Pereira de Eça, M.T.T. (2005) ‘Using Portfolios for External Assessment: An Experiment in Portugal’ International Journal of Art and Design Education

Pereira de Eça, M.T.T. (2005) ‘Using Portfolios for External Assessment: An Experiment in Portugal’ International Journal of Art and Design Education, [online] 24 (2), pp209-218 Available at: http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdf?vid=12&hid=17&sid=777a562f-9e26-4aa2-b4bd-69173d0ad022%40SRCSM2 (accessed 22 October 2007)

The article describes the findings of an initiative to assess single portfolios for secondary level art and design students. Portfolios are described as being any of a folder, exhibition, work-journal, CD, webpage. The assessment criteria used are significant, as they are indicative of the needs of the course, align with the needs of the subject culture, but are also acknowledged as being “subject to common interpretation by users.” (p.211) These were:

• Record personal ideas, intentions, experiences, information and opinions in visual and other forms.
• Critically analyse sources from visual culture showing understanding of purposes, meanings and contexts.
• Develop ideas through purposeful experimentation, exploration and evaluation.
• Present a coherent and organised sample of works and a final product revealing a personal and informed response that realises their intentions.
• Evaluate and justify the qualities of the work.

The findings describe the positive aspects of this experiment; “The assessment instrument integrated a wide range of methods of inquiry, media and domains of art and design,, allowing students o develop personal projects in which they could personalise social issues and reveal important cognitive and metacognitive skills.” (p.213) It is interesting that these themes have emerged in light of activity that did not specify portfolio mode.

What this did surface however was a highly significant observation pertaining to the representation of student work in digital modes: “Digital reproductions of students’ studio art works are not appropriate for fully appreciating and discussing the visual characteristics of portfolios, expect perhaps when the student’s chosen media is itself digital.” (p.214)

Adams, J. (2007) ‘Artists Becoming Teachers: Expressions of Identity Transformation in a Virtual Forum’ International Journal of Art and Design Education, 26 (3), pp264-273.

Adams, J. (2007) ‘Artists Becoming Teachers: Expressions of Identity Transformation in a Virtual Forum’ International Journal of Art and Design Education, 26 (3), pp264-273.

Although the article focuses on art and design graduate’s identities as they train to become teachers, it does highlight a parallel challenge associated with the ways of working with e-learning technologies – VLE or e-portfolio; “There are problems of expression that are brought about by the juxtaposition of visually and spatially adept artist-learners constrained within a largely textual environment.” (p.264)

In discussing identities of the artists and designers, the author refers to the idea that personalisation may only exist through social interaction. So this expression has manifested itself in the social aspects of forum conversation in the virtual learning environment, despite the constraints of a text-oriented interface.

Gardner, H. (1993) Multiple Intelligences: New Horizons, Revised Ed. New York: Basic

Gardner, H. (1993) Multiple Intelligences: New Horizons, Revised Ed. New York: Basic

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence theory challenges the traditional idea of what intelligence is and how it can be measured. The author argues that by using a method such as an IQ test, the multi-faceted cognitive capabilities of individuals is being overlooked, and as such he proposes a series of intelligences that each of us possess, but with variable strengths and weaknesses. The theory proposes that “intellectual profiles” are unique because of the infinite range of experiences that individuals are exposed to.

The intelligences described are:
• Musical Intelligence
• Bodily-Kinaesthetic Intelligence
• Logical-Mathematical Intelligence
• Linguistic Intelligence
• Spatial Intelligence
• Interpersonal Intelligence
• Intrapersonal Intelligence

Mehanna, W.N. (2004) ‘E-Pedagogy: The Pedagogies of E-Learning’ ALT-J, 12 (3), pp279-293

Mehanna, W.N. (2004) ‘E-Pedagogy: The Pedagogies of E-Learning’ ALT-J, 12 (3), pp279-293

Mehanna develops a taxonomy of pedagogical traits through a grounded research approach. Findings are triangulated with an existing classification of pedagogies, research findings (29 effective practices) and theoretical backing. Of the pedagogic behaviours listed, non-linguistic presentation seems to bear relevance to the use of e-portfolios, suggesting that this is has a cognitive foundation.

Logan, C., Allan, S., Kurien, A. & Flint, D. (2007) Distributed E-Learning in Art, Design and Media: An Investigation into Current Practice The Higher Education Academy Subject Centre for Art, Design and Media

Logan, C., Allan, S., Kurien, A. & Flint, D. (2007) Distributed E-Learning in Art, Design and Media: An Investigation into Current Practice The Higher Education Academy Subject Centre for Art, Design and Media

The research aimed to provide a picture of the current use of virtual learning environments and other learning and teaching technologies in these subject areas. The findings of the project were reviewed in the light of current literature, and the report provides development-oriented advice that aims to benefit stakeholders in these specialist subject areas.

