Informing principles

In August 2007 the USQ ePortfolio Working Group recommended that USQ should provide an ePortfolio solution for both its students and staff. This recommendation has since been adopted as a key strategy by the Program Revitalisation Project (a subproject of the Realising our Potential Project) and Academic Board.

The eportfolio is a digital repository which can document the personal, academic and professional learning journey of an individual. The eportfolio assists individuals to reflect on and present their learning, experiences and planning, and demonstrate how these elements may interconnect. The owner of the eportfolio can publish multiple "views" of their eportfolio to demonstrate their learnings and experiences to a different people.

The following guiding principles will be used in the project:

• an eportfolio is a "process" (a way of planning, doing, communicating with a purpose and reflecting) and not a static product or a technology.

• the eportfolio must be better than paper based alternatives

• the ePortfolio must be fit for the context in which they is is used (staff or student, entering the university or leaving the university, discipline specific requirements).

• the ePortfolio must be learner centred and integrate into their work as a student

• ideally able to be used for recording and reflecting on life-long (alumni) and life-wide learning

• be easy to use to create and manage the eportfolio

• provide easy way for eportfolio owner to publish multiple different views of their eportfolio

• the use the eportfolio needs to be continually evaluated against staff and student expectations and needs

• people should be guided in the use of the eportfolio with discipline specific templates

• the eportfolio should allow the use of external web 2.0 type applications where the student has the need and the ability to do so.

• copyright, ethical and human recourse issues must be considered

• the server space for each eportfolio may need to be limited

• the ePortfolio should be congruent with the soon to be released Australian Graduation Statement and the heavily promoted Bologna process

Goals

The following goals will be addressed:

• Integrate "eportfolio thinking" into faculty and program teaching and learning plans

• Integrate eportfolio into core courses within each program

• Assist students to create their eportfolio

• Assist staff to use these eportfolios as a way of working with students

• Use these eportfolios as a way to assist students to plan their programs

• Students can use their eportfolio as leave USQ

• Students can use their eportfolio after leaving USQ and this is an opportunity to draw students into further study at USQ

• the ePortfolio will incorporate the soon to be released Australian Graduation Statement

Strategic alignment

Fits with the

• Faculty Teaching and learning plans

• Program Revitalisation Project

• Reports to the USQStudyDesk User Reference Group

• Input to the ICT Strategy Committee

Details of Faculty support for an 18 month period

The following groups have been formed:

ePortfolio reference group (active in 2007 and produced a report at end of 2007)

Michael Sankey (LTSU) Chair ePRG; Shirley Reushle (FOE, & DICTS), Birgit Loch (FOS), Jacquie McDonald (LTSU), Peter McIlveen (Student Services), Maggie Fryer (DICTS), Wei Xiang (FOES & DICTS), Marilyn Dorman (LTSU), , Madeline Fisher (Fraser Coast), Joseph Mula (FOB), Cec Pedersen (FOB), Jill Scanlan (FOS), Selvan Pather (FOES), Robyn Tweedale (Library), Cassandra Star (FOB), Jill Lawrence (FOA), Maree Toombs (Kumbari), Lorelle Burton (FOS), Petrea Redmond (FOE), Kevin Stapleton (Student Guild), Katrina Bidgood (LTSU) , Rod St Hill (DofS), Russel Vidler (DICTS)

ePortfolio working party

Present: Peter Evans (chair), Sara Hammer, Rod St Hill, Jill Lawrence, Janelle Martin, Russell Vidler, Michael Sankey, Joseph Mula, Nick Todd; Penny Richards

Tasks, timelines & budgets

Total Resources/ Budget Required

Level B Academic (.2)

Required documentation and policy rewriting

Responsibilities of staff and students in creating and using ePortfolios

Infrastructure

• ICT infrastructure

• Student admin infrastructure

• What information will flow from the student database to the eportfolio

• How will this information be edited by the ePortfolio owner

Training

• How to use the eportfolio for students

• How can start include "portfolio thinking in their teaching

• How faculties can include "portfolio thinking" in thieir programs

• How to teach using Wimba including how to integrate Wimba into teaching

• How to manage classes using Wimba

Supporting students and lecturers

• Basic operation

Legal and ethical issues

Professional development requirements

• How to use eportfolio

• How to use eportfolio in teaching

Scholarship opportunities

Papers in the following areas:

• Integration with the Australian ePortfolio project

• Alignment with Graduate skills

• ePortfolios as a method of assessment reform

• ePortfolios and life long and life-wide learning

Communication plan

Evaluation strategies

Usage statistics

• Creators

• readers

Feedback from the eportfolio user group

Feedback from creators of the eportfolio

Feedback from the users pof the eportfolio

Surveys

• Before starting to use an eportfolio in your teaching

• After using an eportfolio in your teaching

• Before starting to create an  eportfolio

• After creating an eportfolio

• Before reading an eportfolio

• After reading an eportfolio