My reply to Mitchell re his CA2.4 Critique Penn State

4 Oct 2008, 23:03

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From: Jose Martel Penate 4 October 2008 22:50:25
Subject: Re: CA 2.4 Critique of Penn State Advice
To: H808 ac6 UNIT 2

Hi Mitchell,

In reply to your Critique of Penn State Advice (Stan, 2008), both Hurren (2008) and this writer (Martel, 2008) would agree with your affirmation that the Penn State documents (PSU, 2006) leave room for improvement, especially given the target reader, as you point out.

You suggest incorporating "more fully developed samples of ineffective and effective writing", as in Moon 2001. However, in Martel 2008, I question the effectiveness of including too much information. The Advice Penn State offers is already spread across at least 5 pages. I suggest that extending the advice much further - or incorporating much more information - may adversely affect the probability that students will try to fully assimilate that advice. Might not many pages of detailed information and more lengthy extracts of reflective writing simply scare, bore or even confuse these young, inexperienced and possibly unenthusiastic students?

Jose



References

Hurren, C.A. (02 October 2008 22:53:44); "Core activity 2.4: Criteria for reflective writing"; Message to Forum H808 ac6 UNIT 2 (accessed 03 October 2008)

Martel Penate, J (04 October 2008 08:53:30) "CA2.4-Critique Penn State Approach" Message to Forum H808 ac6 UNIT 2 (accessed 05 October 2008)

Moon, J. (2001) ‘PDP working paper 4: reflection in higher education learning’ [online], The Higher Education Academy. Available from: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/York/documents/resources/resourcedatabase/id72_Reflection_in_Higher_Education_Learning.rtf (accessed 29 June 2007)

Penn State University (PSU) (2006) REFLECT: providing insight, http://portfolio.psu.edu/reflect (accessed 1 July 2008)

Stan, M. (04 October 2008 18:51:45),CA 2.4 Critique of Penn State Advice", Message to Forum H808 ac6 UNIT 2 (Accessed 05 October 2008)


Mitchell Stan writes:
While the Penn State advice on reflective writing is a workable introduction to the topic, in my view there is room for improvement. Given that the target audience would largely consist of young adults with very little experience in carrying out this type of task, more fully developed samples of ineffective and effective writing would be beneficial. As Moon (2001) points out “not all students find reflection easy” and Appendix 2 of her article is an excellent example of the type of demonstration of reflective writing that would greatly assist students. Linking the reflective writing steps provided by Penn State to the process undertaken to write this type of example would definitely make them more concrete to students.

Reference
Moon, J. (2001) ‘PDP working paper 4: reflection in higher education learning’ [online], The Higher Education Academy. Available from: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/York/documents/resources/resourcedatabase/
id72_Reflection_in_Higher_Education_Learning.rtf (accessed 29 June 2007).





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CA2.4-Criteria for reflective writing

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4 Oct 2008, 11:54

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Jose Martel-H808-CA2.4-Criteria for reflective writing

-In good reflective writing you need to describe what happened/what the issue was AND THEN write down HOW that made you feel (i.e. your reflections):

- Description provides context

- Reflections share meaning (PSU, 2006).

- Try to work systematically:

- chose what you want to reflect on

- write:

- what happened, try to keep to the facts, be precise (include enough detail)

- how you felt about this

- about the various things this could mean, to you, and to others

- what the consequences are, immediate and future

- as you write:

- ask yourself questions

- answer those questions

- try to see things from

- a different point of view

- the point of view of other people involved

- think about how past events may have influenced

- what happened

- your reactions to it

- other peoples' reactions to it

- compare these with your own reactions

- perhaps

- initially

- consider the details, the "small picture"

- then

- stand back, consider the "big picture"

- think about

- what you can learn from

- what happened

- your ongoing reflections

- what conclusions you can draw

- and the reasons why

- specific evidence

- to validate your conclusions

- already in your eportfolio (or that could be included)

- be honest

- tell the truth as you

- see it

- feel it

- try not to censor yourself

- be creative when looking for alternative solutions

- brainstorm; mind-map, etc.

- but don't be too fanciful with the results

- use

- an honest, upbeat, sincere tone

- short paragraphs starting with

- topic sentences, e.g.

