International endorsement for work of e-portfolios

The Australian Flexible Learning Framework’s (Framework) E-portfolios has attracted the attention of internationally-focused publication, Learning Communities: International Journal of Learning in Social Contexts.

The December 2009 edition features an article by E-portfolios Business Manager, Allison Miller, outlining how the Framework is working to develop a national standards-based approach to the use of e-portfolios, for managing learner transitions between education, training and employment.

In her article, E-portfolios - Managing Learner Information in the vocational education and training sector, Allison provides examples of how e-portfolios support the achievement of key priorities for the Australian training system, including:

• a timely and client focused approach to recognising existing skills during the RPL (recognition of prior learning) process (COAG’s (Council of Australian Governments) RPL initiative).
   
• an effective means of demonstrating employability skills through the capture of and management of digital evidence (Assessment and reporting of employability skills in training packages)
   
• improved recognition processes between vocational education and training (VET) and higher education to better support learner transitions between these sectors (Review of Australian Higher Education Final Report)
   
• quality learner-centred practices in education and training, as well as national and cross sectoral approaches to ICT infrastructure development (Australian Government’s Digital Education Revolution)
   
• verification, portability, privacy and interoperability of learner data (Learner Identity Management Framework)

According to Allison, this enables the use of e-portfolios to support industry demands for more flexible training and assessment opportunities.

“Emerging technologies like e-portfolios support COAG initiatives to empower individuals to plan and control their own learning, while increasing opportunities to gain recognition of existing skills and knowledge,” she said.

“These activities are also enabling individuals to develop the digital literacy skills to be effective 21st century citizens”.

For more information on the Framework’s national standards-based approach to the use of e-portfolios, read the VET E-portfolio Roadmap.

The Roadmap is part of the E-portfolios Resource Bank – a comprehensive and central online resource including articles, news, blogs and events dedicated to e-portfolios and their application in VET.

» Click here to comment on this article
Published on 18/03/2010