Mahara E Portfolio

I was incredibly suspicious of this tool, when it was first demonstrated in orientation week. (Looking back this seems to be quiet a habit). But having come to grips with it, I can see the value and opportunity presented both for professional display i.e. work portfolio, a rather fancy resume tool and within the classroom. i.e. Scott's story telling journal from his sailing trip.

This can be rather time intensive yet is very worth while when you've got it, and I imagine would require quiet abit of direct supervision, at least during the introductory stage.

In conversation with a former GDLT student ( now a fine educator :), she spoke of her first experience investing her school with this ICT. Their intended use was for year level curriculum source databases. LM put up work samples and intended to share worksheets etc for UOW.

For them it was a way of formalising their existing cooperation (they'd often swap sheets at lunches, over the photocopier etc). But this also let future teachers, sub teachers and the administration see what they were doing clearly.

Ultimately they struggled to maintain the momentum for it's use when a changes in staffing resulted in half of the cohort teachers, moving on and new teachers unconvinced by it's value arriving. But she still carry's the flag (metaphorically) hoping for a chance to do so again in the future.

I thought this example was both an interesting look at practical use within the LE. I also thought it demonstrated the challenge fairly well of what Scott often talked about re: LM and tech v teachers & chalk

I really like the idea of the curriculum view, although wonder if it would have been as easy on Wiki if I was capable of using it.