- "From Jack's point of view nothing had changed."

- "The next day, I tried again."

- "Despite their assurances, nothing was the same any more."

- transition words, e.g.

- Besides; For example; Since; Thus; In order to; However; Overall (Moon, 2001; PSU, 2006)

References

Moon, J. (2001) ‘PDP working paper 4: reflection in higher education learning’ [online], The Higher Education Academy. Available from: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/York/documents/resources/resourcedatabase/id72_Reflection_in_Higher_Education_Learning.rtf (accessed 29 June 2007).

Penn State University (PSU) (2006) REFLECT: providing insight, http://portfolio.psu.edu/reflect (accessed 1 July 2008).

Jose Martel-H808-CA2.3-Reflection and learning-FINAL DRAFT

4 Oct 2008, 07:00

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Jose Martel-H808-CA2.3-Reflection and learning

Oh dear, I have been pushing myself quite hard in an effort to catch up and be in a position to interact (in a timely manner) on the forums. But that has meant - as Agatha Christie's well known Belgium detective, Hercule Poirot, may have put it, "Mon amie, ze leetel graie cells, zay are in need of ze taim to cogitet!". Reflection benefits greatly from time (Moon, 2001); are we - paradoxically - learning quick time the virtues of careful reflection?

- Moon (2001) affirms that when it is assumed "that reflection has a valuable role to play in higher education", the curriculum designer should have a clear understanding of the desired reflective outcomes and how those outcomes should be brought about; this is especially so if the reflective activity is to be assessed. Moon comments that reflective learning has found particularly strong support in professional-education and development.

- I think it is common knowledge that some people (e.g. both teachers and students) are better at reflection than others (Moon, 2001). I take this to mean that the perception of a problem (on which to reflect) can be different from person to person. Some people perceive a particular problem and immediately "see" the solution - with no laboured reflection - while other people - with reference to the same problem - may need guidance and time to reflect. Moon (2001) points out that there are different types of reflection that may be more or less effective when applied to different situations. Within our learning context an "academic" reflective style - characterised by a higher level of structure, formality and depth - is the most suitable. This depth of reflection is enhanced when reflective dialogue and feedback is maintained between students, and students and teachers.

After reading Moon (2001) I now have a greater store of reflective techniques I can apply to situations or problems that arise. Both in a learning or a professional context, I would imagine that I would try to use techniques that seem/are most suitable. As to whether there is a qualitative difference between reflecting on professional practice and reflecting on learning, perhaps a difference could stem from the importance one ascribes to each reflective event.

- At the moment I type this, I think that writing may be the most practical way to reflect (and communicate reflection) on this course. Unless one is proficient in the use of the various electronic media that could be used (recording/editing/conversion/storage devices and types of image/sound/data files) then valuable time could be wasted in trying to produce reflections of a similar calibre to that which could be more immediately/readily produced via a pen and paper or keyboard. Of course, as already mentioned above, Moon (2001) indicates, that the time spent on the reflective activity is, itself, of great value, and so using unfamiliar media/devices can help provide the time factor - and also a new range of tools - with which to interact with/tackle the subject of our reflection. New/different tools can provide new/different approaches and insights, furthering and deepening our reflection. However, when time is a major constraint, one may opt for the familiarity and immediacy of text, eschewing the uncertainty of learning to use a new media sufficiently well (in the given time) to develop reflections of worth. Another concern that comes to mind is that other possible forms of recording reflection (camera, video, sound) are so, or too, immediate and perhaps not expressive or precise enough or lack a common language with which to guarantee communication of a particular reflection. The saying goes, "A picture is worth a thousand words", but can that apply to our postgraduate learning context where lack of time for reflection (and to prepare for reflection) is an important factor? The "picture" in question would need to be loaded with so much (viewer-perceptable) value that its conception and realisation could take substantially more time than simply sitting down at one's table to write. In an ideal world would I prefer to experiment with multimedia?...Yes. But the realities of my world are such that I think I may not venture far from the tried and trusted.

The above notwithstanding, I hope that the Open University (OU) eportfolio "MyStuff" will prove to be a valuable resource for providing structure to the powers of reflection I have developed over the years, as well as to help produce alternative reflections to those that I may now take for granted.

