BLearn Autonomy Intellectual Output 2 sets out a collaborative platform where researchers at participating institutions can share their teaching proposals. This platform, which has been running since March 2021, is an instance of the open-source Mahara portfolio software (mahara.org). It is installed on a server at the University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia, the institution coordinating tasks for this output (portafolis.uvic.cat [Other logins]).
Collaborative activity is conducted in three strands, in line with the BLearn project specification: Assessment, Course Design and Teaching Strategies. The users of the portfolio platform – project researchers – create multimedia web pages and share them with collaborators. In this case, pages are initially shared in one of the thematic groups. To facilitate the presentation of contents, users copy a page which serves as a model, including the main details for each proposal and a short descriptive video. Group members can ask for feedback on aspects of particular interest to them. When ready, each author can make their page visible to the group and the researchers of participating institutions can engage in discussion by entering comments on the page. The author can also intervene at this stage.
This space for dialogue allows authors to reflect on their own and others’ proposals. The aim is to ensure well-founded teaching proposals before implementing them and to provide each participant with fresh input from other experts that they can apply in their own blended learning contexts. Thus members of the research team will be able to enrich each other’s proposals. So far several teaching proposal pages have been shared. As more and more researchers get involved, we look forward to seeing further teaching proposals and fruitful discussions over the coming months.
Marcos Cánovas