Development through autonomy, self-responsibility and self-care: ePortfolios as a life-long-learning approach from secondary school to university
▶Summary
Four out of five project participants took part in the TCA in Bratislava in October 2019, focusing on the topic 'Building Partnership for a Learner-Centred Approach.' The main idea, which was late...
▶Objectives
The primary expected impact is building and developing autonomous secondary school learners who are ready to plan their own progress and self-evaluate it. The use of portfolios to develop autonomy has been proven to be an effective tool. To ensure this impact, it is necessary to prepare future teachers for this situation and to develop the life skills needed for the 21st century. The primary aims were to prepare a methodological guide on using the learning management system Moodle (open course in Moodle) and the e-portfolio tool Mahara (open course in Moodle). An important result is the creation of materials on how to build and enhance learner autonomy (open course in Moodle) and practical guides and samples on using digital tools (Mahara sites and Moodle course). The use of these tools is interconnected, allowing users to immediately see what to expect and how to use the tools effectively. Data collected before and after using Mahara for 10 months were analyzed. Two articles presenting the data have been accepted for publication, and two are under revision. The added value was that learners involved in the project could see the possibilities of E+ school projects, as they were mostly aware of university schemes or possibilities.
▶Impact
The project planned two outcomes: (1) teaching material on using digital tools (including sample lesson plans) (2) the course in LMS focused on methodological aspects of online teaching The material on using digital tools presents 14 tools (including Mahara) and is supported with the video and samples, available online: https://portfolio.bildung.hessen.de/view/view.php?t=0ab8936d1996049818f7 It is a collection of digital tools created by teachers for teachers. High schools teachers have chosen the most helpful and reliable digital tools and they presently work with. There is a simple description of the tool, basic data, payment information and some teachers´ tips and tricks on each page. The material is added with the practical examples of use and ideas how to work with the tools. With each page the users can find also a screencast of the tool (Mahara - the e-Portfolio-Plattform also used for this collection, Actionbound, Bookcreator, Canva, Flippity, Genially, Kahoot, KITS - mindmap, etherpad, wordcloud and more, Learningapp, Mentimeter, Mindmaps: Bubbl.us, Nearpod, Taskcards: A Pinboard, Zeoob - Fake social media creator. The aim of the LMS Course on Autonomy Development using ePortfolio is to provide the users with both technical and methodological insights into utilizing various digital tools to foster autonomy. The course equips students with the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively use Moodle as a teaching and learning platform in their future classrooms, as well as Mahara e-portfolio. Special sessions are dedicated to discussing autonomy development, utilizing digital tools, and digital CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning). Each session establishes clear learning outcomes, allowing students the flexibility to engage with the sessions in any order they prefer. All sessions are connected by the overarching theme of developing autonomy using ePortfolio. The link to the course is: https://e.ff.unipo.sk/course/view.php?id=169