What is unique about this implementation case study
The introduction of e-portfolios into courses and programmes across RMIT has been closely aligned to the University's strategic directions and underpinned by a change management framework. This large-scale implementation though quite recent, 2008 onwards, has been carefully managed and is part of the wider RMIT's eLearning Advancement Program (REAP). A comprehensive review process of e-portfolio tools led to the choice of PebblePad. Implementation is monitored and supported by a central unit and a cross university e-Portfolio reference group. There is a managed implementation process whereby academic staff nominate their course/programme to use e-portfolios through a course nomination form, including acknowledgement that they have sought permission from their programme leader. An establishment meeting is then conducted with the e-portfolio project manager and a curricula design document is used as a framework to discuss curricular transformation and quality assurance. This also provides staff professional development by providing a means of sharing practice across the University.
e-Portfolio tool: PebblePad
PURPOSE: Graduate Attributes, Work Integrated Learning, Professional Accreditation, Recognition of Prior Learning, Internationalisation, Transition to/from the institution, Transformative Assessment, Lifelong Learning
PROCESSES: Information capture, Information retrieval, Planning, Feedback, Reflection, Collaboration, Presentation
DRIVERS:
The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) is an international university with campuses in Vietnam and offshore partner relationships with over 25 academic and vocational institutions/industries predominately in Asia. The current Strategic Plan, RMIT 2015, outlines the central themes as global, urban and connected.
The use of e-portfolios in courses and programmes is linked to key university strategic directions as outlined in the Strategic Plan and associated Academic Plan. In particular these are Graduate Attributes, Work Integrated Learning (WIL), Professional Accreditation, Dual Sector Advantage (Associate degrees) Recognition of Prior Learning & Internationalisation.
Key words: RMIT, Australia, HE, PebblePad, Graduate Attributes, e-portfolio tool review, University strategic plan, Quality Assurance, Work Integrated Learning, Professional Accreditation, Recognition of Prior Learning, Internationalisation, e-Portfolio reference group.
Brief overview of the organisation and its current e-portfolio use:
RMIT University is a large vocationally focused dual sector (TAFE and HE) institution with its main campus centrally located in Melbourne, Australia. It has over 70,000 students, with approximately 70% in HE and 30% in TAFE and an overall 38% international student cohort. e-Portfolios were introduced into RMIT's suite of educational technologies at an enterprise level as part of RMIT's eLearning Advancement Programme (REAP). REAP has been a three stage programme that has seen the introduction of a minimum online presence with all courses requiring a BlackBoard classroom, the introduction of enhanced learning environments with the blogs, wikis and Lectopia and finally the introduction of active learning with e-portfolios.
In 2007, the University conducted a review of BlackBoard's Campus LX building block which included the Expo LX e-portfolio tool as a potential e-portfolio system. The results identified major limitations including:
- The Campus LX suite was confined to the RMIT community, that is, not open to the World Wide Web, therefore diminishing the social networking and collaboration functionality of the Web 2.0 technologies. This was seen as a major shortcoming in relation to student ownership of their e-portfolios, eg to share their e-portfolio with potential employers to demonstrate career readiness
- Rigid structure that affects file and asset management, setting private permissions and a general lack of ability to individually customise the look and feel of a site
- The Expo LX function was not considered a mature e-portfolio tool, in that its feature-set was considerably less extensive than other commercial e-portfolio tools
As part of the research, an environmental scan of 50 e-portfolio systems was undertaken, 3 of which were shortlisted for further evaluation. Finally the PebblePad e-portfolio system was selected to trial across the University and was introduced as a pilot project into RMIT's suite of educational technologies in Semester 2, 2008. The initial trial in 2008 consisted of 1000 student licences which was expanded to 2,200 in 2009 and 5,200 in 2010.
