WLP Project Development

Just struggling a bit today trying to define what is it exactly that I'm trying to do!  Not as some profound existentialist study (though can it be true George dubya B has been reading Camus at his ranch) but in relation to the online module I'm trying to develop on using Labour Market Information Effectively in Guidance.

I feel strongly that the module will comprise a series of suggested activities/learning objects through multiple entry points.  To facilitate the learner led progression through the various resources what is needed is some sort of personalised learning space but I felt quite strongly yesterday that this would be something quite distinct from a portfolio, and said as much in my blog about the developmental process.  I feel this personalised learning space isn't a blog either, it's something else, but today, I am not sure that distinction is quite so clear....

On balance, I think of 'portfolios' as being about amassing evidence for external scrutiny as a means of demonstrating externally set learning outcomes.  However, that may not be entirely fair - i've had a sprint through some of the literature on the WLP site and it would be ludicrous to claim there isnt going to be common ground between what the online module's 'personal learning space' and what many eportfolios set out to do.  Sure  I want to include space for reflection, potential for storing project 'work' and resources and it may be that this could be used to demonstrate learning to a third party if desired.  I suppose then the difference for me is attitudinal - the driver for keeping the 'personal learning space' active is the desire of the learner to learn and document their progress as a way of consolidating and building on that learning voyage.  So, the impetus to use the 'personalised learning space' (oh how I wish we could come up with a better term than that) is the user thinking 'wow, that's a really handy tool to use to help me to organise my thoughts on this topic', rather than, 'oh no, here we go, more death by the futile act of evidence creation and demonstration this time on line ...'

As for blogs, that maybe closer to what is envisaged in terms of ownership, except that:

the user is more likely to keep this area as private (though they wouldnt have to)

there would be more functionality than the average blog

the link between the module and 'personal learning space' is strong and streamlined, i.e. automatic importing of relevant exercises into the 'appropriate' place in the PLS by giving a prompt feature on completion /abandonment of any exercise 'i have finished with this for now, please save to my PLS' click here for auto- shift to new wonderful PLS!

so i think that's the difference, the learner drives the space, and it is a useful tool rather than a tedious organisational requirement.

Does anyone else see a distinction to be made, or is it an artifical and perhaps unhelpful divide?