Enhancing employability of final year health promotion students using iPortfolio Jude Comfort Curtin University Perth, Western Australia [email protected] ePortfolios Australia Conference, October 2011
Jun 19, 2015
Enhancing employability of final year health promotion
students using iPortfolio
Jude ComfortCurtin University
Perth, Western [email protected]
ePortfolios Australia Conference, October 2011
Background Curtin developed electronic portfolio for students and staff Piloted second half of 2009, introduced whole University
community February 2010 Approximately 27,000 iPortfolios developed since launch
(note this does not indicate active portfolios) Used in formal assessment all faculties, notably health
sciences Drive to evidence authentic learning - portfolios one
approach Curtin University has invested heavily in this 2011 awards include: Winner, WA Information Technology and
Telecommunications Award, Innovation Category, and highly commended, Innovations in Communications category, Australian Telecommunications Users Group (ATUG)
Still some growing pains
Professional Practice in Public Health final year work integrated learning unit
Requires completion of a 100 hour placement as well as core lectures on transitioning to the workforce
iPortfolio used for assessment tasks in this unit This encourages students to reflect on their learning
and achievements over their entire course of study Also to report on placement experience Develops student’s sense of how to present a
comprehensive portfolio of evidence, including addressing Curtin University’s graduate attributes, and extracurricular activities
Preparation for professional employment
Health promotion professional practice unit - background
1. Work in a professional role in a relevant workplace applying skills and knowledge appropriate to the discipline area
2. Utilise written and oral communication effectively in the professional environment with technical and non-technical audiences
3. Critically reflect on and evaluate their own performance in the workplace
4. Work effectively with people of diverse indigenous and cultural backgrounds
5. Demonstrate professional behaviour and skills independently, collaboratively and in an ethical manner in a professional environment
Unit learning outcomes
Assessment Tasks Worth %
Due Outcome Assessed
1. Resume assessment 10 Week 4 1, 3
2. Professional portfolio (iPortfolio)
20 Week 8 2, 3, 5
3. Professional placement assessment & feedback from workplace supervisor
20 Week 13 1, 4, 5
4. Placement reports and iPortfolio reflection
50 Week 13 1, 2, 3
TOTAL 100%
Assessment tasks
Are asked to develop an iPortfolio to illustrate key competencies at both a university level and at a course/ professional level.
Encouraged to use a range of mediums, including photographs, written work and videos.
Also introduce themselves and their goals.
Needed to include learning and reflection from their 100 hours professional placement
Following are a few sample entries:
Specifically they . . .
The About Me tab includes biographical information and goals. Provides clarification and insight for both student and
My ratings link to Curtin Graduate Attributes
In the My Ratings tab, a star rating system is used to self assess attainment of Curtin’s Graduate Attributes. Evidence and critical reflections justify the number of stars awarded
The My Ratings tab captures student perceptions on how their course has contributed to attainment of Curtin’s graduate competencies.
My ratings
Different materiality to show attributes (text, scanned docs etc).
My ratings
My course allows another avenue for course reflection and evidence of work. This student did this as a way of recording competencies for each unit undertaken
My course reflective piece using 3 min video
Provides space to collect, reflect, showcase and share work over whole degree
Allows for greater student creativity and innovation – diverse materiality/presentation options
Enables peer feedback
Ensures have an ePortfolio experience
Students encouraged to take a holistic and personal view to tie together learning and development as an emerging health promotion professional
Links to Curtin University graduate attributes
Why use iPortfolio?
Get to ‘know’ students in a very different way than through traditional paper based essay work. Especially through the About Me tab.
Tool for students to record/consolidate evidence to support course reflection and attainment of Curtin University graduate competencies
Allows different mediums for evidence e.g. photographs, written work, videos, documents
Reflection to better prepare students for presentation and interviews with prospective employers
Based on evidence of learning as decided by student.
Advantages
My Ratings tab enables teaching team to consider opportunities for course refinement
Storage of artefacts in one easily accessible place Encourages reflection on whole university course
of study rather than individual units Potential to interrogate the concept of student
reflection Helps close the loop between reflection and
employability Provides opportunity to develop and evidence IT
skills
Continued
Resistance from some students (lot of work with unclear outcomes)
Different levels of IT literacy skills within class Need to get staff on board – they may also feel
intimidated by technology How to sell the idea of usefulness of iPortfolio
especially post studies Integrating the iPortfolio across multiple
years/units Better IT support required so that load is not
taken on by teaching staff
Challenges
Student feedback in 2010 included following:“No need for IPortfolio assignment it is just information
about who are you? Not related directly to the unit”.
“REMOVE IPORTFOLIO as an assessment piece for third year students. I often found it difficult to recall on every single piece of experience I had from first year to third year. Having iPortfolio from first year to third year would be more practical and allow students to build a solid portfolio. I also believe it is not entirely useful, as most students (including myself) won’t use it in the future as potential employers cannot view it unless they have an iPortfolio account themselves”.
Challenges
Need to refine marking rubrics
Need to differentiate between technical skill level and reflection and evidence content
Potential issues of collusion and plagiarism
Need to interface with the Blackboard Grade Centre environment
How to handle large cohorts of work especially with different sessional staff
Can end up spending a lot of time reading whole portfolios
Moderation challenges
Sample marking rubric
Some tensions with using iPortfolioDevelopmental space Achievement/
showcase space
Public space Private space
Use to support writing job applications
Invite potential employers
Proscriptive areas and expectations
Allow for more creative and individual
interpretation of use
Know who the audience is
Don’t know who the audience is
Driven by assessable tasks
Self directed use
How to use for authentic assessment
Just summativeassessment
Continue to refine use in Pro Practice unit Do more to sell the benefits of iPortfolio as
related to WIL All first year students in Faculty of Health
Sciences introduced to iPortfolio – build on this base
Embed use across range of units over whole course
Tie in with specific professional competencies Research to build evidence-base of practice Potential industry tie in with accreditation
discussions
Where next?
Email [email protected]
www.iportfolio.curtin.edu.au
Thankyou to those students in Professional Practice in Public Health 383 and to those who gave permission to reproduce parts of
their iPortfolio
Questions??