Choosing e Portfolio Software AAEEBL e Portfolio World

Choosing e. Portfolio Software AAEEBL e. Portfolio World Summit 2011 Lynn Ward Indiana University July 26, 2011

Put User Needs First • • • Identify primary and secondary purposes Who are your users and stakeholders? What is the value proposition for each? What are their needs and expectations? Focus on functional needs (what they need to do), not technical (how they need/want to do it) • Create a needs matrix and prioritize (must have, should have, nice to have) and use it to evaluate solutions

5. Outcomes/Standards/Competencies Tracking and Assessment 5. 01 Create and publish sets of learning outcomes/standards/competencies (institution-level outcomes [e. g. , the PULs] as well as outcomes for specific programs, disciplines, organizations, and/or courses] 5. 02 Define a numeric rating scale (with descriptive labels) for each set of outcomes Owner Instructor Advisor Assess Coord Evaluator Reviewer App Admin Requirements Matrix 5. 03 Define the number of developmental/proficiency levels that will be tracked for each set of outcomes 5. 04 Define equivalencies (goal, proficiency level, rating scale) between programmatic and institutional outcomes (for example, PTE 1=PUL 1, PTE Block III and IV=PUL Advanced, PTE rating of 2 or 3 = PUL rating 2) for purposes of institutional reporting 5. 05 View a list of relevant institutional and/or programmatic/discipline-based learning outcomes 5. 06 Link course assignments and other forms of student work to one or more course, program, and/or institutional outcomes (instructor makes the link). 5. 07 Select and reflect on representative work and link that work to one or more course, program, or institutional outcomes (student makes the link) 5. 08 Track progress of individual students and/or groups of students via text summary and dashboard representation. 5. 09 Track one's own progress via a visual dashboard in relation to external, institutional, program, course, co-curricular, and personal goals. 5. 10 Map the curriculum of a given program to programmatic and/or institutional goals. 5. 11 Control access to a specific set of competencies based on demographic criteria, course or program membership, and/or other institutional variables 5. 12 Self-evaluation 6. Guided Assessment and Learning Portfolios 6. 01 Create and publish a custom, multipart assessment or learning portfolio template (scaffolding) with detailed guidance, prompts, and rubrics 6. 02 Link one or more parts of the guided portfolio to specific learning outcomes

Acquisition Options • BUY: commercial packages Task. Stream, Live. Text, Chalk&Wire, etc. • BORROW: open/community source OSP, Mahara, Elgg • BUILD: develop a custom application Career Portfolio (Florida State University) STEPS for Assessment (CSU Chico State) • ADAPT: use and combine generic tools Google sites, Blogs, Wikis, survey software

BUY: Commercial Software Pros Cons Rapid development; mature High costs for licensing and maintenance Feature Rich Complex Multipurpose Duplication of other campus applications and services (CMS/ LMS, admissions, advisement, etc. ) Documentation and support (including system integration services) Works out of the box Can’t easily modify/customize Some offer hosting (Saa. S) and/or Some hosted by vendor only on-premise hosting options

Task. Stream

Pebble. Pad

BORROW: Open/Community Source Pros Cons No licensing costs May require investments in developers, tech writers, user support, etc. Code can be modified Documentation and testing may not be as thorough Opportunities to influence and participate Fewer features and functions than in product direction and development commercial products Emphasis on interoperability and open standards No guarantees or service level agreements Dependence on community for support and continued development/ maintenance of product

Mahara

Sakai Open Source Portfolio

BUILD: Develop Custom Application Pros Cons Better fit with institutional or programmatic needs and processes Development and deployment costs are difficult to predict Implement a completely new vision or approach Longer time to deployment Control over future development and rate Complete dependence on internal of change expertise

Florida State University Career Portfolio

Chico State STEPS for Assessment

ADAPT: Generic Web Authoring or Web 2. 0 Tools Pros Cons Free or very low-cost (Google sites, hosted blogs or wikis) No support for assessment processes or reporting Gives portfolio owner creative control Uncertain future of hosted services Available to students after graduation

Blogfolios (Penn State)

Google Sites

Wikifolios

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Scope and Scale of Initiative • University-wide, centrally designed and managed • University-wide, distributed design and management • Specific colleges and programs only • Specific courses only

Integration with Other Campus Systems • Single Sign On • Student Information System • Learning/Course Management System

Cost/Pricing/Payment Models • Commercial • Site license (fixed annual cost, usually based on campus, college, department FTE) • Individual user licensing • Volume discounts • Duration discounts • Student or institution pays • Open source • Local support and maintenance • Outsource to service provider

Other Considerations • Compliance with federal, state, campus and program specific security and privacy policies • Storage quota per user • Video support: upload, conversion, editing, streaming • Support for external users (evaluators, reviewers, etc. ) • Student access after graduation • Portability and interoperability • Longevity and solvency of vendor

Words of Wisdom • Talk to vendors • Live demos • Test account (try before you buy) • Talk to real users • Satisfaction with product (strengths, shortcomings) • Satisfaction with support • Consider piloting more than one product before committing • Software is just a tool; it’s what you do with it that matters

Questions?