From an e-portfolio to a PLS: Integrating an e-portfolio into PgC in Learning & Teaching in HE. Sarah Chesney Centre for the Development Of Learning & Teaching

Funded under the JISC March 2007-March 2009 Users & Innovations: Personalising Technologies Programme For more information

Overview 2007 we were looking to use an ‘e- portfolio’ for one specific assignment Our thinking has developed into preferring the term ‘personal learning system’ by end 2009

Moving down the handout sheet. 2007/2008 (Green column) 2008/2009 (Yellow column) 2009/2010 (Orange column)

Participants & assessment activity PgCinLTHE have submitted a ‘patchwork text’ 2 cohorts spanning Research Yr 1 & 2 All invited to feedback to the CDLT team through online surveys (anonymous) & focus groups Activity:Within the PebblePad PLS create a ‘patchwork text’. Encouraged ‘share’ drafts at regular intervals for formative feedback from peers & tutors.

I had some problems with PebblePad which sometimes got in the way of my learning and caused me stress. (1 st cohort participant) I felt at the time that my focus was on the presentation rather than the content and this has been reflected in the grade. (1 st cohort participant)

How did we react to this? See Research Year 2 (yellow column): Compulsory activity in 801 module (reflective writing) Additional support throughout the programme Compulsory submission of assignment using gateway in 803 module

Feedback from our external examiner & our own tutor team led us to question the extent to which we believed in this system.

How did we react to this? See Research Year 3 (orange column): Peer observations completed in Pp using a form Patchwork text assignment had to include a multimedia resource e.g. a photo/video

Results: –a maturity in e-portfolio use across the cohorts: CDL 801 example –Tutor feedback has become more useful across the modules

–A reduction in Microsoft Word Documents as submissions (through gateways) BUT often very poorly presented –Newly recruited tutors & administrators still need a lot of support –Majority of students are still resistant to including non- text based evidence

Digital portfolios support the participants' learning by allowing them to make links between contexts and concepts. Allowing other forms of media other than written narratives. Marking a digital portfolio offered the following benefits.... Easier to see the links made between concepts and contexts. (There would be lots of time consuming cross-referencing in a hard copy whereas a click and you're there at the right piece of evidence that the writer wishes to link to their narrative. More interesting because it allows writers to be creative in the way they present information. Uses less paper. As well as the marking 'bees' having the assignments of the gateway allowed me to see more experienced markers marks and the relevant web folios to make sure I was marking consistently. Usually the information selected to support the narrative is more meaningful Allows timely feedback of marks without worry

Digital portfolios support the participants' learning by getting them to think more 3-dimensionally rather than in the linear format of a traditional written assignment. The process of marking the digital portfolio could be improved by.... a) having the portfolio design itself as part of the assessment criteria, in the same way that you might award marks for the structure and presentation of an argument in a traditional essay b) some kind of marking/feedback pro forma as an element of the portfolio itself rather than having to just write in the comment box or attach a word document c) having a facility to comment on particular bits of text, as you might if you were jotting comments in the margin of a written assignment

If our ethos is to constantly improve we need to be planning our next route: –Mastering technology may be one of the programme learning outcomes in revalidated course (and so tutors will need to be aware of this also) –Explicit about links between these PLS activities & the University Professional Standards (which are HEA accredited) Where Next?

More on the patchwork text: Chesney, S. & Marcangelo, M 'There was a lot of learning going on' Using an e-portfolio to support learning activities in a professional course for new HE lecturers Computers & Education 54 (2010), pp

Sarah Chesney