Work-based Learning and e-Portfolios: a practitioner’s perspective

1. Work-based Learning and e-Portfolios: a practitioner’s perspective Rowena Yeats | r.yeats1@aston.ac.uk | 0121 204 5226 Anne Wheeler | a.wheeler@aston.ac.uk | 0121 204 5227

2. Why Aston chose e-Portfolios • Committed to delivering a high quality work-based learning (WBL) experience. • Part of the learning and teaching culture is innovative and flexible curriculum development. • Institutions need to provide practitioners with the tools that provide an authentic learning environment to the work-based learner’s professional practice.

3. A range of our WBL use e-Portfolios • BSc Pharmacy • FD in Hearing Aid Audiology • FD in Electrical Power Engineering • Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Practice (PGCPP) • Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

4. Two themes arose Practical • Logistical aspects of being a teacher and running a module Pedagogy • Benefits to the learning experience of the student either explicit or implicit

5. Practitioner motivations Practical • Experienced user • Part of the module already • Suitable for distance learners • A training course was provided Pedagogy • Experimentation • Facilitates personal reflection • Flexible platform • Personalised learning system

6. Unforeseen benefits Practical • Real time formative feedback • Summative feedback can be released all together on completion • No restrictions in the number of users Pedagogy • Use with lecturers has helped the integration into the learning culture as they use it in their modules • Additional work was submitted…

8. Unforeseen disadvantages Practical • Problems submitting to gateway • Format/new platform worried students, they needed reassurance.

9. Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats

10. Strengths Pedagogy • Private space to develop personal reflections • Sharing function • Webfolios facilitate flexible integration of different pieces of work. Practical • External examiner access • Online help tutorials • Ease of use, facilities and layout • Particularly suitable for part time distant learners • Submission of coursework to a designated gateway • Archiving of coursework within gateway

11. Weaknesses Practical • Printing is not always consistent with screen view. • Limited number of generic profiles • Students require additional training and support

12. Opportunities Practical • Complements the institutional VLE Pedagogy • Encourages student and staff engagement with CPD/PDP • Sharing best practice events • Staff can obtain feedback during the course of a module…

13. Module Feedback

14. Threats Practical • Access to workshops and training for staff and students Pedagogy • When used as a ‘bolt-on’ tool • Lack of appropriate assessment methods • Not suitable for all disciplines

15. What we have learnt from Practitioners • Staff have had to think carefully how they use the ePortfolio - needs to be used appropriately (best way to elicit rich use by students - and get them into good habits for future / independent use). • Need to encourage greater uptake and involvement by more staff (hopefully facilitated by workshops across the University). • Pilots have been encouraging and we need to get these examples disseminated within Aston to encourage more staff. • Work-based learners have many other commitments on their time (particularly if in full time employment) - therefore they won't be inclined to use the system unless it is embedded into the module. • Lifelong learning - benefits of ePortfolio use for both staff and students.

16. Will practitioners use e-Portfolios again?