The introduction of e-portfolios has been underpinned by a managed implementation process. All activity relating to e-portfolios is managed from www.rmit.edu.au/eportfolio. Here staff (login required) are able to apply for a personal e-portfolio account and also nominate their course/programme to use e-portfolios. The course nomination form allows data to be collected about intended use, alignment with RMIT's strategic directions, student cohort details including number of student licences required, and importantly that the use of e-portfolios has been authorised by the programme leader. This is particularly important due to the disruptive nature of introducing new technologies into learning and teaching both for staff and students and to manage the risk associated with it. The form also enables the e-portfolio project leader to manage the professional development requirements of staff and the community of practice across the University, develop appropriate student resources where required and keep track of e-portfolio licences. Finally, an e-Portfolio Reference Group with representatives from major stakeholder groups including Educational Technologies Advancement Group (EduTAG), the College Academic Develop/Learning and Teaching groups, ITS Training and Teaching and Learning Support (TALS) are responsible for the ongoing deployment of e-portfolios across the University.
All programme/course teams introducing e-portfolios are required to have an establishment meeting with the e-portfolio project leader. In this, a curricula design document is used as a starting point to develop the conceptual ways of (re)thinking curricula and associated assessment tasks required to introduce e-portfolios into the course/programme. It is also used to disseminate best practice exemplars of use across the University and to help teaching staff contextualise e-portfolios into their teaching practices and assessment tasks. This process helps to ensure that e-portfolio use will be:
- embedded in the curriculum
- purposefully used within their contexts, and
- a meaningful experience for students.
e-Portfolio use in 2010
| College |
Science Engineering & Health |
Design & Social Context |
Business |
| No. Courses/Programmes |
23 |
16 |
9 |
| Disciplines with highest uptake |
- Engineering
- Medical Sciences
- Chiropractic
|
- Applied Communication
- Fashion & textiles
|
- Business Information Technology
- Cert IV Financial Services
- Management
|
| Total student numbers |
3300 (2400 Engineering students) |
980 |
690 |
| Curriculum focus areas |
Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Graduate Attributes, Professional Accreditation |
WIL, Graduate Attributes, Transformative assessment |
WIL, Graduate Attributes, Recognition of Prior Learning |
The REAP initiative concluded at the end of 2010. As a result, we have conducted a review of the e-portfolio project to date, including a review of the e-portfolio landscape in order to assess new developments in e-portfolio technologies and to ascertain that we have the most appropriate e-portfolio system for our context at RMIT. A functional analysis of 4 e-portfolio systems, Desire to Learn, Mahara and PebblePad versions 2.5 & 3 was conducted using Himpsl & Baumgartner's (2009) Evaluation of e-Portfolio Software. A report has been presented to the Information and Communications Technologies Strategy Committee for endorsement.
Key factors for successful implementation
- Alignment with strategic directions of the University - targeted deployment
- Sponsorship by senior executive
- Managed implementation - (limited licence management)
- Curriculum transformation process and models of practice
- Flexible tool
- Key personnel and discipline champions
- Development of Community of Practice
Lessons Learned
Geoff Scott's Effective Change Management in Higher Education (2003) has underpinned the introduction of e-portfolios at RMIT and is still as pertinent in 2011 as it was in 2008. To cite his recurring themes:
- Change is learning, and learning is change
- There is a profound difference between "change" and "progress"
- Individual learning and organisational learning are inextricably linked
Key lessons are of the importance of sponsorship by senior executive and this can be tenuous. The introduction of e-portfolios into teaching and learning enhances risk, so to minimise potential risk, e-portfolios need to be built in not bolted on so that they are:
- embedded in the curricula
- purposefully used within their context, and
- a meaningful experience for students
Other lessons include:
- The importance of champions and key personnel
- e-Portfolios can transform assessment practices and lead to creative student-centred assessment output
- Action research/action learning underpins iterative curricula development
- The attitudes of the teaching team will be reflected in student attitudes towards the technology
- The earlier e-portfolios are introduced into a programme, eg 3 year degree programme, the less resistance to assessment change there is by students
The future
Pending the outcomes of the e-Portfolio Review, PebblePad will continue to be the enterprise e-portfolio tool at RMIT. RMIT will continue a staged implementation and assessment process, acquiring PebblePad licences based upon strategic usage requirements, and position for transition to a site licence if and when it becomes practical and cost effective. A deployment strategy targeting programmes that have external accreditation requirements will be maintained. The release of PebblePad 3 for the 2012 academic year will require appropriate professional development and transition resources for both staff and students.
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