University of Gloucestershires experience with PebblePad

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University of Gloucestershires experience with
PebblePad

• Martin Jenkins
• Academic Manager, Centre for Active Learning
• PDP and E-portfolios listening to the voices of
  the learners
• PDP4LIFE Conference
• Dartington College of Arts, March 2006

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Overview

• A story of educational change in a period of
  institutional change
• Or
• Does anyone notice a pebble in a whirlpool!
• The answer is yes but the impact is small

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Once upon a time

• PDP at the University of Gloucestershire
• Institutional commitment to the delivery of PDP
• Reigned in slightly from initial intentions
• Pilots delivered as part of common Learning and
  Personal Development module
• Coordinated by Senior Skills Tutor
• Supported by Learning Technology Support and LIS

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Delegation

• Institutional change
• Restructure of whole institution
• Move to campus based structures
• Delivery of Learning and Personal Development
  and PDP moved to campus level

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Fragmentation

• Loss of central coordination
• Loss of focus on central resources
• Local control of delivery
• Positive as delivery more closely integrated with
  disciplines

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Example PDP requirements

• Personal Skills Audit
• Online audits
• Reflections on seven key skills
• Academic Development
• Module plan
• Feedback on assessed piece of work
• Career Development
• CV
• Action plan
• Personal Reflection
• Reflection on first semester at University
• Reflection on involvement in group presentation
  team membership

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Throw in a Pebble

• E-portfolio developments
• Led by Centre for Learning and Teaching (CLT) and
  Learning Technology Support (LTS)
• Enhanced by integration of LTS and CLT in new
  Academic Development Unit
• Investigation of available e-portfolios
• For PDP and also for staff CPD

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PebblePad

• Why PebblePad?
• Learning and reflection designed in not just a
  repository
• Easy to use
• Good working relationship with PebbleLearning

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Skimming the Pebble

• Plan was to pilot use of PebblePad in academic
  year 2005/6
• With PDP in selected discipline areas
• Environment
• Psychology
• Use for dissertation support
• Use as a CPD tool for staff on PGCHE and research
  students

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First skim

• Introduction of the server delayed (internal
  issues)
• Opportunities for pilot reduced
• Loss of LTS staff opportunities to push
  diminished
• Loss of central coordination meant loss of one
  point of contact

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Second skim

• Limited use by Environment
• Had to be introduced late
• Use by Psychology (semester 2)
• Use by Psychology dissertation students
• Limited use by research and PGCHE students
• Measure of potential versus PDP4LIFE framework

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Third skim

• Dissertation students
• Very positive initial use
• Used to log and reflect upon meetings
• Some issues re way files were stored and
  presented now resolved
• Initial indications that students revert to
  e-mail when pressure is on

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Fourth Skim

• Research students
• Slow starters slow reflectors
• Improving use and value
• Useful tool
• PGCHE
• Delayed start meant not integrated or sold

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Fifth skim

• PDP
• Environment students very disappointing use
• Introduced late students indicated that easy to
  use but were not required to so only one student
  did!
• Psychology Students
• Portfolios not due till May
• More initial training provided compared to
  Environment

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Sixth skim

• Comparison against PDP4LIFE Learner Record fields
  against PebblePad structure
• Fields within each ePDP cycle 
• Employer or Sponsor
• Reflection on formal qualifications attainments
• Skills attainments
• Skills action plan
• Career to date
• Career Goals
• CVs
• Learning styles and preferences
• Personal qualities and values
• Interests and hobbies

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Recording PDP in PebblePad

• Fields that can be accommodated by PebblePad
  records
• Ability
• Achievement
• Action Plan
• Experience
• Meeting
• Thought
• Plus Learning profile skills audit
• Plus can add any files

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Seventh skim entering the pool

• Report to TLAC due
• Future uses for PDP
• Being written into Environment changes
• Future uses for Dissertation support
• Being developed for dissertation support
• Integrate more into PGCHE
• Discussions on incorporating into Research
  Student Training
• Staff want to trial for own CPD

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and they all lived

• Intention to build on these developments
• Not expected to be University wide in 2006/7 but
  expect increased usage

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