{"id":2143,"date":"2013-02-27T14:23:57","date_gmt":"2013-02-27T14:23:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edgehill.ac.uk\/learningedge\/?p=2143"},"modified":"2013-05-16T09:48:16","modified_gmt":"2013-05-16T09:48:16","slug":"shifting-portfolios-online","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edgehill.ac.uk\/learningedge\/2013\/02\/27\/shifting-portfolios-online\/","title":{"rendered":"Shifting portfolios online"},"content":{"rendered":"

How a \u2018spark\u2019 during a staff development session led to a fully \u2018on-line\u2019 portfolio for all PCET trainees.<\/strong><\/h1>\n

<\/strong>Lindsey Marsh (Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Education) attended an early Campus Pack training session. \u00a0During that session she realised that the wiki technology \u00a0offered the potential to significantly improve trainees\u2019 portfolios.\u00a0 This post is based on an interview with Lindsey on 8th<\/sup> Feb 2013 telling her story about how she implemented the electronic portfolio for the Post Compulsory Education and Training (PCET) course.<\/b><\/h1>\n

\"temp3\"<\/a><\/b>Q: Can you tell me the history behind the PCET electronic portfolio?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/i>\u201cI attended a staff development session that introduced Campus Pack (one of yours!).\u00a0 We were looking at how the administration team might be able to use the system to share course documentation with external staff, mentors, course representatives etc. and I had a \u2018light bulb\u2019 moment \u2013 realising that this system (Campus Pack) could be used for the trainees\u2019 portfolios.\u00a0 This led to a complete redesign of the two modules, and moving the initial audit from the first module (PTTLs) and integrating it into their professional practice modules.<\/p>\n

Q: What did you envisage?<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/i>\u201cI envisaged a completely electronic portfolio that integrates all the personal and professional development of the trainee from pre-course (pre course workshops and skills audit) for both teaching portfolios – \u2018digitally\u2019 \u2013 all in one place \u2013 saving room and allowing both trainees and staff to find things quickly.\u00a0 Trainees now have links to video, audio, images, job applications, interview records and coursework in their electronic portfolios.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlso note that the PCET tutors and mentors need to assess these portfolios regularly, so having these available on-line is a real benefit to everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Q: What was the \u2018driver\u2019 \u2013 what were you trying to fix \/ achieve?<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/i>\u201cTrainees were producing two lever arch files of evidence for each of the modules.\u00a0 This of course meant that they had to lug them around along with their teaching resources.\u00a0 In terms of checking and marking, the tutors (including me) would have car boots full of lever arch files that took hours to go through, and mark, and sign, and comment on etc..\u00a0 Having the portfolios available electronically means that the tutors didn\u2019t need to carry anything around.\u00a0 I also realised that other people would be able to access the portfolios – asynchronously – which means that we\u2019d be able to track engagement, how often the trainees are updating their action and development plans etc.\u00a0 We could also track how they are engaging with the other developmental work.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the pivotal thing for me was the ability to \u2018nip in and nip out\u2019 \u2013 thus I now review trainees portfolios much more frequently than I used to with the paper based system \u2013 and this has also encouraged trainees to keep their portfolios more up to date \u2013 to be more of a \u2018working document\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cPersonal tutors and Setting Subject Mentors (SSMs) can \u2018nip in and nip out\u2019 and mark with authenticated comments such as \u2018yes, this is valid evidence, we did have those developmental meetings, this is the number of hours<\/i> etc.\u00a0 Also, because the wiki tool in Campus Pack tracks who\u2019s done what and when we can now say with even greater certainty that a verification comment from a PT\/SSM really is from the PT\/SSM.”<\/p>\n

Q: What do the rest of the PCET team think about the new system?<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/i>\u201cMost of the team really like it \u2013 they like that they can check their trainees progress and engagement at a time that is convenient to them rather than bringing a trainee on to campus on a day that they wouldn\u2019t normally attend.\u00a0 A very small number of Personal Tutors have not been as confident as the technology required, and in those cases we have been very supportive, as we have been with SSMs in a similar position, and those tutors have come on board.\u00a0 The number of PTs that are struggling with the technology is reducing very quickly.<\/p>\n

\u201cNote that we\u2019ve decided as a team that any trainee that started from Sep \u201912 MUST have an electronic portfolio \u2013 but they can always maintain a paper based portfolio for their own purposes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Q: What problems have you experienced implementing the new system?<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/i>\u201cTrainees not following instructions accurately:\u00a0 Very early on we noticed that some trainees managed to enter information into the master template \u2013 thus we had to change some permissions.\u00a0 Also some other trainees didn\u2019t give all the \u2018Permissions\u2019 (ability to edit a wiki) as they were instructed \u2013 again, something very quickly fixed.\u00a0 In fact, I\u2019ve got lots of support documentation with detailed explanations that I send out to trainees as these issues arise.”<\/p>\n

Q: How significant were these issues to the trainee experience?<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/i>\u201cI usually manage to respond to trainees very quickly \u2013 often resolving any problems within 12 hours of them being reported.\u201d<\/p>\n

Q: What do the trainees think about the new system:<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cGenerally trainees like:<\/p>\n