In my opinion, the OU's Blog and Wiki could be valuable community platforms and resources, but I think the nature of study in the OU may limit their effectiveness beyond the minimum course requirement for use and interaction. At the moment I feel that the OU Forums are the only place with the sufficient sense of community for effective, reflective interaction to occur.


References:

Moon, J. (2001) ‘PDP working paper 4: reflection in higher education learning’ [online], The Higher Education Academy. Available from:
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/York/documents/resources/resourcedatabase/id72_Reflection_in_Higher_Education_Learning.rtf (accessed 29 June 2007).

CA2.3 Reflection and learning-FIRST DRAFT

3 Oct 2008, 16:44

Edited by Jose Martel Penate, 4 Oct 2008, 00:59

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The following has turned out to be a very brief, personal impression - together with hearsay - of what I perceive as the present general state of conversational-English teaching in China, education in China and Chinese students. I am certain there are many foreign teachers in China who would have very different things to say:

As many of you will already know, I work as an oral English teacher at a university in Shanghai. This is the beginning of my 3rd academic year in China.

When I first arrived here I had high hopes of making a difference and of developing my teaching practice. However, a crude reality for many foreign oral English teachers in China is that they are employed by schools as the foreign-passport holder that helps ensure parents will pay higher school fees. The foreign teacher's job is to be the English expert for classes once a week. Ostensibly, this 90 minute class, 16 times a semester, will redress years of teacher-centred, grammar-translation English lessons and even more years of systematic obliteration of students' self-confidence, individuality and creativity. In practice however, course leaders and the school administration will probably have little or no interest in the foreign teacher's activities in class, provided s/he actually does turn up for class; does not offend China's honour; or bore the students too much. The teacher may be asked back for a second term if the students actually enjoy the class. Students' enjoyment of class may involve playing games; listening to amusing anecdotes or popular music; watching DVDs, being allowed to talk in Chinese, do other course work, play with their mobile phones, sleep, or skip class - every class. Despite this apparent lack of oral english learning or practice, students typically do not fail oral English exams; once school fees have been paid, parents can expect certain returns on their money.

But, even within this climate, there are those Western teachers who do try to improve their students' level of English. A problem they find though, is that Western methods often don't translate well. Student-centred lessons with task based and communicative activities that foster self-confidence, individuality and creativity regularly fail in China and Asia. New foreign teachers can often be heard to complain about the "unwillingness" of their students to participate in class or to even answer the simplest of questions. Why? Students are taught to conform not stand out, and the Chinese have an acute sense of "saving face"; students prefer to say nothing in class than to risk embarrassment by making a mistake. Other factors are that the teacher is seen as the expert that will tell students what they should know; students are passive "sponges" in a learning environment that is largely memoristic in nature (students here do have amazing powers of recall). Students on the whole have little to no sense of ownership of their learning; little initiative, and (seemingly) little desire to reflect on their learning, personal development or life. I would guess that the average 20 year old Chinese student has the mental age of a 14 year old British student. English is taught as 4 unconnected subjects: reading, writing, listening, and speaking (oral/conversation). Typically, only speaking class has a foreign teacher (who may or may not be a native-level English speaker, qualified, proficient, or conscientious). The other classes have a Chinese teacher who will probably give the class in Chinese. The focus of (Chinese) teacher and students is on learning (just enough) to pass the exams. Little, if any, attention is paid to effective communicative ability in English. Students who are good at speaking English are generally those who have a personal interest in the language. I think many Chinese English teachers see the need for a change in methodology/policy, but change seems to be very slow and implemented from the top down. Those with power to decide and effect changes at schools may not be the most suited for the job (of implementing effective educational reform). Those with the power are (Communist) Party members who are often/usually aged, with Party agenda to promote and protect and perhaps no knowledge or understanding of, or concern for, the educational issues at stake.

How does all that fit in with what I'm learning on this course? How can I possibly change my students' learning behaviours?! And how could I try to encourage a cohort of slightly above average Shanghainese students to use an eportfolio system when only 2 weeks ago I gave up trying to get them to even use email? These students/classes are actually the best I have had here though. Students do not sleep in class, many are eager and willing to participate/learn, most bring pen and paper to class, the class sizes are small (about 20 students, not 60), each of my classrooms is large enough with furniture that can be moved; a pc I can use, with internet connection, projector, dvd player,...But the 90 minutes of class a week is all the English practice most students will get, despite a general consensus that English speaking skills are an important factor influencing a student's future employability.

