Success Factors
What are the key outcomes of the initiative?
The project produced an in-depth set of guidelines and policies for the use of e-portfolios, by learners and institutions (see Further Resources).
The project achieved the set-up of an e-portfolio system for colleges and a school to allow local access, although this proceeded at differing rates according to local circumstances. Via an e-mentoring system, training enabled e-portfolios to be embedded into the curriculum in almost all participating sites. Exploitation was most effective when there was synergy between the processes promoted by use of an e-portfolio and the processes inherent in the course, such as the Medionics course at Leasowes Community College and at Telford College with the PCE.
Generally e-portfolios were widely used to record and review personal reflections on learning, but that sharing of this material on a group level was less frequent. One-to-one sharing with tutors was more prevalent and very highly valued. There was caution expressed by some users in the sharing of material online. The project achieved an understanding of user intentions and attitudes towards the purposes of an e-portfolio, notably its use for employment applications.
The project achieved an understanding of the value of e-portfolios in, for example, the recording of reflection as part of teacher education. However, concerns were raised and requirements emerged that would be central to specifying how best to deploy e-portfolios as evidence for progression or accreditation. Those tutors who were both admissions tutors for their courses and project users of e-portfolios were in a particularly valuable position to advise on best practice for use of e-portfolios for admission.
Employer concerns did not feature largely as the concept is still new for employers and employers were not active partners in the project.
What follow-up activity will be/has been carried out as a result of the project?
An e-portfolio user conference was held at the University of Wolverhampton on 13 July 2006. The event, called Telling Stories attracted over 80 delegates/participants. Students and teachers from three of the ePISTLE project partners spoke at the conference.
