Queensland University of Technology

CRICOS No. 000213J

ePortfolio and PDPat

Queensland University of Technology(QUT)

Kim Hauville

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

About QUT

• Approximately 40,000 students

• 4 campuses – Gardens Point, Kelvin Grove, Carseldine, Caboolture

• 9 Faculties

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

QUT’s ePortfolio Team

• Project Sponsor – Tom Cochrane DVC TILS

• Project Director – Wendy Harper

• Project Team Leader – Kim Hauville

• Project Strategic Partner – Col McCowan, Manager Careers and Employment

• Project Reference Group

• Faculty Champions and committed Academic staff

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Purpose of the QUT Student ePortfolio

To enable students to record, reflect on,

catalogue, retrieve and present their

experiences, activities, and things they produce

both inside and outside of university life as

evidence of the skills developed while at QUT that

contribute significantly to their lifelong learning

and career development.

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Major purposes• Collecting and recording in a single structure

• Knowing about the generic skills employers seek

• Connecting skills and experiences to the curriculum

• Learning through reflecting and evidence-based writing

• Understanding and self auditing skills and experiences

• Planning where and how to develop skills

• Reviewing content and progress by self and others

• Showcasing slices of personal evidence

• Preparing evidence for academics and employers

• Preparing and building confidence for applications & interviews

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Steps to Introduction at QUT

• Strong project management

• Integration with existing systems

• Obtained QUT-wide acceptance

• Addressed key issues before building the system

• Managed and staged release

• Pilot with sub-groups and used feedback

• Identified and addressed key future developments

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Features of QUT’s Student e-Portfolio

• Available to all students and staff

• Student-centred

• Automatically appears on each student’s Intranet “Home” page

• Similar features and feel to all other activities

• Linked to other corporate data systems

• Mapped/linked to specific student capabilities

• Tailored to suit Faculty / Industry issues

• Legitimises activities undertaken outside QUT

• Easy to use– Form based– Limited number of steps– Lots of tips, help buttons, word count guides– Lots of self-help resources– Consistent look and feel

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Key Activities in Student ePortfolio

Add Experiencesto the portfolio

Add Artefacts

to the portfolio

Create aView

of the portfolioRelease

a portfolio View

Students can add:• Academic History• Resume• Photo

Students can:• Export their View• Check visits to

their View

Students can:• Undertake a self-assessment • Upload files to their web-accessible space

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Three Styles of Student ePortfolios

QUT aims to incorporate all three recognised styles

• Structured

– predetermined framework of objectives to meet external / internal needs

• Learning / Dynamic

– opportunity for self-audit, recording, reflection, feedback and on-going development

• Showcase

– collect together, organise and present accomplishments

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

QUT Student Capabilities

• In the mid 90’s QUT developed a set of Student Capabilities

in response to:

– a need to consolidate specific lists from individual Faculties/Schools

– a need to respond to business and industry requirements

– a need to meet industry specific accreditation processes

– a need to infuse into teaching & learning documents and practice,

and

– a desire to get ATN agreement on student capabilities across like universities in Australia.

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Examples of QUT Student Capabilities• knowledge and skills pertinent to a particular discipline or professional area

encompassing:

– coherent theoretical and practical knowledge in at least one discipline area at the level of entry to a profession – technological skills appropriate to the discipline

• critical, creative and analytical thinking, and effective problem-solving including:

– the ability to critique current paradigms and contribute to intellectual inquiry – the capacity to exhibit creative as well as analytical ways of thinking about questions in at least one discipline – the ability to identify, define and solve problems in at least one discipline area

• effective communication in a variety of contexts and modes including:

– effective written and oral communication with discipline specialists and non-specialists and in cross-cultural contexts

• the capacity for life-long learning including:

– searching and critically evaluating information from a variety of sources using effective strategies and appropriate technologies

• the ability to work independently and collaboratively including:

– managing time and prioritising activities to achieve goals – demonstrating the capacity for self-assessment of learning needs and achievements – being a cooperative and productive team member or leader

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Mapping of QUT Student Capabilities

QUT has mapped its Student Capabilities to:

• Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry /

Business Council of Australia Employability Skills Framework

• Specific Professional Association listings eg for Nursing, Teaching

• Specific Faculty/Schools listings for curriculum purposes eg Business –

Port of Brisbane Corporation, Law, Nursing, Education TPA’s…

• Student ePortfolio Skill Areas

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Comparison across Skill Setse-Portfolio Skill Areas used at QUT

QUT Student Capabilities (MOPP)

Business Council of Australia /Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry Employability Skills

Skills of Business Graduates Skills of Law Graduates

Communication Listening, speaking, writing,understanding, presenting, reading, editing, interpersonal relations.

