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Discussion: Using e-Portfolios for reflection
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RayTolley |
Using e-Portfolios for reflection
Jul 3 2009, 3:44 PM EDT
The references to reflection are all too common in e-Portfolio discussions. However, it seems to me that far too often writers only suggest this as some form of self-indulgent introspection. One only has to browse through Helen Barrett's list of Metaphors to realise that the e-Portfolio can have a vast number of uses.I like the idea of using reflection in respect of considering one's Life-Story - well as far as anyone has got! I also personally believe that reflection can never really be just about introspection but about listening to other people's views, of feedback from peers and mentors and making a balanced assessment of the totality of views, I was very impressed by W.J. Popham's book, 'Transformative Assessment'. However, in terms of building upon feedback I really felt that there is a place for using given feedback in the reflexive processes. My question, therefore is: Does anyone know of a good work on reflection, particularly if related to e-Portfolio thinking? 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you?
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e-Portfolios
ePortfolios
feedback
reflection
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trentbatson |
1. RE: Using e-Portfolios for reflection
Jul 7 2009, 11:12 AM EDT
Hi, Ray, you are spot-on. To me, the reflective work is as valuable as the original work. And I think a case can be made to preserve only the reflections on the work and not the work itself. Doing the homework is allowing someone else to manage your learning; writing reflections about doing the work is managing your own learning.-trent 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
browngb |
2. RE: Using e-Portfolios for reflection
Jul 7 2009, 11:32 AM EDT
I am wondering the extent to which reflection differs from metacognition. To the extent that they are the same or similar, there is a great deal of literature available and much research of many kinds (going all the way back to Aristotle). I personally tend to think the two concepts are more alike than not, and that the ePortfolio has provided a rich occasion for reinvigorating an important teaching and learning construct--by any other name. (Even though a short while ago there was a report that names matter a great deal in shaping our perceptions....)
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trentbatson |
3. RE: Using e-Portfolios for reflection
Jul 7 2009, 1:10 PM EDT
Isn't the most essential human quality the ability to be a participant-observer of yourself? It is certainly the scariest because if you can meta-cog yourself, then you are in charge. OOPS, better to be ignorant. I'll never forget a professor in grad school going through a relevant bibliography to our topic; one book was his own and there he was talking about the shortcomings of his book as if he was a disinterested expert.
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Lynne.Groves |
4. RE: Using e-Portfolios for reflection
Jul 7 2009, 1:55 PM EDT
You and I have had similar discussions about this in the past, Ray. Reflection is that aspect of one's learning, life or work that establishes personal context and value for the experience. It makes it stick! If one's portfolio is lifelong, the investment of reflective writing builds an on-going collection of "lessons learned" in an applied sense.In strong mentoring, the learner is encouraged to "revisit the experience" as they are prompted to note specific details, remember emotions, consider what worked, plan next steps and establish related threads to life. There is a place for careful listening and responsible feedback in portfolio-based reflective practice that mirrors the mentoring model. Reflective practice must engage both learners and educators/mentors if it is to be successful. I have discovered that there is a need in both camps to learn how to write reflectively. Providing suggested writing prompts may reduce results that merely resemble a summary-like replay. When applied to the electronic portfolio framework, reflective writing establishes personal meaning that lasts well beyond the event itself. When practiced with persistence, the anticipatory aspect of reflection creates a unique personal engagement. I am also in search of that "good work" that ties it all together. There are selections from various books and research that can be applied but that is not an answer for you! ~~Lynne 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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trentbatson |
5. RE: Using e-Portfolios for reflection
Jul 7 2009, 3:27 PM EDT
Lynne: agreed about your "strong mentoring" comments and about the need for prompts. We writing people would think in terms of heuristics as a more elaborate prompt structure. The original assignment should include both the work AND the reflective comments. If the reflective comments can also be tagged semantically (by the student), then we have: 1. the work and the grade, 2. the qualitative reflection and 3. a rich data source to add value to aggregations and queries.
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eportfolios |
6. RE: Using e-Portfolios for reflection
Jul 7 2009, 7:04 PM EDT
| Post edited: Jul 7 2009, 7:09 PM EDT
Over the last several months, I have been putting together a Google Site resource on reflection across the educational spectrum, from elementary school through graduate school: http://sites.google.com/site/reflection4learning/resourcesIt is just a work in progress, which I started to develop for use in my work with K-12 e-portfolios. Under the Resources sections, you will find some of my favorite books, including anything by Jennifer Moon. I also identified some of my favorite websites. I found it interesting that some of the best resources come out of the Service Learning literature. When you think about it, there is usually not a work product that comes out of a service learning experience, so the documentation of learning from experience, through reflection, becomes critical. I am always looking for collaborators to help me build this resounce... Helen Barrett (why won't this wiki let me insert a real hyperlink?) Do you find this valuable? |
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trentbatson |
7. RE: Using e-Portfolios for reflection
Jul 13 2009, 1:25 PM EDT
Helen: your page is great; I'll add it to the resources page at this site.-- trent Do you find this valuable? |
davidgs |
8. RE: Using e-Portfolios for reflection
Jul 14 2009, 3:34 PM EDT
Great discussion! Ray, I noticed that you started us off with a question about a "good work on reflection," particularly as related to e-portfolios. I do have a suggestion: "Metacognition and the Use of Portfolios," by K. Mills-Courts and M. R. Amiran, in _Portfolios: Process and Product_, edited by P. Belanoff and M. Dickson (Portsmouth, NH: Baxton and Cook), 1991. It's pretty old at this point, but still relevant. --David
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RayTolley |
9. RE: Using e-Portfolios for reflection
Jul 21 2009, 12:39 PM EDT
After much soul searching I have added a fairly lengthy blog on the subject of reflection. As you will appreciate, I've tried to be practical, hoping that this might be of benefit to practising teachers. see http://efoliointheuk.blogspot.com/2009/07/what-is-reflection.htmlDo you find this valuable? |
