ePortfolios in the online environment

An Australian University Implementation

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Presenter

• Ms Sarah Lambert

• Project Manager

• Student ePortfolio Project

• University of Wollongong

• Australia

• Slambert@uow.edu.au

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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

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2002/02 product

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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

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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.”

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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

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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 user criteria

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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

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Customised Goals

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Outcome?

• Highlight and promote better understanding of Graduate Attributes and Professional Skills throughout UoW

– For staff

– For students

• Technology can be a lever for change

– Open up a range of discussions otherwise difficult to have

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ePortfolio cases

• Florida State uni, Careers ePortfolios• UK experience - PDP, paper and ‘e’• Curtin Uni B. Ed• UoW GSM• Washington Uni General Studies199• Swinburne mandatory Careers in Curriculum• UoW Black Opal Leadership• QUT - both optional and assessed ‘take-up’

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Take-up models

• Academic integration, prompted, self-managed (Lambert and Corrin, 2006)

• Shopping trolley, toast rack, spinal column (Endacott et all, 2004)

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Latest research: new model

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New research: context mapping framework• map cases against new take-up model

– Add 2nd axis framework eg Barrett paradigms