Effective communication in a variety of contexts and modes including: effective written and oral communication with discipline specialists and non-specialists and in cross-cultural contexts.

Communication skills that contribute to productive and harmonious relations between employees and customers.

Listening and RespondingInvolves being attentive when others are speaking, and responding effectively to others comments, during a conversation.

Oral CommunicationInvolves the ability to present information verbally to others, either one-to-one or in groups.

Written CommunicationInvolves the effective transfer of written information either formally (eg business reports, correspondence) or informally (eg memos, notes).

Interpersonal SkillsInvolves working well with others (superiors, subordinates and peers), understanding their needs, seeking feedback and being able to negotiate effectively.

CommunicationClearly and accurately communicating, both orally and in writing, through listening, non-verbal communication, speaking, presenting, reading, writing, editing, drafting, negotiating, interviewing, advocacy, mooting and report writing; using appropriate language for a variety of contexts; interpersonal interaction.Specific Skills:Oral communication (Communication) Written Communication (Communication) Oral presentation (Communication) Advocacy (Communication) Interviewing (Communication) Mooting (Communication) Negotiating (Communication) Drafting (Communication) Report Writing (Communication) Interpersonal interaction (Relational)

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

The Student ePortfolio – skills concept map

SKILL AREAS(ACCI/BCA/QUT):

Communication

Teamwork

Problem Solving / Critical Thinking

Life Management / Life-long Learning

Technical / Professional / Research

Managing / Organising

Social / Ethical Responsibility

Leadership

Creativity / Design

Initiative / Enterprise

(Plus one skill area of your own)

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

SETTINGS:

SKILL AREAS(ACCI/BCA/QUT):

Academic Work Community Personal

Communication

Teamwork

Problem Solving / Critical Thinking

Life Management / Life-long Learning

Technical / Professional / Research

Managing / Organising

Social / Ethical Responsibility

Leadership

Creativity / Design

Initiative / Enterprise

(Plus one skill area of your own)

The Student ePortfolio - skills concept map

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

SETTINGS:

SKILL AREAS(ACCI/BCA/QUT):

Academic Work Community Personal

Communication 5 experiences 2 experiences 1 experience

Teamwork 4 experiences 2 experiences 1 experience

Problem Solving/Critical Thinking 1 experience 1 experience

Life Management Life-long Learning 1 experience 2 experiences

Technical / Professional / Research 2 experiences 1 experience

Managing / Organising 2 experiences 1 experience

Social / Ethical Responsibility 1 experience 1 experience 2 experiences

Leadership 2 experiences 1 experience

Creativity / Design 1 experience 1 experience

Initiative / Enterprise 2 experiences 1 experiences

(Plus one skill area of your own)

The Student ePortfolio – skills concept map

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Helping students to reflect on their experiences

S ituation

Situation is where you had the experience. Describe the environment, and the type of people or equipment you worked with. This gives employers background information and puts the experience into context.

T ask

The task is what was required of you. When addressing a Task, it may be the project itself, a presentation you had to deliver, or a problem that arises within a project, such as personal differences.

A ction

When addressing Action, think about what you did to resolve a problem or perform a task. Ask yourself “what did I actually do?”

R esult

When addressing Result, think about how your actions affected the outcome of the situation and the status of the task.

L earnt

When addressing the things learnt, highlight skills that came out of the process and how they can be applied in other situations. This will show employers growth in your personal development as well as the skills you possess.

