Programmatic approaches to e-portfolio integration: Experiences from across the university Benjamin Kehrwald Stuart Dinmore George Bradford Learning and Teaching Unit, University of South Australia

I am a: University administrator Team leader for instructional designers (or similar) Instructional designer (or similar) Teaching academic Interested other (?)

My department/college/unit is Using ePortfolios across the board Trying to implement ePortfolios Thinking about using ePortfolios Telling me to find out all I can about ePortfolios at Sloan-C Not engaged with ePortfolios Exhausted by ideas prefixed by ‘e’

We just spent $10M on our new personalised learning environment....when does the magic start?

Focus on ePortfolios How do we support the use ePortfolios? widely? effectively? consistently? as part of everyday learning and teaching? integrated into existing good practices? in innovative ways?

...the implementation of ePortfolios in the curriculum will only be effective if they are integral to the learning activities or the assessment and if they have a specific and integrated purpose. Hallam, G, Harper, W, McCowan, C, Hauville, K, McAllister, L, & Creagh, T. (2008) ePortfolio use by university students in Australia: Informing excellence in policy and practice, Australian Learning and Teaching Council.

Programmatic Implementation The program Moving beyond in-course activity Holism: understanding relationships between courses, modules, activity Focus on students’ experiences within a program of study Collaborative academic practice Shared understandings Shared practicesShared ownership

The process 1. Identification of eP development candidate programs 2. Program mapping 3. Identification of opportunities for eP use (courses, key stakeholders) and rationales (pedagogical, practical, etc) 4. Course mapping & Identification of eP tasks 5. Materials development 6. Teaching 7. Evaluation

Identification of programs Practical indicators Size of the programFuture viability of the programProgram Directors to lead in the project Staff willing & able to engage with technology Cohesive program structures Pedagogical indicators Students work with rich mediaStudents generate artefacts regularly Reflective practice is a feature of student activity There are professional competencies associated with credentialing Practical components to the program which can be supported with eP use

Program Mapping Explicate structure, content, progression Map against – Assessment – Professional requirements – Program-related extra-curriculars – ‘and other’ Develop rationales Generate eP implementation blueprint

Opportunities to integrate ePs eP Assessment Opportunities for feedback Formative processes/ feedback Professional credentialing Professional profiling/ Career development Creating records of activity or accomplishment Mentoring (out of course)

Course Mapping

Explicit links between intended activity and eP use – Formative work – Collaborative tasks – Assessments – Creating, collecting and organising artefacts – Reflection Identification of eP tasks

Materials development Electronic study materials (OLE) – Task descriptions – Technical or procedural support Templates, pages (eP) Exemplars Teaching notes

Our pilot programs Property Management Occupational Therapy Medical Radiation Visual Arts* Ecology*

Property Sem 1Sem 2Extra Notes Y11 course + Y24 course + Y35 courses + Med Rad Sem 1Sem 2Extra Notes Y12 course s Y24 courses Y38 courses Y48 courses OT Sem 1Sem 2Extra Notes Y13 course Y24 course + Y36 courses+ Y45 courses+ Heavy use- in assessments, directed learning activity Limited use – optional use, independent activity

Examples

Building Faults Report (Property) Formative task: Report on one building fault In eP, provide 400 word report Include Identity, Cause, Fix, Cost Include Images Include reference to source material Feedback Text feedback in eP Formative, informs assignment work Limited scope From teacher Assessment: Create a portfolio of 5 faults Can incorporate formative example Formal report, outside of eP, but can be uploaded for showcase

Electronic Poster (Med Rad) Student create posters Group work Hard copy posters, digitized Posters uploaded to eP for feedback Poster pages, one per group Can be linked to individual portfolios Peer assessment of posters In eP, via star rating and text Face-to-face poster defence Questions, discussion and teacher feedback f2f

Reflective Video Portfolio (OT) Perform clinical practice on video Upload video to eP page, make available to others Reflect on performance (text) Add reflection to the page with video Feedback on performance Teaching staff to view video, read reflection, provide feedback All or some of the page can be kept in personal portfolio Students decide what to include in their portfolio and what to display

Lessons Learned Be upfront about the costs Time Money Meetings Support

Lessons Learned Balance realistic estimates against the fear factor...don’t scare people away

Lessons Learned Pick your punches eP’s don’t fit everywhere – Choose programs carefully – Be explicit about goals and keep the focus Many academics aren’t familiar with ePs – Work the process as an educative opportunity

Lessons Learned Get managers and leaders onside – Heads of school/department – Program directors – Teaching champions – Technology champions – Student representatives Share leadership

Questions Thank you