e-Portfolios and Education for the Professions

 

E-portfolios supporting employee development in Public Services Foundation Degrees: evidence

based research outcomes.

Dave Croot, Sue Atkinson & Julie Swain 

January 21st 2010

@Bristol Conference Centre

Session Outline

• Context:• National background• HE5P project • Employer needs – workforce development

• CPD - The employee, employer and the HEI•UPC & FdA Public Services• Functions of web based portfolios• Successes & challenges to support of learning

& progression

National background

• Government driving sector to explore implementation and impact of Leitch.

• Gather research from Workforce / employer on the value of e-portfolios

• Collecting evidence on the benefits & barriers to implementing e-portfolios

Higher education HE5P Project

• National HEFCE funded project• Aimed at employers, employees, HE

practitioners & using e-portfolios• http://www.recordingachievement.org/

research/he5p.html

HE5P Project aims1. Collate and analyse existing practices and

evidence of their effectiveness; 2. Support a major national network of HEIs

and employer partners to build their capacity to develop and promote best practice in using e-portfolio technology to support employer and learner engagement in higher level learning;

3. Disseminate key lessons and experiences which will inform/shape policy and transfer practice;

4. Provide a low cost evidence base and national e-portfolio specification which will directly and purposefully contribute to policy and practice to ensure the effective implementation of the employer/employee engagement agenda.

The employee/learner’s world

College Workplace

HOME

e-portfolio

Access degree level

provision delivered

locally

Flexibility to work & studyFull and Part time modes

Equip learners with

knowledge, understanding

& skills relevant to

employment

Designed & developed

with employers –

UoP Approval process

Foundation Degrees

Partnership with HEI and

College

Further career

opportunities

Integrate academic & work based

learning embedding

PDP

Progression to 3rd year

top up

Foundation DegreeWBL @

Core

Public Services FdA• ..vocationally based qualification with a

strong emphasis on career and employment skills.

• ..programme of study should enable you to integrate knowledge and skills developed in work-based learning. Every University of Plymouth foundation degree has a 20 credit work place learning module.

• All linked through the individual learner using their e-portfolio.

Large Public sector organisations

Foundation Degree Public Services Students including:

• Police• Fire Service• Third sector• Local Authority • Health Authority• Prison & Probationary services• 28 FT Level 4 (16) & 5 (12)• 20 PT Level 4 & 5 over 3 years

Methodologies

• A sample of 34 employees drawn from Foundation Degree Public Services including: Police, Fire Service, Third sector, Local Authority, Health Authority, Council, Prison & Probationary services Focus groups – all semi-structured:

• employees / students• one to one interviews with employers /

managers• one to one interviews with students• telephone interviews• informal data collection through interview• e-mail correspondence / interviews

Successes• Learners are using the system – not seen as ‘ another system’

• Assists with understanding Professional Development and builds on reflective skills

• 24/7 showcasing academic and through-life learning journey

• Use for interviews – enhance career opportunities

• Confidence boosting- transforming higher education & enhancing learning opportunities

• Unexpected outcomes – used in workplace appraisal schemes

• Learners have access to the system 12 months after graduation and can choose to continue with a annual fee or transfer into another system

Challenges – Lessons Learned

• Buy in & support from senior management

• Technical Issues - access must be simple (using UoP login)

• System speed and access remotely

• See the benefits of the tool and relevance to programme and wider life activities

• Purpose – getting them started on what to put into e-portfolio

• Understanding terminology such as an ‘achievement’ – putting it into context

• Providing user guides and handouts on specific instructions

• Housing life wide and industry requirements – using for professional recognition. Need buy in and engagement by employers and professional bodies if to work effectively.

Outcomes

• The principles of mediating the learning through e-portfolio is sound

• Implementing the technology has been successful with caveats:

• Who is advocating this tool?• How is it adopted? • Is the learner supported in each of

their individual settings, by whom and how?

• Is their e-portfolio valued & by whom?

Employers comments / feedback

“I have found working with the City College Public Services Foundation Degree team a real pleasure. Their dual focus on the learning needs of the student and the business needs of the employer makes them highly effective.”

Andy Bickley,Chief Superintendent, Devon and Cornwall Constabulary

Questions please!

• Contact:

dcroot@plymouth.ac.uk