Using e.Portfolio in Education

An e.Portfolio is one forum for a Community of Practice. The blog option on an e.Portfolio is where a Community of Practice may be operated. A Community of Practice is formed when/where people engage in a process of collective learning of a shared domain. A Community of Practice takes networks to a deeper level as it is not merely a network of connections between people. To make a Community of Practice, the community shares a repertoire of resources, that is, for instance, experiences, ideas, and solutions to problems. Additionally, the nature of a Community of Practice aligns with Engagement Theory, but Community of Practice is the focus of this post.

The blog option on an e.Portfolio has multiple capabilities, such as: Learners may create their own blogs; more than one blog can be created where the teacher can assign, for example, various courses or topics from these courses to different blogs; and files and images can be uploaded.

I can see learners establishing their own individual e.Portfolio. As they move through the school year, or even from year level to year level, they post Views and post to blogs their learning experiences, ideas, and solutions to problems in any KLA, uploading and downloading files and images. The learner has a working/dynamic/ evolving portfolio of his/her complete learning journey. However, at times it would not be merely a portfolio.

I can see learners either joining an existing Community of Practice in a defined domain through their e.Portfolio blog, or establishing one through it. Most importantly, I can see older learners belonging to a Community of Practice this way. Older learners may begin their higher learning journey in the field of choice, 'practicing' alongside those already established in that field and other interested people. The learners are not just networking, but they are in 'professional' partnership with others, 'practicing' in an authentic way.



Aldred, S. (2007). Why should schools develop networks? Posted December 6, 2007, in Gladstone industry-school partnerships. Retrieved July 24, 2009, from
http://gladstoneschoolpartnerships.blogspot.com/

Kearsley, G., & Schneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning [Electronic Version]. Retrieved July 18, 2009, from
http://home.sprynet.com/%7Egkearsley/engage.htm

Wenger, E. (n.d.). Communities of practice. A brief introduction. Retrieved August 5, 2009, from
http://www.ewenger.com.theory