ePortfolios 2005 Implementing ePortfolios: adapting technology to suit pedagogy and not vice versa ! Simon Cotterill Paul Horner Geoff Hammond School of Medical Education Development University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Acknowledgements: Dr Jim Aiton Dr Philip Bradley Mr Paul Drummond Mrs Lesley Heseltine Dr Bruce Ingraham Dr Trevor Jowet Dr Tony McDonald Dr Graham Orr Dr Kathlean Scougall

ePortfolios Introduction – the need for flexible ePortfolios 2. The ePET portfolio 3. Case Summaries 4. Discussion Overview

ePortfolios 2005 Introduction – the need for flexible ePortfolios  ePortfolios may be used for a diverse range of purposes (formative, summative, presentational etc.).  Requirements vary greatly between different contexts (e.g. subject areas within a single institution)  Pedagogic and Policy requirements change over time. It is therefore important that software is flexible and can be configured to support these diverse requirements.

ePortfolios 2005 Introduction – aims of this presentation  Describe the experience of implementing and embedding a component-based portfolio (ePET) in a range of contexts  Show 7 case summaries  3 from undergraduate HE  2 from postgraduate HE  2 from CPD

ePortfolios Introduction – the need for flexible ePortfolios 2. The ePET portfolio 3. Case Summaries 4. Discussion Overview

ePortfolios 2005Background: Personal Development Planning (PDP) SST (Student Support & Tutoring) ePortfolios FDTL-4 project Supports the tutor model PDP in curriculum context Evidencing outcomes 1 st Newcastle-Nottingham PARs project, nd Newcastle-Nottingham PARs project, Internet-PARs 2 DfES funded projects PDP focus Based on the personal tutor model

ePortfolios 2005 Managed Environments for Portfolio-based Reflective Learning. Integrated Support for Evidencing Outcomes. An FDTL-4 project: Newcastle University (lead site) Leeds University Sheffield University Dundee University (for consultancy) Developing Web based portfolios to support reflective approaches for evidencing the attainment of programme outcomes in undergraduate Medicine. Closely integrated with on-line curricula and study guides to become an integral component of managed learning environments for Medicine. Project funded by

ePortfolios 2005 A flexible component-based ePortfolio (‘software to match your pedagogy’) Select components for your course (eg. CV, learning diary, SWOT, meetings etc) Design new components for your course - create proformas via simple Web forms. -or using Open Source software Customise look-and feel, terminology and text Specify Skill-sets / Learning Outcomes Build on core features, including: Content sharing – add formative comments Integrated action planning Uploading files Access policies to support assessment (if required)

ePortfolios 2005 Selecting tools by course / year groups install from a set of ‘generic’ tools create context-specific tools via simple Web forms Course Admin view Student view

ePortfolios 2005 Configuring learning outcomes / skills sets Course Admin view Student view

ePortfolios Introduction – the need for flexible ePortfolios 2. The ePET portfolio 3. Case Summaries 4. Discussion Overview

ePortfolios 2005 Case 1: Undergraduate Medicine (Newcastle)

ePortfolios 2005 PDP in context: Year 4 SSC Portfolio

ePortfolios 2005 Building the ePortfolio was a useful learning experience 80% thought it was a useful learning experience 83% felt they had recorded good evidence 93% reflected on their learning after the option Having clearly defined intended learning outcomes influenced the way in which I approached the option 72% felt that the LOs influenced their approach n = 157

ePortfolios 2005 Evaluation - positive (SSC portfolio) Planning and approach to learning: “ It encouraged me to really give thought to what I wanted to achieve during the option, which was especially useful as this was my first option. As a result of the portfolio I think I got much more out of the option than I would have otherwise. ” “ It made me concentrate on creating aims at the start of the option and allowed me to plan the option with my supervisor in a defined way. Overall it made my learning for the option more organised and focused. ”

ePortfolios 2005 Case 2: Undergraduate Bioscience (Newcastle)

ePortfolios 2005 Case 3: Undergraduate Medicine (St Andrew ’ s University)

