Rose Papworth Charlie Papworth Hull College Higher Education Learning Portfolio for Placements HELPP

Hull College JISC Project - HELPP JISC e-learning capital programme –HE in FE strand Elgg –(We also use Moodle at Hull) Today we will –Give you a brief overview of background/rationale –Use so far, after a year, and what we’ve found Work-based learning –What we’re doing now Work-based learning / personal development planning (PDP) e- portfolio –Some issues with Elgg!

HEA ICS HE in FE Mini-Project 2006 / 2007 Foundation Degree Software Design and Development (full-time) One-day-a-week work placements Regular, but infrequent tutor visits

HEA ICS HE in FE Mini-Project Issues: Limited support/feedback for students and mentors Hard to keep track of project progress Personal Development Planning –Standard documents = chore –Blogs can = diaries rather than reflection Non-traditional students

HEA ICS HE in FE Mini-Project Project rationale - use an online environment to: Facilitate tripartite conversation between learner, employer and tutor Increase support for all parties via online provision Provide an online placement contract to keep track of progress Develop personal reflection via blogs and mentor/tutor comments (PDP) –social constructivist perspective Use an e-portfolio to facilitate widening participation via personalisation

HEA ICS HE in FE Mini-Project Elgg environment – free-to-use, open source: Individual and community blogs with comments Flexible e-portfolio space Access controls – important for sensitive developments Open source to develop an online work placement contract Good feedback on Elgg usability

HEA ICS HE in FE Mini-Project Elgg environment – online placement contract: Check boxes to sign off progress by each party

HEA ICS HE in FE Mini-Project Elgg environment in use: 11 second year students as focus group Work placement project At least 12 blog entries during placement (weekly) –Entries not graded Employers and tutors read posts and commented - students responded via comments E-portfolio space used to share documents as required rather than assessment

HEA ICS HE in FE Mini-Project Encouraging reflection via comments: Probing questions to facilitate reflection

HEA ICS HE in FE Mini-Project Conclusion - evaluation of use: Most students posted regularly –Harder to get employers to comment Students enjoyed using blogs as more immediate and aided reflection – better than standard PDP documents E-portfolio helped share documents Outcomes and progress more easily monitored Enabled better communication and support

HEA ICS HE in FE Mini-Project For the future!: Students indicated that employers needed reminding to comment and that the quality of employer comments varied –Better mentor training on the use of comments to aid reflection Led to the JISC-funded project –Using Elgg in a similar manner with other subjects at Hull College

JISC Project - HELPP How we’re using Elgg this semester: Work-based learning for first year FD’s Part-time FD Business Information Technology - distance unit Full-time FD Software Design and Development – face-to-face –Use of community to seek help / store ‘tasks’ –Small tasks build into assessment –Blogs enable sharing of knowledge via compulsory comments –Use of blogs and e-portfolio for assessment

JISC Project - HELPP How we’re using Elgg this semester: Personal and Professional Development Third year BSc Computing –Reflection assessed via blog entries –Enhanced via comments –Use of Elgg presentations to evidence individual contributions First year FD Business and Management –Four blog entries for reflection enhanced via comments –Induction/training materials developed

JISC Project - HELPP How we’re using Elgg this semester: Blogs and e-portfolio work must be chosen for assessment –Some private entries may not want to be used Interoperability issues –Download system developed –Files chosen, zip file created –When unzipped, an HTML-based interface to view files is created –Still being tested!

JISC Project - HELPP How we’re using Elgg next semester: HE Research Group –Document active research via blogs –Create a community for information and support Teacher Education –EE mentioned a need for innovative use of technology –Wants to use blogs for reflection Health and Social Care –Has a module on reflective practice –Wants to use blogs and comments Art and Design –Would like to be able to choose ‘themes’ for the download –Would like to be able to showcase student work

JISC Project - HELPP Elgg issues: Google –College log in pulls full name into Elgg profile –Can be searched on in Google –The link takes you to the profile page where name and photo can be seen –An issue for identification purposes Stopped Google indexing Elgg pages System only pulls first name into profile Prevented non-logged-in users from seeing photo

JISC Project - HELPP Elgg issues: After this, more issues! Cannot search for a friend who has a name of three or less characters Need to change name!

JISC Project - HELPP Elgg use: –Communities important for tutors to ‘organise’ classes –Communities also help students limit access –Access controls on profile and assessed work important to explain –Students who already use social software (e.g. MySpace, Facebook) pick up Elgg easily –However, some get very confused between community and personal file storage

Hull College JISC Project – HELPP Further information: HEA page: MP.htm JISC page: e_elearning_capital/el_heinfe/helpp.aspx JISC Project web site: Thanks for having us!