Introduction:
Curtin was undergoing a University-wide curriculum renewal project (Curriculum 2010, also known as C2010) from 2007 to 2009 led by the Director, Office of Assessment, Teaching and Learning (the University's teaching and learning support centre). Graduate employability was a key theme that emerged through C2010, and that theme became a key driver for the introduction of an e-portfolio. Feedback from a staff forum outlining requirements led to the development of a bespoke tool within Curtin - the iPortfolio. The Director and her colleagues were the champions of the iPortfolio pedagogy and design ensuring it was created as an implementation directly linked to agreed institutional approaches to pedagogy. It also became part of a quality cycle for assuring graduate outcomes; the University has nine graduate attributes which, since C2010, are systematically and systemically assured through the Comprehensive Course Review process (course=degree programme). This quality cycle has been subsequently developed and refined as part of a Teaching Fellowship (titled Benchmarking partnerships for graduate employability): it is now called the Assurance of learning for graduate employability framework, and it depicts how, at Curtin, graduate attributes and capabilities and standards are (1) determined at course (programme) level; (2) mapped in the curriculum and (3) evaluated and evidenced in e-portfolios and through performance indicators and (4) the basis for benchmarking. The main point is that one of the key success factors in the implementation of the ePortfolio has been that it is seen as part of a quality approach to enhance curriculum to assure graduate achievement of identified capabilities, and specifically for employability.
Governance
The champion of the implementation was the former Director, Office of Assessment Teaching and Learning and designated colleagues. Their role was to lead a central teaching and learning support unit which also is a key influencer on shaping policy direction, and tapping into national and international drivers and best practices. The person in this role also led the Curriculum 2010 University-wide initiative so was in a central position of influence and strategically networked with faculty deans of teaching and learning and others. The Director was also a very active member of the University's Teaching and Learning Committee (UTLC) where decisions are made in relation to implementation, enhancement and support of University-wide systems. Other members of this committee include the DVC (Education), Chair, and the four Deans T&L, Head of e-Learning, Academic Registrar and so on.
Supporting developments
The iPortfolio is 'owned' by the Director's unit, called the Office of Assessment, Teaching and Learning (OATL) - recently renamed Curtin Teaching and Learning. The unit supports all aspects of the quality cycle described above. For example, one section manages and supports all course reviews in all faculties (including mapping the curriculum and analysing quality performance indicator feedback about each course). Another section specialises in (all forms of) assessment (including self, peer and formative which are more prominent through iPortfolio-related practices). Another team manages course structures, and yet another supports improving teaching practice (formerly known as academic development). In other words, the unit has made curriculum development and enhancement its 'core business', and every section follows and promotes the same vision (as described in the Assurance of learning for graduate employability framework). So, for example, the course review and assessment teams actively promote iPortfolio-related assessments when a degree programme is undergoing review. This is then supported by those focused on improving teaching practice. So iPortfolio, like Curtin Teaching and Learning's other university tools and processes (eg curriculum mapping tools, student evaluation, and so on) is part of the core business of the unit, and promoted in all activities.
It was decided during 2009 that, rather than using existing products, Curtin would build its own system. This was a brave decision, and prompted by a desire to create a system that harnessed web 2.0 functionality, that allowed the embedding of the University's graduate attributes for self and peer-assessment. It was also because OATL had a strong collaboration with Curtin IT Services (CITS) who were keen to innovate and support. The building of the system was absorbed in CITS' budget; the OATL role was to design the system based on sound pedagogy, use web 2.0 features for enabling better student engagement and assessment, and convince teaching staff to adopt the system in their teaching.
Now that the C2010 project has concluded, Curtin Teaching and Learning has about 25 full-time staff (bearing in mind the University has about 45,000 students across Australia and south-east Asia). During the building and pilot stage we had a full-time staff member to manage the iPortfolio (funded by C2010). Subsequently we have 0.4 of a staff member remaining involved in the roll-out. The reduced level of staffing is partly due to budget constraints and competing and new priorities, and partly because we want to second into the Curtin Teaching and Learning practicing effective teachers who have championed the iPortfolio in their own teaching. We believe that the peer influence of early adopter teaching staff is very strong. Understandably, such staff are not keen to give up teaching all together to work in Curtin Teaching and Learning full-time.
Current management of iPortfolio:
Decisions about the iPortfolio are now made through the committee structure: a sub-committee of UTLC is focused on work integrated learning (and by extension, graduate employability). Information about the iPortfolio (progress reports, issues arising, envisioned enhancements) are usually put through that committee and then they make their way through the committee system. During the building stage, iPortfolio was an 'agile' project which was central to CITS projects. It is now still maintained by CITS, but now (rightly) competes for attention in terms of enhancements. This means enhancements are planned well-ahead and budgeted for and scheduled. Fixes are attended to as speedily as possible. The iPortfolio is now in its seond year (2012) of full-scale adoption across the university. It is not mandatory - any student can create an account, and use the iPortfolio (or not) as they wish. However, some units of study, including some very large units (eg first year Health Science) have made the iPortfolio mandatory in that some assessments must be submitted using iPortfolio (for example, in an initial low stakes assessment, this unit's 1700 students must create their 'About me' page and make it visible to the tutor for assessment). This has generally worked well but has also created unpredicted loading issues: the iPortfolio uses a cloud storage technology (MS Azure) which were scaled up during peak times but with increasing demand is now upscaled for the full duration of teaching weeks. We are now more ready for such episodes. In other instances, the iPortfolio is being used in smaller units across the faculties for a range of purposes. It is still in its very early stages of full implementation.
