MAPS (software)
MAPS is a proprietary web-based Assessment or EPortfolio service. The software is entirely web services based and provides an array of evidence recording tools which are structured around a blog or learner diary. Users can belong to multiple institutions and individual portfolios are owned entirely by the individual. The individual then chooses which institution or institutions to share their portfolios with. Institutions get an aggregated view of portfolios which are members of the institution.
The system is primarily used in the UK Education sector and has been involved in a number of Awarding Body projects and qualifications with Assessment and Qualifications Alliance, Edexcel, Scottish Qualifications Authority and Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations. MAPS provides the functionality for OCR's iMedia qualification, the first ever paperless qualification.
Features
MAPS users create reflections in a blog or learner diary which can include action plans, abilities, achievements, experiences and thoughts. Each blog entry can then be mapped to a portfolio activity which can be assigned by another person from an institution to which the user belongs.
An electronic portfolio activity is made up from a number of objectives, criteria or competences. Evidence mapped to a portfolio task can in turn be mapped to these criteria using the Red Pen tool. Evidence loaded into the service is automatically converted into a format that can be viewed within a browser. The tool then allows different users to create layers of annotations in both text and audio format. Assessment criteria can also be dragged into place on the document thus allowing evidence to be linked to precise points within the evidence.
User portfolios can also be accessed using a syndicated RSS newsfeed. This allows controlled access to user eportfolios by other interested parties.
An integrated CV tool allows users to provide controlled access to their CVs for the purpose of employment.
MAPS also incorporates a suite of tool entitled LiveAssess which are the commercial version of those developed by Goldsmiths University in a project entitled e-scape.
Since MAPS is 100% a web service it can be integrated into any other platform.
Background
The team behind MAPS are all educators and advocates of evidence based assessment and have been involved in education technology research for over 20 years.
References
- Ali Jafari, Catherine Kaufman, ePortConsortium, USA (2006). Handbook of Research on ePortfolios Building an E-portfolio. Idea Group Publishing. ISBN 1-59140-890-3.
- Tony Wheeler, E-scape: assessing creativity, Flux, http://flux.futurelab.org.uk/projects/e-scape-assessing-creativity/
- Professor Richard Kimbell, e-assessment in project e-scape, Design and Technology Education: an International Journal, Vol 12, No 2 (2007), http://ojs.lboro.ac.uk/ojs/index.php/DATE/article/view/Journal_12.2_0707_RES6
- Merlin John, New reports' green light for PDAs in classrooms, Merlin John Online, http://213.232.94.135/merlinjohnonline/news.php?extend.118
- Kim Thomas, Rewarding risk: how e-scape changes learning, Futurelab, http://www.futurelab.org.uk/resources/publications-reports-articles/web-articles/Web-Article1063
- Kenji Lamb, Enhancing e-Portfolio Assessment, e-assessment group (Spring 2009), http://www.e-assessmentgroup.net/eAA_Newsletter_-_spring_09.pdf
- 'Assessment is for Learning through Digital Technologies: e-Scape Scotland', http://scottish-rscs.org.uk/newsfeed/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/escape.pdf