digital identities in eportfolios: the first-year experience in a higher educational institution sue...
TRANSCRIPT
Digital identities in ePortfolios: the first-year
experience in a higher educational institution
Sue Murray and Susi PeacockCentre for Academic Practice
Overview• Introduction• Study aims• Research methods • Study design• Examples of subject areas• Examples of use • Sample: phase 1• Findings 1: interview• Findings 2: co-operative task evaluation• Findings 3: questionnaire• Emerging issues• Conclusion
Introduction
Study aims• Explore first-year learners’ experience of, and
attitude to, using ePortfolios in contrasting subject areas
• Seek to develop a deeper understanding of how and why learners use the ePortfolio to create digital identities, focussing on accessibility and usability
• Provide grounded guidelines to support institutional implementation and assist student engagement in developing digital identities
Research methods
• Mixed method approach
• Case studies– Face-to-face interview– Co-operative task evaluation - ‘think aloud’
• Online questionnaire – Via Survey monkey
Study design• Phase 1: December 2007 – Summer 2008
– Pilot phase– Testing & honing of research questions, tools,
process and analysis
• Phase 2: Autumn 2008 – Summer 2009 – Main data collection stage– Seven case studies – Minimum of two participants from each cohort
• Phase 3: Summer 2009 – onwards– Data analysis, writing up, dissemination
Examples of subject areas
• Drama: stage management; costume design
• Diagnostic Radiography
• Interprofessional Health Education
• Media, Communication & Sociology
• MSc Physiotherapy
• MSc in Professional Education
• MSc Nursing Practitioner
Examples of use
• Reflective journal (blog)– Placement experience; processes of group
work; introducing reflective and IT skills
• Forms– Recording evidence
• Webfolio– PDP; reflective practice portfolio; evidence of
skills; presenting case studies
Examples of use
Examples of use
Sample: phase 1 Method Stage 1 Stage 2
Face-to-face interview
UG yr1 (n4)
PG (n1)
UG yr 1 (n2)
Co-operative task evaluation
UG yr 1 (n4) UG yr 1 (n2)
Group interview(n3) UG yr 4
Questionnaire n129 - administered
n16 - responded
Email interview yr 1 (n2); yr 4 (n1)
Findings 1: interview• First impressions
– Mixed: ‘impressive’, ‘useful resource’, ‘nice look’, ‘more hassle than a notebook’, ‘gimmicky’
• Expectations – Memory aid, bit like a diary,
• Benefits– Easy to use, all in one place, saves time– Easy to access “where-ever you are”– Facilitates reflection, sharing, personalisation, future recall – Environmental benefits
• Barriers– Attitudes to change– Learning to develop materials– Perception of interface– Concerns regarding privacy– Access and interoperability issues
Findings 2: co-operative task evaluation
• Initial evaluations showed some learners’ to be unsure how to use aspects of the tool
• Later evaluations showed confident use of the tool
• Indicates learnability
Findings 3: questionnaire• Respondents
– 15 female; mean age 35.4; five UG, 11 PG;• Attitude to new technologies
– 56.3% “love / like” new technologies & early users;• Reasons for use
– For assessment (50%), as part of course (37.5%)– Professional requirements (50%)– Easy, accessible place to record PDP / CPD materials
• Actual use– Time using (mean - 6.4 months); 44.4% used weekly; 92.8%
used webfolio, 43.8% used blog; • Usability
– Over half (75.1%) found it easy to use; one commented it was time consuming to use.
Emerging issues
• Role of the ePortfolio– Professional identity, personal identity
• Diversity of learners– varied characteristics and abilities – affecting
confidence and ability to use the tool– Varied educational history – increasing likelihood of
having multiple records and prior learning (Ittelson, 2001)
• Need for support– Timely– Hands-on experience
Conclusion
• Moving on to phase 2– Identifying case studies & recruiting participants
• Resources– Examples of case studies at QMU:
http://www.qmu.ac.uk/eportfolio/case.htm
http://www.qmu.ac.uk/eportfolio/videos.htm