Well, I'd better go to sleep so that tomorrow I can write a more relevant attempt at the CA2.3 Reflection and learning.

CA2.1-Applications of eportfolios

2 Oct 2008, 23:33

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Page 1 of 3http://learn.open.ac.uk/mod/resourcepage/view.php?id=90944

1. Read at least three of the papers listed in the resources section below.
Alternatively, find other case studies on the web that reflect your particular
interests. Consider the following issues:
a. Are eportfolios fulfilling a genuine need or are they just the latest fad?
b. Is personal development planning (PDP) different for students than for staff?
c. Of the various aspects of eportfolio use (e.g. collecting material,
providing evidence for learning, reflection on learning, presentation of
learning), which do the case studies exemplify?

-After (finally) finishing the essay, I reread the brief and noticed I hadn't really addressed b, or c at all. In fact I find it hard to answer c coz don't all eoportfolios have all those aspects? Though I suppose some acounts may emphasise some aspects more than others.

-Btw, I use "eportfolio" in the sense that it's an electronic portfolio, used for PDP/CPD, that is web based.

-Yes, I didn't put the ref list at the end...

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Jose Martel-CA2.1-Applications of eportfolios
542 words (below)

If eportfolios are to be used for life-long learning and not be more than an expensive fad - expensive financially and, I think more importantly, costly in terms of wasted opportunity for all stakeholders - then a number of critical issues must be addressed.

There are technological issues. Effective implementation and integration of the eportfolio project within existing systems must be ensured. The various eportfolio platforms that arise must be interoperable, with data file technology used in current eportfolios not becoming obsolete. The ease and range of manipulation of this data (and meta data) is essential for enduser acceptance and institutional or corporate assessment and developmental needs (Batson, 2002; Jafari 2004).

Whether the costly technological issues can be addressed may be related to the implementation of a sound business plan to safeguard the continued existence, maintenance and development of the eportfolio platform. This business plan and platform may envisage, promote and depend on the enduser's desire for, and ability to easily and cost effectively maintain, lifelong affiliation with a particular eportfolio/institution. In return for lifelong endorsement, the enduser must receive an attractive package of benefits which could include (the benefits derived from the) use of the institution's name and artifact authentication (Jafari, 2004).

Aside from technological and business related issues, there are academic or pedagogic concerns. There are signs that a cultural change is needed in teachers' rather negative attitudes towards the concept of reflection, and their current unwillingness to reflect on their own practice and develop it - an issue related to excellence in teaching and Continuing Professional Development (CPD). A teacher's self-reflection and professional development (through the use of CPD and Teaching ePortfolios) can form a crucial model of good practice for a student's own reflective and developmental behaviour, greatly influencing the student's Personal Development Planing (PDP) (Stefani, 2005). The cultural shift in teachers' attitudes to reflection can be accomplished over a number of years as the 5 levels of maturation required for effective implementation of eportfolios are gradually achieved, maintained and surpassed until the final level is attained. This final level would be marked by the use of "authentic evidence as authoritative evidence for assessment, evaluation, and reporting" within the eportfolio, which is largely constructed employing the student's heuristic processes, and which would be "of high value for students, educators, and employers" (Love, et al. 2004).

Despite the apparent overwhelming acceptance of the need for PDP, CPD and eportfolios, concerns have been raised that there is a lack of evidence to support the claims that eportfolios support and enhance student learning and promote reflection on learning (Stefani, 2005). Further, appropriately documented studies, and time will tell.


As to eportfolio aspects that the case studies I looked at exemplify, the account of the University of Auckland's eportfolio project (Stefani, 2005) seems to stress the initial importance of the eportfolio as repository, while emphasizing that manipulation of the data/succesive versions of (the same) artifacts can demonstrate reflection and improvement over time.

