ePortfolio #6: My ePortfolio Choice
Posted by Jamin Lietze on April 10, 2009
I have been off the “radar” for sometime since becoming a Dad and so am adjusting to this wonderful change. As well as this I have been busy trialling the different Learning Management Systems (LMS) that I mentioned in my previous post.
Below is my final platform analysis. Before you view it please keep in mind the following points:
- eFolio is not an LMS but a smaller product compared to the others I trialled. It was built primarily as an ePortfolio platform. However because my trials have focused on ePortfolios I included it in the analysis.
- Spike@School has since removed itself from the party of Vendors the MOE had previously identified.
- I was unable to trial the MyClasses platform. At first they replied to my initial request but then did not get back to me again until yesterday (9th April). At that stage they informed me that I had contacted their overseas office and that they do not sell directly to NZ schools. They then directed me to contact the NZ SchoolZone Helpdesk. Unfortunately I needed to make a decision before school finished for the Term so time has run out. I would still be interested in reviewing their platform in the near future and will contact them later.
- I realise that within months my analysis will quickly go out of date. Vendors are working hard on developing their product to meet the guidelines the MOE has set for them as Development Partners. I therefore strongly encourage you to talk to individual vendors before making your own personal decisions.
Here is how I rated the following products:
Update (7.5.09): There has been some confusion on my behalf in relation to SMS-LMS interoperability versions 1.3 and 2.0. To clear things up, no LMS-SMS at this stage has been approved by the MOE for Version 2.0.
There was more to eFolio’s V2.0 than what I saw when trialling their beta version. I have therefore updated the “Multiple Spaces and Views” to meet this. My apologies to eFolio for missing this.
So what does this mean for my school? 
We have chosen Ultranet as our preferred LMS in our ePortfolio Pilot for 2009.
Why?
- Ultranet is not the perfect ePortfolio option but it came the closest to meeting each of my criteria. I hope to work with them and help them develop their ePortfolio module.
- I believe Ultranet has the cleanest and simplest interface, which I can see 5-18 year olds being able to navigate.
- It was in my school’s best interest to go with a product that is one of the 3 development partners the MOE is supporting. This way I knew for sure it was going to be a sustainable option and one that would meet the MOE’s guidelines.
- I was impressed with Ultranet’s social networking functionality. Entitled “uSpace”, I believe this feature will be a location my students will use regularly to interact and share their learning with others. It will be a gateway that will lead to greater collaborations and peer assessment.
Each of the platforms were measured against the criteria I set earlier. I have repeatedly gone back and fine tuned my purpose and criteria. The final product is included below for your interest (or click here if it does not display correctly):
Where to from here?
- Run the ePortfolio pilot until the end of December 2009 with 4 classes; in Year 1, 5, 6 (my class) and 7.
- Organise and plan for Parent meetings to inform and teach them how they can partner more in their child’s learning eg: commenting on their child’s work and interacting with them though Ultranet. Within these meetings we can address Net safety and other concerns they may have.
- Watch the Ministry of Education’s moves as they are undertaking some research in June into forming one ePortfolio tool for NZ schools. The MOE have indicated a possible date for this launch in January 2010. Stay tuned!
Is there anyone else that uses Ultranet and would like to become a buddy class?
April 10th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
Hi Jamin
Congratulations on the birth of your child.
Yes we use Ultranet at Te Awamutu Intermediate. We haven’t made great use of Uspace yet as we are waiting for the next update (should be soon) when there will be a more user friendly eportfolio space or so Hugh, from Ultranet, tells me.
Our school ultranet is ultranet.teawamutuint.school.nz
I’d be happy to be a buddy class with you – I have a Year 7&8 class.
Lynne
[Reply]
Jamin Lietze Reply:
April 15th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Hi Lynne
It would be great to work with you and together see what we can get out of Ultranet. My kids would be challenged and inspired by your students and maybe we can offer you some inspiration too. I will contact you when Term 2 gets underway.
In the meantime enjoy your break! :+)
[Reply]
April 11th, 2009 at 2:40 am
[...] que treballa el tema eportfolio d’arreu del món són molt enriquidores. Per exemple, James Lietze, un mestre de NZ que està triant una plataforma per la seva escola i ha publicat els criteris que [...]
April 14th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
Hey Jamin,
The long awaited decision has been made! Ultranet is a nice solution. When we investigated it in late 2007 I also thought the uSpace concept was great for students and teachers to create their online learning networks. The implementation of uSpace is very Elgg like, one of my favourite open source free eportfolio/blogging/social networking tools.
