Success Factors

What are the key outcomes of the initiative?

The project has raised the levels of awareness and knowledge of learning portfolios and e-portfolio systems for all those involved; project staff, tutors and students. Project staff and host institutions are now aware that a shared platform of resources is possible across partners and different sectors. This is a big step forward to providing a practical tool which can possibly increase student performance, attainment, progression and retention.

Working relationships were greatly strengthened between partner institutions and have led to proposals for continuation which demonstrate the increased commitment to sharing and supporting students' access to HE at a regional level.

The project had a positive impact on students' attitudes to personal development planning, especially reflective learning. Student buy-in to this was encouraged by the fact that they were hoping to progress to university where this learning approach is encouraged. At the same time, the students appeared to grasp the concept of the portal immediately and had no trouble assessing its value as a learning tool. It was also comforting that students could see its value as a teaching tool even though it was not used regularly by tutors. From a student perspective, tutor use of the tool would have encouraged their own personal use, especially if use was integrated with lessons and tutorials.

Students liked the fact that the portal was potentially a one-stop-shop for resources, links and documents. Portability was important to students, and although this was not achieved in the scope of this project, it is a crucial selling point to users.

Study support materials have been well received and are being used across a wider range of institutional staff as a result of the dissemination activities.

The e-portfolio tool and the portal, although complex and non-intuitive at times, proved robust in themselves, although sometimes difficult to interface with other systems at a local level.

What follow-up activity will be/has been carried out as a result of the project?

At the end of the evaluation period a full-day conference was held to disseminate the results of the project to other institutions and agencies in the South East. The Journey into HE Conference on 30 March 2006 was attended by 50 delegates.