The account of the California Lutheran University’s School of Education's eportfolio project (Love, et al. 2004) seemed to stress the effectiveness of working through the levels of maturation, and comments on how that gradual implementation aided its implementation by permitting the qualitative changes in faculty reflection so necessary for student progress.

CA2.1-eportfolios-my interest

1 Oct 2008, 20:29

Edited by Jose Martel Penate, 1 Oct 2008, 20:34

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As already stated elsewhere, my reasons for learning about eportfolios are career related - in that this knowledge/skill will, hopefully, further and broaden my future employability. However, I have no immediate need, requirement, or real opportunity to put my new expertise to any practical use. This means that my interest in eportfolios is purely academic at the moment (no pun intended...but left in).

This, at times, rather laboured intrinsic interest is in stark contrast to the healthier extrinsic motivation that pushes some of my fellow students to enthuse about, delight in, and, more importantly, relate to their studies. Vague, general interest cannot match actual need. But I plod on.

I have hardly started experimenting with our eportfolio, Mystuff. This is mainly because I find it so annoying to use. I keep reading about how it is vital for the individual to feel in control of the eportfolio environment and be able to individualise it, or else they will quickly lose interest. Is Mystuff the OU's attempt to help us deep-learn by doing? Oh, we can intellectualise, we can assimilate the theory, but one learns so much more profoundly if one emotionalises - is there anything quite as effective as actually experiencing the frustration!?

But now that I am reading Stefani (2005) discuss CPD in a higher education context, I do feel that I could use an eportfolio (that does not annoy me) to help motivate myself; help me reflect, perhaps, more effectively; and help counteract the apathy that sets in when working in an education system where, though excellence in teaching is paid lip service, entertainment value rules.

Jose

Thankfully still pre-Gattaca - a reply to a forum post

29 Sep 2008, 03:08

Edited by Jose Martel Penate, 29 Sep 2008, 03:40

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A reply to the post by:
From: Philippa Perry 2 28 September 2008 15:39:44
Subject: ePortfolio focus
To: H808 ac6 UNIT 2


Hi Philippa (and the rest of the group),

I've also been looking or hoping for more balance in our reading, so I'm glad to find your reasoned, "sceptical" point of view.

From my non-techie standpoint, I'm not concerned about problems of interoperability. To me it seems to make financial sense for major platform developers to work towards industry standards, though this may not prevent niche-market technology having compatibility issues. I'd agree with Jafari (2004) in saying that the main (technological) issue is ensuring that the eportfolio interface is one that the average enduser will want to use. This means complete integration with other school/university/company systems; transferability of data; and perhaps lifelong accessibility, among others.

An interesting and, I think, important point you've raised - one that I haven't come across in my (limited) reading, or even really thought about - is that of the effectiveness of the eportfolio as a recruiting tool. I had wondered about issues of artifact authenticity - which could be met with a lifelong university eportfolio address (Jafari 2004), but what happens when a student does a Masters or PHD at a different university or when the student enters employment, will they need a different eportfolio address, and different eportpolios, for each institution/company, thus defeating the ideal of a centralised repository of information? However, you focus on the employer's need to find truth/specific answers/the real warts and all underbelly amongst all the lies(?) and disinformation/prepared responses/dazzling presentations that most potential employees will attempt to fabricate.

I'm still unsure how eportfolios will prove to be more useful to most employers. Right now CVs can be 2 or 3 A4 pages long plus cover letter, and employers may receive tens even hundreds of CVs for each post. How much time would the employer/HR department give each CV? How much time would the employer/HR department want to give each CV!? Now, how much time would that employer/HR department need to invest in order to examine each creative, wonderfully presented, multimedia eportfolio? Could the employer/HR department be sure that time invested would produce sufficient/worthwhile returns?

Perhaps this problem may lead to the development of eportfolio scanning technology that can, in fractions of a second, automatically select a manageable shortlist of candidates' eportfolio applications - from a possibly huge and impossibly time-consuming list - thus selecting, and more worryingly, rejecting candidates without a human ever viewing their meticulously complied life story.

I think there is a general consensus that eportfolios can be an invaluable aid to learning, but perhaps HR departments may still favour CVs for most work placements. At least until efficient, cost-effective, eportfolio scanning technology comes on the market...or DNA testing becomes legal.

Jose