Edition 77, April 2010

Privacy guidelines developed for e-portfolios

The Australian Flexible Learning Framework has conducted a privacy impact assessment (PIA) on the use of e-portfolios in the vocational education and training sector.

The PIA involved widespread consultation with key VET stakeholders and learners, a review of e-portfolio service provider obligations with respect to privacy law, and an assessment of the privacy risks associated with e-portfolios from the learner's perspective. 

An outcome of the PIA has been the release of following documents: 

E-portfolios are becoming increasingly popular in the vocational education and training (VET) sector as a tool to collate and demonstrate evidence of skills and achievements and assist in the RPL (recognition of prior learning) process. 

In this context, e-portfolios can contribute to personal career development and facilitate learner transitions between education, training and employment. However, e-portfolios by nature contain a significant amount of personal information about learners, some of which may be quite sensitive and, if not managed well, can compromise learner privacy. 

With a focus on privacy compliance and good practice, the VET E-portfolio Draft Privacy Guidelines uses the information gathered during the PIA to develop practical guidance and tools to help e-portfolio service providers and managers of learner information: 

  • comply with privacy law obligations  
  • assure learners of the security and confidentiality of their personal information in e-portfolio systems, to build trust and confidence and maximise up-take among learners.

The draft Guidelines contain: 

  • a checklist of privacy considerations for establishing an e-portfolio system 
  • issues to consider when developing terms and conditions for e-portfolio use 
  • an overview of privacy principles and tips for compliance  
  • sample e-portfolio use cases, identifying key privacy compliance issues  
  • suggestions of other useful tools and resources.

The draft Guidelines will be trialled during the 2010 E-portfolio Implementation Trials. Participating teams will provide feedback about the usability and adoptability of the draft Guidelines, and develop resources to support learners' understanding of privacy risks when using an e-portfolio system.

Feedback from other registered training organisations on the usability of the draft Guidelines will also be sought. The draft Guidelines will then be finalised for national agreement.

For more information, email allison.miller@flexiblelearning.net.au, or visit www.flexiblelearning.net.au/e-portfolios 

This page was generated on 28 April, 2010

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