ePortfolios at University of Wollongong

1. ePortfolios at University of Wollongong An Australian Campus-wide Implementation

2. Presenter • Ms Sarah Lambert • Project Manager • Student ePortfolio Project • University of Wollongong, Australia • Slambert@uow.edu.au

3. UoW and ePortfolios • strategically exploring electronic portfolios since 2002 • Home-grown database product in 2002/03 • Recommendations to further explore build/buy options in 2004

4. 2002/03 product

5. Many drivers • Commitment to Graduate Attributes • Employment trends • Rise in Professional Skills, course accreditation • Interest in ePortfolios to facilitate reflection on learning and the university experience • AUQA

6. AUQA • Australian University Quality Audit recommended pursuing ePortfolio to allow UoW to • “embed the Graduate Attributes into the curriculum and into teaching and assessment practices” as well as draw on the individual’s whole of life experiences outside the curriculum.”

7. UoW approach • Academic integration for quality uptake • Focus on embedding in programs • Focus on urgent discipline needs with external accreditation pressures • Discipline specific Professional Skills • Look into offering an optional ‘open to any student’ ePortfolio later

8. ePortfolio tool • Reviewed a range of products • Signed with Blackboard for Portfolio for Vista for 18 months • Tight integration with our LMS/VLE ie Vista • Enterprise wide solution, ITS support • Meets key criteria • Can assign Qualities/Skills to files in ePortfolio • External and internal access for review • Management tools for customisation for Faculties/cohorts

9. Customisation • ePortfolio template can have • Customised graphics for the discipline • Inventory of professional skills pre-loaded via “goals” tool • Website structure of folders/areas pre-loaded • includes a “how to use this ePortfolio” help module for students

12. Customised Goals

13. Reality Check: Problems • Tool failed or performed poorly on some evaluation criteria • Users aware of alternatives with better interfaces and editing capabilities • Eg PebblePad, open-source • Will Blackboard be responsive to our needs? • Will management be happy to renew our licence?

14. Feature Request Wishlist: Countdown • Number 3 • Problem: Weak constructivist learning tools • There is no ability to assign goals to journal entries (reflective learning) nor any ability to structure the text entries via web-form • Solution: Add ability to assign goals to journal entries • Solution: Re-purpose Vista grading matrix (editable rows and column headings) as data entry option for journal tool

15. Feature Request Wishlist: Countdown • Number 2 • Problem: Too easy to NOT assign goals • Weak upload facility does not enforce tagging with searchable metadata eg skills inventory from goals tool. This is another step, which may be forgotten/neglected. Extra/ongoing training required to get students to do it right. • Solution: Add a setting/option for uploading files to make it mandatory to tag each item uploaded with at least one goal/skill at the time of upload.

16. Feature Request Wishlist: Countdown • Number 1 • Problem: Loss of ePortfolio when students graduate • Export option prior to graduation not attractive (significant GUI and functionality downgrade). Everybody wants access to ePortfolio after graduation. • Solution: Cheap post-graduation hosting. Free ‘access key’ login for 12 months. Then annual hosting fee c AU$20 for unemployed, AU$50 for employed.

17. Where to next • Mainstream ePortfolio service via regular eTeaching Support services at UoW • Increase uptake into academic programs and Careers Service programs • Australian survey of usage for national scoping study (Carrick funded: QUT, UoW, Uni of Melbourne, UNE)