Stimulating and supporting innovation in learning
Stimulating and supporting innovation in learning
‘An e-Portfolio for every student’. This is what the Dept. for Education & Skills (DfES) proposed should be the goal for English & Welsh academic institutions in 2008. We may not be there yet, but most Scottish institutions, if they haven't already adopted an e-Portfolio system, are now considering the available options for their own students.
Key questions are already forming in this important emerging field:
The RSC are committed to supporting institutions develop their own e-Portfolio strategies, by bringing you news of the latest developments in the area. On this page, you'll be able to find information on:
And of course, there's a wonderful JISC infoNet resource in the form of the their online InfoKit (which is constantly updated) and their 'Effective Practice with e-Portfolios' publication!
RSC Scotland North & East, in partnership with the e-Assessment Association, ran Scotland's largest e-Portfolio conference of the year, once again returning to Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh - home of a lot of exciting e-Portfolio activity.
We had an exciting programme with Margaret Faulkner telling us how the University of South Australia had implemented portfolios into their programmes, practical workshops on the use of audio and video for feedback and evidence, and a good number of practial examples of best practice - all in all an excellent day! And if you missed it, then you can catch up with some of the action below.
*These were short 5-minute presentation delivered by a number of delegates - most didn't involve slides, but there was one interesting presentaion from Elaine Mowat.
| The Lowdown on e-Portfolios at UniSA |  |
| Dr. Margaret Faulkner from UniSA's Learning & Teaching Unit shares her experiences of supporting and evaluating the success of e-Portfolio projects at the University and her observations on how many of the challenges faced are similar to those found in the UK. This includes the need to develop strategies to support reflection, independent thinking and lifelong learning when implementing e-Portfolios. |
Follow the link to download Margaret's slides and notes.
| Diverse Practice, Shared Representation: Leap2A for e-Portfolio Portability? |  |
| A talk grounded in audience feedback about where we are with e-Portfolios at present, and relate the Leap2A specification to where people are. Leap2A's goal is to maximise the range of learner-owned information, from any past or present portfolio practice, available to other present or future portfolio practices, involving any suitable tools. |
| Mahara e-Portfolios |  |
| When talking about the Mahara e-Portfolio, many make a connection with other popular online tools such as Moodle and Google Docs – however, there is a clear difference and we’ll be explaining why Mahara should be considered in its own right. We’ll go over an example of how Mahara can be used to assessment an NVQ, and how the portfolio-based instructional design can be supported with Mahara. |
Follow these links to view the content from Derrin's presentation:
| JISC Effective Practice with e-Portfolios – Where are we now? |  |
| A brief overview of past and current JISC-funded activities in the e-Portfolio domain and an introduction to JISC’s resources such as the ‘Effective Practice with e-Portfolios’ publication, the JISC infoNet e-Portfolio infoKit and the ePI study that is exploring large scale e-portfolio implementations. |
| Introducing PebblePad: Stories and Tips |  |
| From the start of the academic year, the PebblePad e-Portfolio system will be provided and supported for all Edinburgh University students and staff. The presentation concentrates on: What is the best way of promoting an e-Portfolio system to students and staff? What is the link between graduate attributes and e-Portfolios? Why should anyone be interested in using PebblePad? |
Follow this link to view Robert's Prezi presentation.
| Judging Competencies in the Workplace |  |
| eCom has worked with industry partners to develop the SkillsLocker e-Portfolio solution which makes the recording of CPD and compliance easier to manage. The software has been adopted by a wide range of companies, from national enterprises like Scottish Water to examining bodies such as the SQA. |
| It’s good to talk: Audio Feedback for e-Portfolio Activities Within a Pre-Registration Physiotherapy Curriculum |  |
| We have been using e-Portfolios within our MSc (Pre-registration) Physiotherapy programme for nearly 5 years. More recently, we introduced audio feedback for summative assignments, providing an opportunity for tutors to give richer, more contextualised feedback appropriate for reflective activities. |
| Audio Feedback and e-Portfolios in Drama and Theatre Arts |  |
| This presentation will explore the potential of embedding audio feedback within e-Portfolios in the context of practical performance modules, as well as looking at the potential benefits which they offer for reflective learning within the subject area. |
No slides presented.
| Skills for Works with SQA DeskSpace – CPD Session |  |
| Dr. Margaret Faulkner from UniSA's Learning & Teaching Unit shares her experiences of supporting and evaluating the success of e-Portfolio projects at the University and her observations on how many of the challenges faced are similar to those found in the UK. This includes the need to develop strategies to support reflection, independent thinking and lifelong learning when implementing e-Portfolios. |
Follow this link for more information on DeskSpace and other SQA training events.
| Audio Feedback in Practice |  |
| Traditionally feedback on written assessments has been given through annotated notes. However, studies like the JISC-funded Sounds Good project have found that providing audio feedback to learners can be a more valuable approach. In this hands-on workshop we'll look at ways to capture audio using a variety of free tools. |
Awaiting presentation.
| Capturing Video Evidence | |
| It's never been easier to create and share video clips online with the advent of cheap, simple-to-use video recording devices like the Flip camera and services like online video sharing site, YouTube. In this hands-on workshop we'll look at ways to record video . We'll also edit the clips using free software and explore ways of sharing them online. |
Awaiting presentation.
| Visual Thinking |
 |
Elaine delivered an interesting presentation on Visual Thinking as part of the TeachMeet sessions during the break for lunch. Not as formal or structured as mind-mapping, the basic concept is worth taking a look at - oh and the slides features an original piece of Elaine's artwork at the end. |
On the 31st of January 2008, the Scottish RSCs invited delegates from across the country to attend the e-Portfolio Conference - Providing the Evidence at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh.
