of responding to this feedback than simply to press on vigorously.