What leading educators say about Web 2.0, PLEs and e-portfolios in the future

Abstract

Over the last decade and a half concepts around portfolios have gone through many transformations influenced by the evolution towards an increasing digital world. More recently Web 2.0 technologies have appeared. These have afforded shifts in our constructs of learning spaces: Blended-Space, Virtual-Space, Social-Space, and very recently the emergence of the PLE or personal learning environment. This paper presents results of a survey that is one element in a broad environmental scan of the e-portfolio field set against the blooming of Web 2.0. The survey probes the perceptions of New Zealand educators who lead; how they see e-portfolio trends, Web 2.0 integration, and their views of teacher education in a digital society in the context of e-portfolios. Critical perspectives around learner agency are explored. Questions are raised about the location of knowledge production and validation. Results indicate that Web 2.0 technologies are just coming to the attention of teacher-educator leaders, and are seen to offer potential to future e-portfolio practices. However the vision in respect to Web 2.0 and the PLE appears constrained in the main. A gap is identified around conceptualizing this as an integrative relationship. Further research into the alignment of e-portfolios within these emerging learning spaces is suggested.