Track E: ePortfolios

TRACK E – ePortfolios for eReflection and eMployability

Ellie Franklin’s enthusiastic presentation of PebblePad for ePortfolios raised awareness of an important method for students to build a web-based store of personal ‘assets’. Focusing on employability, the presentation highlighted PebblePad’s versatility as a tool for building an electronic portfolio that could be used at the point of applying for work and aid students in the application process. Rather than a heavy (loseable) folder, students have their own web pages which can be viewed online or exported to disk or memory pen if desired.

Through ‘gateways’ students can submit work/assets electronically and receive feedback and assessment likewise. PebblePad also features an Action Plan ‘wizard, which takes them step by step through action planning and setting their own targets. This can be adapted by tutors to fit their particular situations.

The tutor encouraged use of Pebblepad for eReflection by linking it specifically to employability and awarding marks (admittedly only one per session) for engagement with the tool. After a year of using the tool for reflection both tutor and students found a number of advantages. The tutor had more insight into her students by reading their eReflections and the students found it ‘helpful’ ‘enjoyable’ and ‘useful’ although one or two felt it was an ‘invasion of privacy’. Overall – Pebblepad was seen as a really useful tool for articulation and an easy and efficient way to e-submit, e-assess and give e-feedback.

Celia Cozens
Centre for Learning and Teaching Enhancement