Well, that question can be a little tricky to answer- especially when it comes to its implementation within education. Many people may ask, "Can ‘ownership’ and ‘assignment’ go hand in hand?" (Rikard, 2015). I believe it is imperative that ownership of an ePortfolio starts from the very beginning of the creation process, before any content is even required to be present on there. Students need to feel that they have ownership of their digital domain, and they need to believe that their digital domain is a safe space for them to have choice and share their voice. Rikard (2015) continues to explain that:
"The web is a network for conversations, and if students still see their audience as a teacher with a red pen, then nothing changes."
Students Need to #OWNIT
Having said that, it is important to mention that although students need to have ownership of their individual ePortfolios, it is not considered negative to guide, monitor, and require certain aspects be present on their digital domain. According to Watters (2015),
"Students have control over the look and feel of their own sites, including what’s shared publicly. This means they have some say — although not complete — over their personal data, and in turn they begin to have an understanding of the technologies that underpin the Web, including how their work and their data circulate there."
When students have ownership of their ePortfolios, they are actually owning more than just that. They are owning their learning. When teachers provide opportunities for students to own their learning, they set them up to be successful beyond the four walls of their classroom (or in the case of ePortfolios, beyond their digital domain). The positive effects of student owned learning are numerous. Teachers cannot forget the importance of allowing students to have control over their own ePortfolio- it cannot be overstated (Watters, 2015).
In the video, "Seven Things That Happen When Student Own Their Learning," Spencer (2017) mentions the effects of student owned learning are:
Students fall in love with learning...
Students embrace a maker mindset...
Students develop iterative thinking... lead(ing) to a shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.
Students become self- starters...
Students become problem-solvers...
Students begin to challenge the system...and rewrite the rules.
Students become architects of their own learning...
Authentic Learning in Action
After students are able to create their own ePortfolio and continually revise it/add to it, they will be able to have an authentic digital domain containing all their experiences, projects, reflections, and even "proof" of their web-based skills. An authentic ePortfolio is a great resources for students to have when they are documenting their progress of higher education, and a resource when applying to their careers.
Having an authentic ePortfolio or digital domain where students can have choice, ownership, and voice in their learning will help provide them with the skills needed to be successful in our ever evolving 21st century. As teachers, it should not be our goal to just teach our students, but instead teach them how to be successful human beings.
References
Juliani, A. (2017, June). The epic guide to student ownership. Retrieved September 06, 2020, from http://ajjuliani.com/epic-guide-student-ownership/
Rikard, A. (2015, August 10). Do I own my domain if you grade it? - EdSurge News. Retrieved September 06, 2020, from https://www.edsurge.com/news/2015-08-10-do-i-own-my-domain-if-you-grade-it
Spencer, J. (2017, June 17). 7 things that happen when students own their learning. Retrieved September 05, 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7S9kyk-odA
Watters, A. (2015, July 15). The web we need to give students. Retrieved September 06, 2020, from https://brightthemag.com/the-web-we-need-to-give-students-311d97713713
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