Jisc case studies wiki Case studies / ComPort
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ComPort

A Comparative Study of e-Portfolio Implementation in Work-Based Learning

 

Lead Contact: Phil Robinson

JISC Programme: JISC e-Learning Programme

Lead Institution and Partners: Consortium project involving North East England Further Education Colleges - Gateshead College (Lead), City of Sunderland College and South Tyneside College. Tyne Metropolitan College was involved in planning the project proposal but did not proceed to implementation

 

Project Dates: March 2007 - March 2010

 

Case study tags: online learninge-portfolios,gateshead collegee-portfolios for assessmente-portfolios considerations - identity managemente-portfolios considerations - customisatione-portfolios considerations - implementationlearner perspectives on e-portfoliose-portfolios considerations - legale-portfolios for cpd and pdpwidening participation drivers for e-portfoliosinstitutional perspectives on e-portfolios

 

Background & Context

What is the background to the e-portfolio initiative?

As part of its e-Learning Programme the JISC 'HE in FE' strand (2007-2009) funded 9 Further Education-based projects to examine the implementation and evaluation of a range of existing technologies to support and enhance learning, with an emphasis on the evaluation of the learner's experience of the implementation. Within this strand the ComPort project was concerned with exploring different approaches to the use of e-portfolios and online professional development plans (PDPs) to support learners in the workplace.

The project was framed as a 'comparative study' which would 'compare and contrast' different e-portfolio technologies and their implementation. The aim was to produce a report that would help others in the community make informed choices about their own e-portfolio development.

Many HE in FE students are undertaking programmes of study in which attendance at college is part-time, with the majority of their study time (up to 90% in some cases) spent in work-based learning, often far removed from the institution. As part of their assessment work-based learners following HE programmes are required to provide evidence of, and reflect upon, their experience and the skills and learning they have developed in the workplace.

In the majority of programmes within the partner institutions this activity had been recorded on paper, usually in the form of a journal forming part of the PDP.

The HE course managers in the Tyne & Wear consortium colleges considered that these paper-based mechanisms for capturing, validating and integrating the work-based learning elements of the HE provision were insufficiently flexible and reliable to meet the requirements of those involved in the learning process. Some participants found the paper format restrictive, in access and in the nature of material that could be included and whilst in theory the content should be available to view and contribute to by students, mentors, employers and college tutors the interaction was seldom apparent.

It was felt that the systems needed to be more flexible and personalised in order to promote wider access to higher education for non-traditional learners and those with limited academic experience, varying support needs and different learning styles.
Previous research within the sector (About e-Portfolios: an overview of JISC activities by Lisa Gray and Sarah Davies) had shown that e-portfolios had the potential to provide a more effective way for the learner to maintain and reflect on the evidence they collect of their work-based-learning through a variety of media.

The project was considered to be of interest to the wider FE and HE sectors in providing a cost effective means of significantly increasing the FE/HE sectors' understanding of the role of e-portfolios in work-based learning.

What were the aims and objectives of the initiative?

The main aim of the project was to deploy contrasted e-portfolio/PDP systems in HE courses across four collaborating colleges and provide a comparative analysis of their effectiveness and efficiency in order to assist the HE in FE community with implementation choices in the future.

The specific focus was on how these tools can support and enhance learning on programmes with substantial work-based learning elements and how the HE in FE learner can be supported most effectively in achieving their learning goals. Specific aims were identified:

  • Extend employer participation in work-based learning (WBL)
  • Improve the process for learners, supervisors, mentors and lecturers
  • Identify approaches and strategies that work best

Specific objectives of the Project were initially focused on evaluation:

  • Define a framework of project metrics
  • Use the framework of metrics to collect evaluative data during the planning, introduction and implementation of e-portfolio systems
  • Evaluate the project outcomes, reporting upon the successes and issues around e-portfolio implementation, and upon learner, practitioner and mentor experiences of working with e-portfolios

These would subsequently be employed to achieve the following project outcomes:

  • Create short rule-of-thumb definitions of good practice in establishing WBL support
  • Produce case studies of the contrasted approaches
  • Generate a report defining key issues and success factors

How was the initiative implemented?

The four further education colleges initially involved in the proposal have collaborated successfully on a variety of regional e-learning initiatives, so the idea of a consortium approach to the project, providing a wider range of experience and research opportunities, was attractive. HE programmes within each college were well established and, responding to government priorities, becoming increasingly important: in particular programmes aimed at HE students who want or need a more flexible form of study, including work-based learning, have become the fastest growing area within each college's HE provision.

The project was split into strands. Each partner college looked at particular aspects and implementations of e-portfolios/PDPs using different target groups and technologies. In addition to ensuring a suitable range the criteria for their choice of technology included cost, availability, familiarity, interoperability with existing systems (primarily VLEs) and functionality. The range would hopefully allow a valid comparison of technologies, approaches and their suitability for different learners.

The early loss of one partner, Tyne Metropolitan College, due to institutional re-organisation, reduced the range of technologies and learners available for comparison, as their intended e-portfolio application (PebblePad) and target group (Foundation Degree in Counselling) were regarded as key elements of the comparative study.

