ISLE PDP/ePortfolios Practice

The ISLE PDP/ePortfolio practice template – Phase 2

This template is designed to encourage you to reflect on how you implemented PDP activities supported by the ePortfolio system and then to share the outcomes with other practitioners across the UK tertiary sector. Some depth of analysis is required in order for others to engage with the experiences described; it is advised that practice descriptions submitted for use by the ISLE project are approximately 750 words in length.

Tutor name / Isobel MacIntosh
Student group
Course title and SCQF level. Include the module/unit if appropriate. / HNC/HND Computing
SCQF 7/8
Institution name / Dumfries and Galloway College
Background
Give brief details of the learners’ age profile, mode of attendance and learning environment in which the implementation took place, e.g. what ePortfolio was used, did the students attend scheduled sessions, what resources were used, how was the activity assessed? / Full time students Age range : 19 – 47.
ISLE work was done during a weekly 1-hour tutorial session in a computing lab. Wordpress system was used.
Web links were used for CV writing and personal assessment for PDP.
This was not assessed.
Intended outcome(s)
Describe the objective(s) behind the implementation of PDP, e.g. Improving the learning experience, preparing for transition between levels or to another institution, integrating PDP into the curriculum, use of diagnostic testing, changes in student support models / Introducing the students to the idea of PDP
Integrating PDP into the curriculum.
Preparation for transition from HNC to work or further study.
To gain experience of building an e-portfolio
The challenge(s)
Describe any issues that presented barriers to implementation and what steps you took to over come or circumvent them? / Using the tutorial hour was not ideal as there are other demands on that time and PDP came a poor second. I found it difficult to get students to engage in PDP : The younger students found it a difficult concept to plan ahead and the older students didn’t see the need.
I found it difficult to point them in the right direction due to my lack of experience of PDP.
Established practice
What practices would you now consider to be established in your own practice following the PDP implementation, i.e. what are you doing now that you will definitely want to do again or would be useful for others to replicate / PDP was new to me so had no idea which of the resources, web sites etc would be of most use. The ones used were:
www.careers-scotland for CV builder
www.bbc.co.uk/science for “what am I like?” personality test
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/ for Employability skills aptitude tests
If I was doing this again, I would focus on PDP activities more strongly early on as the students needed to be guided through it.
The ePortfolio advantage
Describe the benefits in the use of an ePortfolio or similar tool in the support of PDP experienced by learners, yourself and other staff members. / Using modern technology and students are familiar with MySpace etc.
The e-portfolio acts as a central depository for students work and they can easily add and update files.
The ability for the tutor to electronically monitor and provide feedback is useful.
Key points for effective practice
Summarise briefly the most important points described above in the case study for other practitioners – these may include risks as well as benefits / Students need to see PDP and e-portfolios as an integral part of their course and for it’s use to be reinforced by the whole course team.
Conclusions and recommendations
A summary of how and why the practice outlined here has been effective / My approach has not been effective due to various factors already mentioned:
My lack of experience
The lack of a dedicated time slot
Students seeing PDP as an add-on to their course
A lack of enthusiasm among the students
I think if some of these matters were addressed the students would see the e-portfolio as a means to create and maintain an up-to-date record of their achievements, ideas and plans and would see it developing as the college year progressed. The fact that it is theirs to keep would be an added incentive rather than thinking of it as a College based paper exercise.
Additional information
Use this optional section to add related materials or content e.g. example PDP activities or ePortfolio structure diagram, examples of support materials provided to staff or students

Further information: Web:http://isle.paisley.ac.uk Based on the JISC case study template