Implementing ePortfolios: adapting technology to suit pedagogy and not vice versa !

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

Overview 1. Introduction –the need for flexible ePortfolios 2. The ePET portfolio 3. Case Summaries 4. Discussion

It is therefore important that software is flexible and can be configured to support these diverse requirements. 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.

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

Background: Personal Development Planning (PDP) SST (Student Support & Tutoring) 1st Newcastle-Nottingham PARs project, 1998-2000 • Internet-PARs • 2 DfES funded projects • PDP focus • Based on the • personal tutor model • ePortfolios • FDTL-4 project • Supports the tutor model • PDP in curriculum context • Evidencing outcomes 2nd Newcastle-Nottingham PARs project, 2000-02

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

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

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

Configuring learning outcomes / skills sets Course Admin view Student view

Case 1: Undergraduate Medicine (Newcastle)

PDP in context: Year 4 SSC Portfolio

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

“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.” Evaluation - positive(SSC portfolio) Planning and approach to learning:

Case 2: Undergraduate Bioscience (Newcastle)

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

Case 4: Vocational Dental training (Northern Deanery)

Case 5: Postgraduate Researchers (Newcastle University)

Case 6: Contract Research Staff (Newcastle University) :

Case 7: MSc Environmental Health (Teesside University) :

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.

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.

Structured vs. Unstructured Portfolios • Level of structured relates to purpose / pedagogical requirements (at the course/programme level) • Benefits of structures approach: • providing a more direct relationship to the course / context, • the structure compliments – and indeed provides part of the pedagogy, • 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.

Getting the right balance Assessed Necessary for motivation / engagement ? Non-assessed Necessary for open-honest reflection “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)

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

Further information:http://www.eportfolios.ac.ukS.J.Cotterill@ncl.ac.uk 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: http://www.eportfolios.ac.uk/FDTL4/docs Centre for Excellence in Healthcare Professional Education (CETL4HealthNE) http://www.cetl4healthne.ac.uk Director: Prof. Geoff Hammond G.R.Hammond@ncl.ac.uk

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

Integrated into the common contents structure Context-specific tools • CV • Outcomes / skills log • PDP • Reflective learning diary • Meetings log • SWOT ‘Generic’ tools • 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 Flexible component-based architecture ePortfolio framework Developed with Open Source products: Zope, MySQL

Implementing ePortfolios: adapting technology to suit pedagogy and not vice versa !