The project was overseen by a steering group consisting of e-learning managers/directors from each partner college, the HE Co-ordinator from JISC RSC (Northern), the Project Manager and the JISC Programme Manager.

A project website was set up to facilitate communication between partners and other interested parties and to store and share project documentation and material.

The project was divided into 3 time frames

  • March - September 2007 - planning, development and installation within each institution
  • September 2007 - June 2008 - implementation
  • March 2009 - completion of review, reporting and dissemination stage

Technology Used

What technologies and/or e-tools were available to you or did you seek to develop?

Quantitative data from each partner was collected monthly and collated and shared using a 'GoogleDocs' spreadsheet.

Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) were used at Sunderland College to support work with customised HTML pages in the Blackboard VLE. Music students were also encouraged to make extensive use of MySpace.

The ePET e-portfolio system was installed at Gateshead College. The ePET technical team customised the system based on existing 'personal development plan' documentation. Reflective Journals (blogs) were also used.

South Tyneside College used the Blackboard VLE was used. They had intended to use a third party add-on ('Backpack' ) to enable off-line journal keeping by students who spent part of their course at sea, but this could not be used, so off-line work was written up when students had internet connection (e.g. when in port).

Success Factors

What are the key outcomes of the initiative?

The metrics framework was not able to help provide a full comparison of the technologies and approaches being used. In any event, the early loss of the Tyne Metropolitan project strand limited the comparisons that could be made, given that two of the three remaining partners were using the Blackboard VLE as their core technology. The project was able, however, to compare the approaches each partner adopted to introduction and implementation as there were clear differences in the way this was approached and in the outcomes they achieved.

Both in terms of efficiency and positive effect on learning the most successful implementation was at City of Sunderland College. Feedback was very positive with the majority of learners feeling that it had enhanced their learning experience.

The success of the City of Sunderland College project is clearly based on careful planning and implementation, coupled with extensive made-to-measure support. The team felt their choice of e-portfolio system was important and they believe that it is essential to take the time to match the tools with the needs of the learners and the programme.

At Gateshead College, although a delay in putting the technology into place reduced the number of students participating, the online 'Learning Autobiography' clearly enhanced the learning experience for the 45% who used it regularly. With earlier introduction it was felt that the potential, for this target group, would be more fully achieved. This is especially the case with collaborative work - sharing feelings and reflections on workplace experience - which takes time to develop.

What follow-up activity will be/has been carried out as a result of the project?

At both Sunderland and Gateshead the work done for this project is already being further developed. Sustainability is a long term issue but both colleges are hopeful that the pilot projects are the start of longer term development.

The City of Sunderland College team came to the conclusion that no single e-portfolio tool could meet all needs. They are continuing to use the system with the target course and as a result of their experience on this project are extending e-portfolio development to other work-based learning higher education provision, choosing methodologies and approaches that best meet employer needs of a particular age, for example using wikis and blogs to provide reflective and shared learning opportunities for a group of power management trainees whose training is completely work-based.

Influenced by ComPort experiences, Gateshead College has created institutional guidelines for the use of e-portfolios to support learning. Rather than mandating one tool the College encourages a flexible approach with a generic set of tools provided through the VLE or externally for selection and use by course teams. On the Cert Ed/PGCE target course, use of the REfLECT tool is being adopted to tie in with developments in the education sector generally.

Lessons Learned

What are the lessons learned from the project?

Other lessons from the Gateshead College project are that:

  • Systems/tools must be fully prepared and tested prior to implementation
  • Staff must be fully trained in use
  • There must be agreement about the approach to implementation
  • The benefits and purposes of the system must be clearly explained to the learners

Most importantly, the tool should be timed so that it is introduced when the learners need it - allowing time for familiarisation and addressing of any IT skills issues. On this course students begin to work on their PDPs after four or five weeks so the system needed to be introduced within the first month. As it was not available at that time the groups began work on the paper-based version. When the e-portfolio was introduced it was not fully tested, but could not be further delayed. The ongoing problems led to a negative view among some learners who were becoming concerned about the course workload and now saw this as an additional task.

A key issue is that technology must be fit for purpose.

Initially, although some students published entries hoping for feedback from peers this was not forthcoming - there was very little dialogue or sharing of reflection. By the end of the course, however, many had (belatedly) realised that this was where the real potential lay, unfortunately too late for the current year, but helpful for their subsequent experience with the IfL's REfLECT tool.

Many lessons were learned at Gateshead and, perhaps these were lessons that had to be learned the hard way given the participants' lack of previous experience in the application of these technologies. Without this practical knowledge the team was unable, for example, to demonstrate the potential benefits of the online PDP over the paper-based version - a key factor in selling the technology to the target group.

The project recognised that the ability or readiness of learners to engage in critical reflection should not be assumed.

Gateshead College and City of Sunderland College both agreed that it was vital to fit the e-portfolio to the needs of the learners and programme.

The outcome of the approach adopted at South Tyneside College reinforces the view that staff buy-in is vital to success. The early loss of the internal co-ordinator, who had provided the initial strategic direction, was a problem that, given the busy workloads of others involved in the project team, was difficult to overcome. On the curriculum side no-one was available to take a long-term strategic lead on a component of the course which would not be an assessment priority.

Further Resources

ComPort Website - http://comport.gateshead.ac.uk