What is Mahara? Mahara? Mahara? Mahara?

[Derrin]

Those interested in e-Portfolios - and in Mahara in particular - may
like to check out the answers I have begun to formulate for four key
questions about Mahara:

1. What is Mahara? (versus Moodle): http://derrin.biz/?p=74
2. What is Mahara? (versus Facebook or Ning): http://derrin.biz/?p=85
3. What is Mahara? (versus PaperFree, eNVQ, OneFile, et. al.):
http://derrin.biz/?p=88
4. What is Mahara? (versus the DVD or USB Stick): http://derrin.biz/?p=90

Please feel free to comment.

Derrin.

[Ray Tolley]

With all respect, is RSCMEG becoming no more than a Mahara fan club. Can I
equally point up the merits of eFolio ?

Kindest Regards,

Ray Tolley  FEIDCT, NAACE Fellow, ACQI, MBILD
ICT Education Consultant
Maximise ICT Ltd
P:  http://raytolley.v2efolioworld.mnscu.edu/
B:  http://www.efoliointheuk.blogspot.com/
W:  http://www.maximise-ict.co.uk/eFolio-01.htm
T: http://twitter.com/efolio
Winner of the IMS 'Leadership Regional Award 2009'

Derrin.

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[kev.brace]

Ray ,please do give us some ideas of efolio's capabilities. In fact
your post has prompted me to ask the big question! Where is this
group going? Is everyone happy to carry on in the current format?
What can we do to open up wider discussions? Do we need to change
anything? Can we make some of you managers of this group? Rather than
just Ben & I.

More question than answers, sadly. But any feedback to the collective
would be gratefully received.

Regards Kevin.

[Ray Tolley]

Hi, Kevin, thanks for the invite!

I started researching VLEs and e-Portfolios about 5 years ago and, to cut a
long story short, soon discovered that no e-Portfolio existed that matched
my criteria. (see http://issuu.com/efoliouk/docs/ten_prime_directives ) NB
Issuu documents best read in full-screen mode.

I also realised that many institutions had their own pre-formed agendas
about how an e-Portfolio should serve their particular needs (see
http://www.maximise-ict.co.uk/Hijacking.pdf ) These individualistic and
invariably institutionalised perceptions of an e-Portfolio did not begin to
address the simple concepts of portability, transition or ownership. And
secondly, such e-Portfolio solutions as there are generally tend to be far
too technical in terms of their user interface (ie small typefaces,
cluttered screens etc).

eFolio starts from the premise of Lifelong ownership ie capable of
portability from one institution to another (without the complexities of
interoperability) and 'transformation' of the GUI (chameleon-like) according
to age and audience etc. This requires hosting external to any institution.
(see http://maximise-ict.co.uk/eFolio-01.htm )

eFolio, secondly, is Lifewide insofar as the initial templates can be
configured to the ability levels of the learner (in terms of both GUI and
initial pages required. It is thus capable of meeting the requirements of
the most advanced user but the same tool can be configured for the youngest
child, the slow learner or the elderly. One particular point worth noting is
that eFolio is a secure environment for minors. But when one starts to
consider who the e-Portfolio might be used by we might begin to get a
different perception of how these needs might be met.
(http://issuu.com/efoliouk/docs/who_uses_an_e-portfolio )

The issue here is that most thinking (for which I must recognise the
valuable work of JISC) has been in terms of academia (and not looking
outside the box) when in actual fact we should be looking for an e-Portfolio
solution that is capable of meeting the needs of all users. (see
http://maximise-ict.co.uk/eFolio-01.htm )

I wrote an article discussing the adoption (or lack of it) in FE (see
http://issuu.com/efoliouk/docs/a_bridge_too_far3 )

In Primary and Secondary schools things have taken some time to progress!
Becta originally envisioned that all schools would have a VLE up and running
by Spring 2008 with the ability to support an e-Portfolio by 2010. Well,
we're not there yet but, as I say in another article, there is plenty of
room for encouragement. (see
http://issuu.com/efoliouk/docs/some_encouragements )

Best Wishes,