Even the raging snowstorm in the morning and admittedly chilly lecture hall couldn't keep the audience away, with just under 120 delegates arriving to immerse themselves in a packed programme.
If you were one of the unlucky few who managed to miss the conference, then you'll be able to download the presentations from the links below:
| Making it different and making it happen (…almost) |  |
| Sharing the challenges we discovered and the decisions we made while introducing e-Portfolios to support PDP in the Open University. In true PDP style we'll share what we are learning - what we would do the same – what we would do differently – and what we may do in the future. |
Download Rachel's PowerPoint presentation (PPS file, 725kB)
| A Stitch in Time... Legal Issues of e-Portfolios |  |
| e-Portfolios are gaining recognition as a valuable tool for learners, instructors, and academic organizations. However, as with all new information collection and dissemination systems, they can pose legal risks both for institutions and for users. Proactively recognising and addressing likely risks is a key first step towards avoiding legal liabilities. |
Download Andrew's PowerPoint presentation (PPS file, 181kB)
Associated JISC Legal Documents
Developing & Operating ePortfolio Systems - Good Practice (PDF file, 83.3kB)
Legal Aspects of e-Portfolio Systems FAQ (PDF file, 60.7kB)
| Accessibility in e-Portfolios: Access for the disabled; usability for all |  |
| The presentation looks at the issues of how to make e-Portfolios accessible to disabled students and other e-Portfolio users with disabilities (authors and editors of evidence of learning and those who review a student’s learning). Brief comments are made on the current status and a look is made towards potential future approaches of enhancing accessibility based on profiles of user’s preferences and needs. |
Download Martyn's PowerPoint presentation (PPS file, 275kB)
| Addressing plagiarism in the Web 2.0 environment |  |
| Whilst Web 2.0 technologies offer unique opportunities for teaching and learning, both in terms of course delivery and innovative means of assessment, how do we address issues of authenticity in these emerging areas? This session will consider some of the key issues, and suggest how we can overcome such concerns as use of these technologies becomes the norm. |
Download Gill's PowerPoint presentation (PPS file, 301kB)
| My PDP - Discipline-based variations utilising a common PDP platform |
| Recently, the creation of PDPs within the university has been enhanced within two disciplines (Law and Geography) to include core activities to ensure students appreciate the importance of skill attainment, with appropriate reflection and planning. Students' e-Portfolios are a key product of this initiative, but their creation is supported with a range of policies, staff instruction and online resources for students. |
Download Richard's PowerPoint presentation (PPS file, 3.12MB)
| Bebo Me-Folio |
| A case study on how young students use their “chosen” media of Bebo and MSN to communicate with staff regarding personal issues that may create barriers to their achievement of the SVQ, which can by facilitated by online electronic portfolios. This workshop included a hands-on session that allowed delegates to use the Learning Assistant e-Portfolio system. |
Download Marie's PowerPoint presentation (PPS file, 2.43MB)
| Using the TurnitinUK plagiarism detection software |
| Speakers from the University of Bedfordshire and Northumbria University highlighted some of the key challenges they have faced in implementing the plagiarism detection software within their own institutions. |
Download David's PowerPoint presentation (PPS file, 146kB)
Download Deborah's PowerPoint presentation (PPS file, 2.28MB)
| Using e-Portfolios as a tool in the assessment process |
| The presentation will cover the SQA’s role with e-Assessment in Skills for Work courses. The features of the e-portfolio allow candidates to create and store a more diverse range of evidence which they can also more naturally reflect on and which can also incorporate peer review. |
Download Margaret's PowerPoint presentation (PPS file, 28.3MB)
| Using PebblePad at QMU |
| At the commencement of the ISLE project, PDP was already well-established for undergraduates at QMU; however, no blogging software or online digital folio was available. This workshop introduces some of the challenges lecturers encountered when a new e-Portfolio system, PebblePad, was employed at the university. |
Download Susi's PowerPoint presentation (PPS file, 331kB)
| E-ducation 2.0 |
| Supporting the development of e-Portfolios has moved on significantly since involvement in the ISLE project. By using Web 2.0 technologies in a structured and simple way, we have developed staff and student skills, which will equip them for the future and add real value to the educational experience. |
Download Duncan's & Robert's PowerPoint presentation (PPS file, 3.28MB)