Three kinds of findings contributed to the project. Detailed survey evidence describes current and extensive use of learning technologies and levels of user satisfaction; case studies provide in-depth accounts of practical and pedagogical issues involved in introducing e-learning into course programmes; and focus group findings give rich, qualitative accounts of real-life learning and teaching, including the student experience. The project’s evidence provides a picture of the diverse and innovative use currently being made of e-learning across art, design and media disciplines.

For further information visit:
http://pathfinder.cumbria.ac.uk/del1.html

Download the full report.

James, A. (2004) ‘Autobiography and Narrative in Personal Development Planning in the Creative Arts’ Art, Design and Communication in Higher Education, 3 (2), pp103-118

James, A. (2004) ‘Autobiography and Narrative in Personal Development Planning in the Creative Arts’ Art, Design and Communication in Higher Education, 3 (2), pp103-118

The article examines PDP in a creative arts context, exploring the tension between uses, the “external, sociocultural role (the demonstration of skills and assets to others) and capacity to enhance internal, individual understanding.” (p.103) – reflective and presentational facets.

The discussion concludes that PDP is neither discrete to academic or professional goals. But it does suggest that it is a record of a learning journey that has multiple applications for the synthesiser, acknowledging the learner centred nature of the PDP activity by stating; “This sense of self is both represented by and defined in various modes of expression”.

James, A. (2007) ‘Reflection Revisited: Perceptions of Reflective Practice in Fashion Learning and Teaching’ Art, Design and Communication in Higher Education, 5 (3), pp179-196

James, A. (2007) ‘Reflection Revisited: Perceptions of Reflective Practice in Fashion Learning and Teaching’ Art, Design and Communication in Higher Education, 5 (3), pp179-196

Taken from a fashion design context, the article explores (by case study report) the tension derived from the predominantly text-based reflective practices of PDP, and the non-text based modes of learning prevalent in art and design disciplines. The findings suggest two courses of action; “pedagogic research into greater understanding of the effect of non-textual reflection on learning, behaviours and assessment, and as curriculum practice which experiments with different non-textual activities and explicit modes of teaching reflective practice which can be measured.” (p.195)

Blaikie, F., Schönau, D. & Steers, J. (2004) ‘Preparing for Portfolio Assessment in Art and Design: A Study of the Opinions and Experiences of Exiting Secondary School Students in Canada, England and The Netherlands’ International Journal of Art and Design Education, 23 (3), pp302-315

Blaikie, F., Schönau, D. & Steers, J. (2004) ‘Preparing for Portfolio Assessment in Art and Design: A Study of the Opinions and Experiences of Exiting Secondary School Students in Canada, England and The Netherlands’ International Journal of Art and Design Education, [online] 23 (3), pp302-315 Available at: http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdf?vid=5&hid=7&sid=777a562f-9e26-4aa2-b4bd-69173d0ad022%40SRCSM2 (accessed 21 November 2007)

The authors aim to reveal what students see as important to them through analysis of quantitative questionnaire data canvassing student opinion and experiences of preparing portfolios for art and design assessment in secondary education. By the admission of the authors the findings described as tentative due to a low sample. However, the article findings do suggest student expectations may be affected by many things: location, gender and subject.

Tarnowski, M., Knutson, M., Gleason, E., Gleason, C., & Songer, E. (1998) ‘Building a Professional Portfolio’ Music Educators Journal, 85 (1), pp17-20+38

Tarnowski, M., Knutson, M., Gleason, E., Gleason, C., & Songer, E. (1998) ‘Building a Professional Portfolio’ Music Educators Journal, 85 (1), pp17-20+38

The article is a nearly a decade old but iterates some of the key needs for a professional portfolio (music teacher). The author describes this type of portfolio as needing three facets: 1) professional development, 2) teaching abilities, 3) personal and professional attributes. There is also an indication for the need for audio elements within the music educator’s portfolio, digital portfolios lending themselves to this multimedia requirement.

Butler, P. (2006) A Review of the Literature on Portfolios and Electronic Portfolios

Butler, P. (2006) A Review of the Literature on Portfolios and Electronic Portfolios [Online] Available at: https://eduforge.org/docman/view.php/ 176/1111/ePortfolio%20Project%20Research%20Report.pdf (accessed 23 July 2007)

2006 review of literature on e-portfolio research with some focus on art and design specific e-portfolio use. The most significant points emerging relate to the purpose and use of e-portfolios and from where these are driven. (Purposes: what an e-portfolio is designed for. Uses: What e-portfolios are actually used for.) Although there are several interpretations of the purposes of e-portfolios, they essentially range from, at one end of the scale, a process / learning portfolio to, at the other, representational / showcase.

Art and design specific analysis is based on a relatively small sample of literature but indicates a subject-oriented preconception that is also evident in other fields. For art and design this is that the portfolio is fundamentally a collection of visual work, often supported with reflective / explanatory information.” (Blaikie et al., 2004)

The review highlights benefits associated with electronic portfolios: skill development; evidence of learning; feedback; reflection; psychological benefits; assessment; artefacts; maintenance; portability and sharing. (p11)