Enhancing employability of final year health promotion

students using iPortfolio

Jude ComfortCurtin University

Perth, Western AustraliaJ.Comfort@curtin.edu.au

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 j.comfort@curtin.edu.au

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??