1. 1 University of Bremen „Open Badges and ePortfolio Systems in the Language Learning Cloud” Jürgen Friedrich & Bärbel Kühn University of Bremen friedrich@uni-Bremen.defriedrich@uni-Bremen.de & bkuehn@uni-bremen.debkuehn@uni-bremen.de Open Badges in Higher Education Conference – 8 March 2016

2. 2 University of Bremen Content  Open Badges revisited – Dynamics and context  Limitations – Is there a technical solution?  EPOS & EPOS cloud  Example: Open Badges in Language acquisition

3. 3 University of Bremen Open Badges revisited – Dynamics and context

4. 4 University of Bremen The traditonal use of Open Badges  Receiving badges – from institutions (e.g. schools, employers)  Collecting badges – in a badge container (e.g. Mozilla Badge Backpack)  Presenting badges – to others (e.g. universities, employers) Several questions  Are Open Badges just another (digital) form of certificates?  What is the advantage of Open Badges from a pedagogical point of view? One answer: The contextual view on Open Badges  Badges as result of a learning process in a specific learning context  Action-oriented, e.g. case-/project-based learning as basis for badges  Strength: Open Badges accompany and reflect informal learning within and outside HE Beyond Mozilla‘s container (backpack) approach

5. 5 University of Bremen Checking Mozilla‘s Backpack for dynamics experience ! LEARNER, but what about learning? Achievements, but what about performance? SKILLS, but what about competencies?

6. 6 University of Bremen … not easy Limitations – Is there a technical solution?

7. 7 University of Bremen The social media ZOO in education Blackboard

8. 8 University of Bremen  Didactical problems  Interrupted learning process  Destruction of the learning context  Usage problems  Media gaps  Lack of media integration  Different user interfaces  Technical problems  Lack of compatibility Problems ot the technology zoo

9. 9 University of Bremen Is an ePortfolio the solution? … could be

10. 10 University of Bremen ePortfolio (Definition)  Portfolio method  Portfolio: collection of information and evidence about achievements, which should prove acquired competencies.  The person in question is asked to reflect upon the own methodology and achievements. Source: http://www.quintessence.be/en/competentieassessment/portfolio-method/ Recommended literat.: Klenowski, V.: Developing Portfolios for Learning and Assessment. London/New York 2002  e Portfolio  Digital collection of a learner’s authentic documents  Support of interactive learning processes  Documentation of a person’s learning history (reflection about learning aims, processes, and outcomes)  Owned by the learner him-/herself

11. 11 University of Bremen Learning chain in EPOS Learning Collecting Reflecting Sharing Individual Institutional, e.g. integration in Moodle Products / outcomes Certificates Badges Meta-level Learn to learn Learning strategies Sharing with peers, teachers, employers Presentation portfolio

12. 12 University of Bremen Competence orientation in language learning Competences: Levels  E.g. ELP (A1 to C2) Competences: Dimensions  E.g. knowledge, skills, attitudes, abilities (INTENT-Project, partly) Competences: Degree of Standardisation  E.g. standardised / specialised / individualised competence grids (descriptor lists) Know- ledge Skills Attitudes Abilities CEFR, CercleS … My Competences

13. 13 University of Bremen Elements of the European Language Portfolio Language Passport  Survey of achieved competencies in different languages according to CEFR  Formal qualifications / external certificates Language Biography  Language learning activities  Intercultural experiences  Tasks Dossier Individually produced texts/documents, videos, audio, material, photos, illustrations or presentations Checklist: my own can-do statements Principles  Learner autonomy  Self-assessment  Reflective learning  Learning in an intercultural context

14. 14 University of Bremen  EPOS / Mahara is able to import Open Badges, e.g. from Mozilla Backpack or Moodle, automatically.  The badges can be associated with other material (products, certificates etc.) or reflection on learning to enrich the information for receivers beyond the standard Mozilla meta- data set.  Imported badges are immediately visible in a graphically designed display area (Mahara pages).  They can be shared – together with the associated material – with peers, teachers or employers very easily, by providing the addressees with a URL, produced by the system. Badges in EPOS

15. 15 University of Bremen  EPOS is technically based on the ePortfolio platform Mahara  Extended by learning process components, e.g.  Self-assessment, competence grids, individual goal setting, projects/tasks, reflection facility  EPOS as institutional cloud:  hosted by schools, universities companies for their own puposes  EPOS as independent cloud:  used by anybody in informal learning processes  used for after course care  used in continuing education, e.g. EPOS alumni cloud EPOS & EPOS cloud

16. 16 University of Bremen Learning process EPOS menue The EPOS menu is organised according to the logic of the learning process:  Testing what a learner already knows (Self-evaluation)  Determining one’s own learning goals (Learning objectives)  Organising and performing learning projects and tasks (Projects)  Formulation tasks/projects, set-up of a plan, elaborating documents (Dossier)  Reflecting what has been reached and how to improve learning. (Journal)  Logging the overall development and summarising it for others (Biography)  Allowing access to others (peer students, teachers etc.) and asking for feedback (Pages)  Autonomous learning (determining own goals) and co-operative learning in groups (using a method) is no contradiction (Groups) … but the individual learning process doesn’t have to follow the logic of the EPOS- menu !

17. 17 University of Bremen

18. 18 University of Bremen

19. 19 University of Bremen EPOS Presentation with Open Badges

20. 20 University of Bremen EPOS integration with Moodle

21. 21 University of Bremen Future perspectives  Integrating rich media  Examples: audio feedback; video confrontation  Learner produced content  Integrating learners’ “natural” environment  Using mobile devices  Going beyond language learning  Key competences, e.g.“Intercultural Competence Assessment” (LOLIPOP/INCA project)  Scientific subjects

22. 22 University of Bremen Many thanks for your attention ! Jürgen Friedrich friedrich@uni-bremen.de Bärbel Kühn bkuehn@uni-bremen.de