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

A sample Student ePortfolio

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Sample Student ePortfolio – Introduction Page

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Sample Student ePortfolio - Experiences

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Sample Student ePortfolio – Artefacts page

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Sample Student ePortfolio – display Artefact

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Sample Student ePortfolio – Resume

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Sample Student ePortfolio – Academic History

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Accessing Student ePortfolio

• On the main page of QUT Virtual students can access:

– Student Portfolio application

– Resume Builder tool

– QUT Virtual File Manager where they can upload 128MB of their files

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Student ePortfolio Menu

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Usages

Business Advantage (4 x 2hour course):• Self Assessment and ePortfolio Module, Career Planning Module

First Year: • introduction, requirement, pre-assessment

Work Integrated Learning:

• Nursing, Education, Co-op & Internships, Paramedic , Pharmacy

Post – grad: • professional course, pre-employment preparation, supervision journal

Discrete elements only: • Resume, Artefacts (eg dance clip), Self-assessment

Year 11’s in a Secondary College

Creating and monitoring development of Learning Objects

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

FindingsStudents • find easy to manage IT

• can allocate to 10/11 Skill Areas easily

• find it difficult to write first experience

• after first experience, others follow easily

• liked working with 1500 character limit

• good for self-audit, selection criteria, interview preparation

• good for storing wide range of artefacts

Staff • accepted matrix, good for work integrated learning activities,

improved communication skills

Employers

• students better organised / prepared, good access to artefacts, increase in confidence, excellent second stage selection tool

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

DevelopmentsRecent• Web-accessible storage space (128mb), Alumni, Multimedia Tutorials

Current• Lifelong access for Alumni

• Export portfolio to CD, Third party access, Online feedback

• Use of portfolio data to address selection criteria, Career Plans

• Professional Staff ePortfolio

Future• Use of Palm Pilots?

• Learning Journal

• Learning Objects (CI/IT Faculty)

• Capacity to increase personalisation

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Challenges

• Conducting system load trials

• Storage

• Privacy, Security

• QUT endorsed

• Training

• Tailoring

• Scope creep

• Evaluation

• Funding

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Some key considerations

• Supporting the reflection process

• Emotional engagement

• Purpose – first year versus third year

• ‘Bubbling along’ / mentoring

• Short term versus Long term (life-long)

• Multiple purposes, multiple audiences

• Inter-operability before and after QUT

eg My future, Qld Learning Accounts….

Queensland University of Technology

CRICOS No. 000213J

As soon as I began using the Portfolio, it became evident to me that the

process was going to be as valuable as the final product. After writing

just one experience according to the “formula” suggested by the

Portfolio team, I could notice a change in my thinking. I was learning to

consider my experiences from an employer’s perspective and to identify

- in all facets of my life -examples of skills that employers would value.

A Third Year Library Science Student……..

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Learning about the Student Portfolio was also

fantastic. I think it is an amazing tool that will

greatly benefit me in preparing job applications

in the future. Getting to know my personal

strengths and weaknesses, and doing the

online portfolio. Now I can work on my

weaknesses and plan how to strengthen my

strengths.

Second Year Business student

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

I think the e-portfolio is very relevant and useful to

me at university, because it encourages thought

about what skills and experiences I have that

others may not have and gives me a very user-

friendly and well-structured means for me to

record these for future reference.

First Year Business student

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Reflections required me to commit course content to long-

term memory. Reinforcing my learning and making it clearer

and more permanent in my mind.

First Year Bachelor of Education student

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

When I was trying to navigate it myself I was like, what if

I’m doing it wrong. What if I’m not doing it the way we have

to. So it’s almost like taken the pressure off a bit realising

that it’s not an assignment. …well I think my writing will be

a lot better because there’ll be meaning behind it now

instead of I have to do it, so it’s changed. My view on it has

changed a lot. I actually went home and I went MUM, it’s

not an assignment. The pressure is off.

The good thing about the Portfolio is that it’s your own, it’s for yourself so – I’ve

just been realising this over the last week, I’m like, Yes, it makes it so much

easier. Because there is no pressure then, you don’t have to be like somebody

else and that’s what I was worried about.

First Year Bachelor of Education student

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

From a recruiters perspective the

Student Portfolio is a great innovation. It

allows students to be able to present

information from their studies and about

themselves in a way that they have total

control over.

Queensland Treasury – Graduate Coordinator

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

I think what the Student Portfolio has the potential to do is

to encourage students to focus on a wider range of

graduate capabilities than they sometimes do; particularly

in content based disciplines. The focus that they have I

think then will extend through to an opportunity for

academics to promote authentic learning experiences and

use field, project, clinical, problem based approaches

which cover a wide range of graduate capabilities in one

holistic pattern.

Dr Al GrenfellDirector of Academic Programs - QUT

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Writing up my experiences in my Student

Portfolio is better for the soul than 10

episodes of Oprah Winfrey…….

A Third Year Information Technology student

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Student e-Portfolio Websitewww.studentportfolio.qut.edu.au