1. Development Co-ordinator Senior Research Associate
ePortfolio update
Richy Hetherington
Development Co-ordinator
Simon Cotterill
Senior Research Associate
These notes can be found on the web.

2. National Changes
A quick reminded of the reason we do all this
Of all reaserchers One in four is lightly to stay in academic research following their research degree one in twenty five might end up with a career permanent career in academic research and less one in 200 might expect to become a professor.
As you area in a faculty with an excellent research record in a research intensive university, with relatively well funded discipline we hope that your prospects of an academic career are better than these national averages. Still this many of you will use the broader range of skills you gain in your future employment rather than the subject specific skills.
It is also important you are aware an academic career is not the only successful career outcome for a doctoral graduate, many academic may think this is true but if average salaries are used as a measure
Stats from HESA & Vitae
Number of doctoral graduates has doubled in last 14 years
Full time academic positions have not 2

3. Joint Skills Statement
Research Councils UK list was used as the frame work for the ePortfolio
Research Skills and Techniques
(B) Research Environment
(C) Research Management
(D) Personal Effectiveness
(E) Communication Skills
(F) Networking and Team working
(G) Career Management
Around 10 years ago the Research Council Joint Skills Framework included a list of headings that PhD students could use to assess their professional development and this was the framework on which the ePorfolio you have been using was made.

4. Researcher Development Framework
The Joint Skills Statement has now been replaced by one framework which is intended to be useful for the professional development of researchers at all levels. The RDF maps l to the Joint skills statement, and the 12 level subdomains of the RDF have been used as the basis of your ePortfolio system.
The RDF is a quite broad framework for researchers at all levels so some of the sub-domains w. It is split into 4 main domains and 12 subdomains with 63 descriptors.
Since not all of these descriptors are relevant the 12 subdomains have been used as the structure for the new ePorfolio.

5. Mapping JSS headings to the RDF
RDF Headings
JSS Headings
Knowledge base (A1)
A3, A4, B6, C2, C3, C4,E1
Cognitive abilities (A2)
A1, A2, A5, A6
Creativity (A3)
D1, D2, D7, E3
Personal qualities (B1)
B3, D5, D6, D7
Self-management (B2)
Professional & career development (B3)
D4, F1, G1, G2, G3, G4
Professional conduct (C1)
B2, B4
Research management (C2) C1
Finance, funding & resources (C3) B5
Working with others (D1)
E5, F2, F3
Communication & dissemination (D2) E2
Engagement & impact (D3)
B1, B7, E4
The RDF headings have been mapped to the and all of the things you have previously added to your ePortfolio will now appear mapped across to those RDF headings.

6. Booking sessions and Evaluation
Booking on to development programme sessions and attending them will populate the ePortfolio’s courses and conferences section. However it is up to you to consider how the sessions attended have helped your development. It is also something we want to determine. We were satisfied the basic requirements of the courses were OK from a few years of asking, the usual questions about quality of delivery etc. so we moved the evaluation to assess how the sessions were meeting the skills development needs by mapping the evaluation to the Joint Skills Headings, we hope that this also helps you to reflect on how the sessions are helping you with your development.
The data has been very useful and has indicated some surprises good and bad. We have also used this in conjunction with some cohort studies to show that attending sessions does have a positive impacts. Students who go to sessions about completing their first year assessment are more likely to complete their assessment successfully and in a timely fashion. Those attending academic writing and document management, and reference management are less likely to need to complete corrections on the thesis.

7. The new system will be more flexible blog based where you can link in skills according to the RDF. I’ll let simon take you through the system.

8. Before I pass over to Simon one part of the system that remains largely unchanged is the section for recording meetings with your supervisor. All evidence suggests students who are making and recording their meetings are less likely to run into difficulties so we would strongly suggest you use this section. Notes don’t need to be long and can be uploaded.

