Learning by Building-the Lunarstorm Generation Constructing Their own ePortfolios

摘要

An ePortfolio has sometimes been defined as a collection of digital artifacts combined with demonstrations and descriptions of the artifacts. Another definition is that an ePortfolio is a web-based collection of work, descriptions of the work and reflections over the work. Several studies have showed that student ePortfolios can be a useful tool for learning and assessment tool in eLearning and in online courses. They can in courses at university level serve at least three different purposes, as learning systems for professional development, for formative as well as summative assessment and as employment portfolios after the course is completed. It has been widely discussed in research which software systems and ePortfolio frameworks an educational organisation should purchase and use. Some researchers recommend Open source systems, others licensed software and there are also solutions that are integrated in virtual learning environments. Less has been investigated in research about the more constructionist approach of students designing and building their own ePortfolios as part of the learning process. Lunarstorm was a commercial Swedish social networking website that started around the millennium shift. Five years later Lunarstorm was Swedens largest web community with more than 10 percent of the Swedish population as active members. The Lunarstorm members were mainly teenagers using chats to communicate and creating their own multimedia presentations with tools provided in the online environment. Lunarstorm was shut down in 2010 but many former members have kept their interest for web technologies and entered various Computer science programmes. The aim of this study is to describe and discuss how students' construction of online ePortfolios can be an integrated in the assessment process of a web programming course. This study has been carried out with a case study approach where data has been gathered by group discussions, interviews and analyses of ePortfolios. Findings show that the constructionist idea of students building their own ePortfolios works for Computer science students in general and for former Lunarstorm members in particular. Further some students claimed that the ePortfolios extended with CVs have been valuable in applications for employment and further studies. From a teacher's perspective the ePortfolios reflections and work descriptions can be useful as an anti-plagiarism strategy in the attempt for a fair examination.