ePortfolios 2005 Case 4: Vocational Dental training (Northern Deanery)

ePortfolios 2005 Case 5: Postgraduate Researchers (Newcastle University)

ePortfolios 2005 Case 6: Contract Research Staff (Newcastle University) :

ePortfolios 2005 Case 7: MSc Environmental Health (Teesside University) :

ePortfolios Introduction – the need for flexible ePortfolios 2. The ePET portfolio 3. Case Summaries 4. Discussion Overview

ePortfolios 2005 Software to match pedagogy (and not vice-versa !) Use or develop flexible solutions aiming to meet: Institutional requirements Subject-specific requirements Learner ’ s needs (control access, unstructured areas, attach files, links etc). Foster local expertise (pedagogic & technical) requires resourcing ! component-based systems such as the ePET ePortfolio: create structured tools using simple Web forms develop tools using Open Source products. Share and contribute back to the ePortfolio community.

ePortfolios 2005 Integration with the curriculum Build on existing good practice and tie into the existing curricula: eg. most curricula already include elements of reflective learning / planning eg. many curricula have already addressed the employability agenda More meaningful than PDP as a separate / peripheral topic ? Support programme level learning outcomes eg. Common set of Key skills across a modular programme eg. Terminal learning outcomes in Medicine, Law etc.

ePortfolios 2005 Structured vs. Unstructured Portfolios Level of structured relates to purpose / pedagogical requirements (at the course/programme level) Benefits of structures approach: 1)providing a more direct relationship to the course / context, 2)the structure compliments – and indeed provides part of the pedagogy, 3)easier monitoring and anonymised QA statistics. But don ’ t forget Learner-centric features: Learners should also have some control over structure (in ePET users can create folders, add files, Web pages, structure action plans etc.) and also control over access to their portfolio content.

ePortfolios 2005 Getting the right balance Assessed Necessary for motivation / engagement ? “Either increase its importance or bin it - sitting on the fence is utterly pointless” First year Medical student talking about a newly introduced non- assessed paper log-book & portfolio (2004) Non-assessed Necessary for open-honest reflection

ePortfolios 2005 ePortfolio Extensions Toolkit (ePET) I nvolvement in 3 Regional ePortfolio pilots (FE & HE): EPICS (North East) ‘Shibboleth’ single sign-on project JISC Projects Centre for Excellence in Healthcare Professional Education (CETL4HealthNE) Centre for Excellence in Healthcare Professional Education (CETL4HealthNE) ePortfolio support for a number of strands in a HEFCE funded CETL in Health (North East) Related projects FDTL Transferability St George’s) Dental ePortfolios Postgraduate & CRS (University-wide, Newcastle) Speech Therapy (Newcastle)

ePortfolios 2005 Further information: Further information: Cotterill SJ., McDonald AM., Drummond P., Hammond GR. Design, implementation and evaluation of a ‘ generic ’ e-portfolio: the Newcastle experience (ePortfolios 2004, La Rochelle) Paper available at: Centre for Excellence in Healthcare Professional Education (CETL4HealthNE) Director: Prof. Geoff Hammond

ePortfolios 2005InstitutionalData Portfolio for Presentation Portfolio for Application (job / promotion) Portfolio for Assessment Portfolio for Accreditation/ Revalidation PPD (shared) PPD / Reflective (private) Portfolio for Appraisal Learner’s‘repository’ Central data: Transcript MIS/ HR data Programme data: Granular assessment data Outcomes / skills sets Portfolios are defined by their purpose (may be multiple)

ePortfolios 2005 Context-specific tools ‘Generic’ tools ePortfolio framework Common contents structure attach / upload artifacts sharing cross-referencing integrated action planning Customisation select tools by course/year outcomes / skills sets nomenclature graphics / layout simple tool editor CV Outcomes / skills log PDP Reflective learning diary Meetings log SWOT Integrated into the common contents structure Flexible component-based architecture Developed with Open Source products: Zope, MySQL