elearning2010

=Concurrent session for eLearning 2010=

Proposal
Many of our VET courses have a strong visual element that lend themselves well to a focus on multimodal communication, instruction and assessment.
 * The visual element: portfolios, reflection and critique using FlickR**

In this session we’ll have a look at the online image storage and networking site, FlickR, and its capabilities for learning and teaching in VET and for personal visual portfolios.

Through the use of tags (keywords), descriptions, annotations and comments, FlickR enables learner-centred reflection, peer review and interaction with teachers, assessors, peers and the community. At a course level group spaces can be developed for exhibiting student work and slideshows can easily be constructed for embedding in course sites or other social networking spaces.

In addition to the learning and teaching benefits FlickR enables the development of a personal visual portfolio that captures skills, experience and capability is increasingly recognised as a valuable asset for individuals as they move through life. While traditionally this has been achieved via hard copy portfolios and journals there are significant limitations to this model. Apart from maintenance issues over time, and an emphasis on written text to document processes, the artists are restricted to engagement within their local context. By digitising work and placing it online students can demonstrate their development of skills via a life-long and life-wide portfolio of work that is easy to access by anyone, anywhere including potential course coordinators and employers. Links and resources will be provided to enable participants to trial the platform back in their organisations.