Paul Seiler from the MOE mentioned he had a long chat with you regarding your eportfolio criteria etc. I wonder how much that conversation has influenced your choice…
It is interesting to see that since I investigated some of these options for my research last year the online space for users has increased from a poultry 20MB per user to unlimited. One would hope so to considering how much they are charging.
All the best, I know you have the drive and vision to make this work. I will continue reading about the developments with great interest!
[Reply]
Jamin Lietze Reply:
April 15th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
Hi Nick
Yes it was a bit of a journey in the end. It just seemed to get bigger and bigger the more I looked into it.
I had a good chat with Paul Seiler and Ian Munro. They shared with me their developing ideas and the move to have some research done on the concept of having ONE ePortfolio tool for NZ schools. I felt it was in our best interest as a school to get started on the ePortfolio pilot now. That way we can grow in our understanding of the PROCESS of ePortfolios. IF the MOE do create one ePortfolio by the beginning of 2010 we have already decided that we will be open to considering that option when it happens.
The storage size, I understand from talking with the LMS vendors, is ‘unlimited’ only because they are still working out what space a student needs. I have some doubts that it will remain like that. Yes our NZ owned LMS are not cheap and it does concern me because many schools will not be able to offer these great tools to their students and families. I will work with Ultranet for 2009 and in return they have offered us a good deal on their product. So it is a win-win situation for my school.
I too will be following your developments in regards to ePortfolios and the use of mobiles in the classroom. :+)
Keep rocking mate!
[Reply]
Darren Reply:
April 15th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
I have been reading these posts on eportfolios with some interest. You talk about the costs involved with Ultranet so I wonder why you went with a proprietary system when there are open source alternatives?
[Reply]
Jamin Lietze Reply:
April 16th, 2009 at 10:26 am
Hi Darren
I went with a proprietary system instead of open source for two main reasons:
1) The open source products were mostly set up for Tertiary students and so is not user friendly for Primary students (5-10 year olds).
2) As a teacher I want to focus on teaching. I like how the proprietary systems can be hosted online leaving me to focus on teaching and learning. I don’t want the hassle of having to be reasonable for server maintenance, upgrades, password issues, backing the ePortfolios up, etc. Let teachers be teachers.
April 16th, 2009 at 10:39 am
Hi Jamin,
An open source platform can be hosted and managed for you at a fraction of the cost of a proprietary system. We don’t have to deal with any maintenance / administration issues in our cluster.
I disagree on open source not being user friendly for primary students. It’s the teachers that are the challenge. We have a Year 6 class using Mahara/myportfolio quite nicely. Children will pick up these technologies no problem.
Anyway – will have to agree to disagree on this one.
Good luck with Ultranet. I’m sure it will do the job you want.
[Reply]
Jamin Lietze Reply:
April 17th, 2009 at 10:03 am
Hi Darren
It is great to hear that you are using Mahara/MyPortfolio and are finding it successful with Year 6’s. I don’t doubt they can navigate it well. What I am interested in is how it will go with the younger ones though? My criteria for finding a suitable platform was strongly influenced by how a 5-7 year old would navigate and like a platform. I tried to think the way they would.
I have blogged with a class of 6-7 year olds and they interacted well with it’s simple layout and were able to navigate and explore it.
Do you believe or have you had experience of 5-7 year old students working well with Mahara?
In the end we need to choose a platform that is easy to use for all users of all ages; students, teachers and Parents.
[Reply]
May 7th, 2009 at 6:45 am
Update (7.5.09):
There has been some confusion on my behalf in relation to SMS-LMS interoperability versions 1.3 and 2.0. To clear things up, no LMS-SMS at this stage has been approved by the MOE for Version 2.0.
There was more to eFolio’s V2.0 than what I saw when trialling their beta version. I have therefore updated the “Multiple Spaces and Views” to meet this. My apologies to eFolio for missing this.
[Reply]
June 6th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Both KnowledgeNET and Ultranet were approaved for the SMS-LMS data transfer at the time you published this posting. Sorry if the information is not widely known but you can always check online here: http://www.minedu.govt.nz/educationSectors/Schools/Initiatives/ITAdministrationSystemsForSchools/StudentManagementSystems/DataSharingServices/SummaryTable.aspx
My Classes and Moodle are working on it.
On the SMS side PC School is approved, with eTAP, MUSAC and KAMAR working on it.
I am not sure what SMS you use but by the end of this year you should be able to plug the SMS data feed into ultranet.
Paul.
[Reply]