Exemplar 1 - Developing a Professional Identity

Institution: Queensland University of Technology

e-Portfolio context: The QUT Student ePortfolio is used to help first year students explore their chosen professions and begin to develop a professional identity. Students, from first year and core units in Psychology and Information Technology, undertake a range of reflective activities designed to ease the transition to University by helping them clarify the professional goals and manage expectations. The reflections they make as they explore the discipline area supports them to connect prior learning and experiences to their university study and professional idevelopment. The ePortfolio tool provides an environment where they can record and present their critical reflections for assessment.

Dates of provision: since 2006

Reason for implementation: QUT is concerned with the rate of attrition from first year and has formally supported strategies for the First Year Experience (FYE). Lecturers and first year unit coordinators have identified both unrealistic notions of what a profession constitutes as well as a lack of professional identity as being possible contributors to dissatisfaction in first year students. The ePortfolio approach to learning is recognised as student centred and supportive of individual goals. Students have indicated they like the ePortfolio activities as it allows them to 'bring themselves into the university learning process'.

Purpose/s: ePortfolio supports a diverse range of activities which can be stored, manipulated and presented for feedback and assessment purposes. The ePortfolio approach to learning encourages students to make links between their previous experiences, university learning and career goals. It encourages students to draw links between discipline research, personal insight and the development of professional skills and attitudes.

Learning processes involved: Information capture, Information retrieval, Planning, Reflection, Feedback, Collaboration, Presentation

Practice: (Developing) Students are supported by online resources made available from within the BlackBoard unit space. The resources support use of the online space as well as frameworks for structuring reflective writing. The reflective practice aspects are also supported as unit content. The ePortfolio team offers a flexible model of support with students and lecturers able to schedule drop-in and clinic sessions if and when required.

Key staff involved: Lecturer/Unit Co-ordinator and tutors

Links to example/s