9. ePortfolio (Research Training Portfolio - Online)
Simon’s part

10. What’s Changed? Blog (integrated with RDF / My Skills)
Self-Assessment (RDF)
Recording Meetings
Other changes:
Sharing
Communities

11. Why the Change? Your Data University ePortfolio modernised
To support tutoring/supervision & employability
Combines both taught and research
Data and files migrated into the new portfolio
Reflections/Evidence are now private blog entres
Your Data

12. About the Portfolio Portfolio: Includes support for research skills
Continue to use if you do a PhD.
Recording meetings with tutors/supervisors
Record and Reflect on Achievements
Awareness of transferable and specialist skills
Promoting your role in actively developing your research skills
-- be more effective during your Masters / PhD
-- broader research & transferable skills for your career
Express your skills and relate them to potential employers
Portfolios

13. Importance of skills and competencies in gaining employment
Source:

14. Generic/transferable skills used in employment

15. “We spend more time planning our holidays than we do planning our lives !”
Incidentally – PhD students also use portfolio evidence for Annual Progression

16. Postgraduate Training Programme -Workshop Booking System (FMS)
Via:
Feeds attendance records into ePortfolio

17. Portfolios: why do it online ?
Secure access from a range of locations
Sharable / facilitate interaction
Transportable (take the data with you when you leave)
Multi-purpose eg. formative & summative = reduced duplication
Highly customisable
Multiple structures / views
Easier cross-referencing
Reduced admin
Not left on the bus !
My Portfolio
Easier cross-referencing
eg. linking a record for course with one ore more learning outcomes
this has a pedagogic impact as it encourages a more ‘longitudinal outlook’
rather than just simply completing a linier sequence of forms.
Shareable
potential for formative input and peer-learning
Transportable
can be output in a variety of formats
Reduced admin
monitor form completion and automate reminders

18. Demonstration

19. Blog integrated with “My Skills”

20. Record your meetings with your supervisor(s)

21. Workshop Task #1
If you didn’t already do so register for this workshop on the training programme pages:
Log on to the portfolio:
Spend some time exploring each section. Add a few records to your CV.
Questions / Issues ?

22. Personal Development Planning Cycle
During your research, it is important to ..
Identify gaps in skills and knowledge
Identify opportunities to develop experience
Set goals and targets and get involved
Record what you did, how you did it, skills and knowledge used and the final result
Review progress regularly and use progress meetings to cover professional development
Remind this is not a one-off activity
Draw link between PDP process and Careers Management
Cycle of development ……not a one-off activity.
Remind that there will be overlap between the skills for example:
G1 – F1, G4 – E1, G1 – E4

23. Self Assessment/PDP Level description Unaware
At this stage you think that a skill/ technique might be of use to you but you don't know anything about it.
Aware
At this point you are learning about the skill/ technique, perhaps by going on a training course, reading a book on it or informally from your supervisor or research colleagues.
Informed
Now you are ready to look for suitable opportunities, where appropriate, to put this into practice, but it will take conscious effort to use the new skill/ technique.
Capable
You are now using the new skill/ technique routinely, and are consciously aiming to improve by other methods.
Recognised
The people around you recognise the change in skill level and you are now so practised that the skill has moved from your conscious level to the subconscious.

24. Evidence can be drawn from…
Research & Development Programme
Work experience
Interests
Conferences – posters, presentations
Committees and societies
Academic awards & funding success
Professional courses (Vitae, sponsors)
Publications – research articles
Formal and informal opportunities exist and are equally valid
Highlight suggestions in RTP Appendix E –
Research Training Programme, Grad school
Supervisor support and mentoring
Self taught
Departmental/School support
Workshops
Conferences
Elective training courses – university based, Professional bodies
Industry sponsors etc.

25. Workshop Task #2
- Self Assessment/PDP
Have a look at section F - Networking and Team-working
Working with others
Understanding teams
Giving and receiving feedback
Assess your current skill level and record what you might do to develop further.
If you have scored ‘recognised’ for each skill, you should list evidence of what you do/have done to achieve this level of competence.
Purpose of this exercise is to make the recording of skills development meaningful and useful to you. The process used is the same whatever the skill you are assessing.
Working individually (at the start) then in pairs/small groups, you have 20 minutes to look at section F, assess your current level and discuss and record what you might do to develop your skills. (Skills audit and PDP)
If you have ‘scored’ recognised for each skill, you should list evidence of what you do/have done to achieve this level of competence.
Raise hand if already attempted self assessment audit?
Work with others in the same position?
Share ideas with others in your group.
Group depending upon audience – size, composition
Discussion - Refer to guidance sheet for suggestions.
How did you find it?
What did you find difficult?
What did you find easy? Shared advice
How do you benchmark your progress?
Key points:
-self assessment needs to be honest and accurate, may need feedback,
-identify opportunities – take responsibility, seek and create opportunities,
-set goals to make things happen
-record and review progress

26. The Good News
The good news is across the sector it seems to be working