The institutional e-portfolio – from scoping to implementation

Ruth Whitfield, Learning Architect & Neil Currant, Lecturer in PDP &

e-portfolior.whitfield@bradford.ac.uk

n.currant@bradford.ac.uk

An electronic space for collecting and presenting evidence.

What is an e-portfolio?

The starting point

• E-portfolio was driven by the need to support Personal Development Planning (PDP)

“Electronic space provided for students to store notes and any outcomes from pdp activities” University Framework For Students’ Personal Development Planning (PDP): March 2005

• However, should not be seen as only driver and only as a tool to support PDP.

The criteria

• 22 evaluation criteria broken down into:– Institutional, Staff & Student needs

• Rated on:– + overall helps to meet this need

– 0 neutral - balance of positive and negative features

– - overall concerns about meeting this need

– ? insufficient evidence at this stage

• Examples include: – “A system that provides added value, e.g. useful for staff PDP as well as

student PDP.”

– “Stimulates new ways of thinking and working”

– “Helps students become better learners, and improve academic performance .”

• Existing VLE e-portfolio add-on (Blackboard) v. new e-portfolio system (PebblePAD)

• Why? – Use of existing system seen as familiar tool,

so easy to implement.– New e-portfolio system was already being

used in other project work in university.

• Result: New e-portfolio system ‘won’

The contest

Implementation

• Needs full-time staff member to support.• Crosses a range of system boundaries:

– Student record systems– Technical systems such as firewall, LDAP

• Our e-portfolio is currently connected to LDAP but not the student record system.

• Why?– Technical challenge– Timeliness / accuracy of records from schools– Possibly provides greater flexibility and only needs student

records for assessed work

Timeline

• May 2005 – PDP document approved requiring use of electronic space.

• June 2005 – new e-portfolio system starts use in other project work.

• April 2006 – evaluation criteria agreed• 2006/7 academic year – evaluation pilots using both

systems takes place on 9 courses.• March 2007 – Interim report• Oct 2007 – final report and funding for 5 years.

Implementation starts (0.45 fte staff to support and implement)

• Jan 2009 - full-time staff member to support e-portfolio and implementation.

How is it being used? SaPRA

SaPRA data

Discussion

• Any questions?• Who already has institutional e-portfolio and how

are they linked to student record systems?• What implications would e-portfolios have for

your work?• What criteria for e-portfolio would be important to

you?• What might the benefits and challenges be?