Influential projects led by institution staff (internal and externally funded):
University-wide curriculum renewal project (C2010) from 2007 to 2009
We sought and gained entry into the sixth cohort of the Inter/National Coalition for ePortfolio Research
ALTC Teaching Fellowship (see Benchmarking partnerships for graduate employability)
ALTC National Teaching Fellowship (see Assuring Graduate Capabilities: This Fellowship engages curriculum leaders of undergraduate programs in 11 Australian universities to: articulate program level learning standards in capabilities such as communication, thinking, problem-solving, information literacy, self-management, teamwork and civic engagement; use portfolio approaches to student assessment (Note from wiki editor - these require sign-on) see student portfolios and course review portfolios) to evidence the achievement of those standards; and research the challenges and opportunities of this approach).
Awards to date:
- Winner, West Australian iAward, eLearning Category, 2011, Curtin iPortfolio Team
- Winner, West Australian Information Technology and Telecommunications Award, Innovation Category, 2011, Curtin iPortolio Team
- Highly commended, Innovations in Communications category, Australian Telecommunications Users Group (ATUG), 2011, Curtin iPortfolio Team
- Merit Award, National Finalist, Australian Information Industry Association iAward, 2010 Curtin iPortfolio Team
- Runner-up, Vice Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence, 2010, Curtin iPortfolio Team
- Finalist, Australian Web Award 2010, Curtin iPortfolio Team
References made to e-portfolios in institutional strategy documents:
iPortfolio is mentioned in the University's Teaching and Learning Enabling Plan, and in the annual handbook (Teaching and Learning at Curtin), a key influencer on new and exisiting teaching staff at Curtin.
As at April 2011, the following accounts have been created
Staff = 2182
Students = 21352
Students can keep their accounts for free for life (as alumni).
How we got to this point: The implementation journey
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Date
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Event
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Description and links to documentation
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2008
Midway through the C2010 project
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Director T&L submitted a paper to Academic Board (through UTLC)
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Paper recommending that graduate employability through achievement of Curtin’s graduate attributes be a defining characteristic of teaching and learning and the student experience at Curtin was accepted, and in addition to the graduate attributes, Curtin also adopted the triple-i curriculum which communicates Curtin's prime aspirations for its graduates: industry-ready, inclusive (international, intercultural, indigenous), and interdisciplinary. The team leading the C2010 project, in conversation with teaching academics in the faculties, shortly after aligned on the idea that a student portfolio would be particularly helpful for documenting evidence of achievement of employability.
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Sept 2008
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Academic Board Forum
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This was a lunch-time open forum designed to explore staff and student feedback on the idea of implementing an e-portfolio system at Curtin. Over 100 staff and students registered their attendance. A guest at the Forum was Ms Wendy Harper from Queensland University of Technology, a member of the leadership team of the ALTC national e-portfolio projects and symposia. As well as sharing ideas at the Forum, participants were asked to provide written comments on key questions as follows:
- Why might we want an iPortfolio? What is its purpose? Should it be for: Credit in formal units? Accrediting supplementary achievements? Both?
- Who would have one? Students? All students? Staff? Prospective students? Alumni?
- Who would be able to view it? Staff and students only? Potential employers? Accreditation bodies and external assessors? Peer learners?
- How should it be viewed? Online? Online through a Curtin system such as OASIS or Blackboard? Configured so that mobile technology can be used?
Participants at the forum commented on a range of issues such as:
- It must meet guidelines for Web accessibility
- Consideration must be given to International students and those with disabilities who may have difficulty with this process
- Really like the idea of mapping back to graduate attributes. Think this will really build confidence in student’s abilities
- Worried about amount of work involved (for both students & staff), still sounds interesting
- How would information be validated?
- Be careful that it doesn’t become too prescriptive and therefore too restrictive
- Staff and students will need to be properly trained for their own benefit
- Curtin needs to integrate/facilitate extra-curricular activities as part of the overall learning experience
This was seen as a positive endorsement of the idea of exploring an e-portfolio system for Curtin.
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2009
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Working party formed to oversee developments
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As a result of that Academic Board consultation process, the exploration proceeded, guided by a University-wide working party consisting of parties from all areas of the University. For example, as well as faculties and the central OATL, the working party was open to and warmly welcomed input from Careers, student support, Library, student admissions, marketing, CITS and so on. This ensured representation and stakeholder buy-in. At this point, conversations with CITS also commenced: which tool would we adopt, and why? The working party reported monthly to the University Teaching and Learning Committee.
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2009
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Exploration of e-portfolio systems (Sakai tool) and decision to develop own tool
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One member of the C2010 team, Dr Brian von Konsky, a software engineering academic seconded to the project, was tasked with exploring systems and 'kicking the tyres' to see which might be useable at Curtin. Brian spent several months looking at systems, and in particular the Sakai tool (see early ideas here). When an early prototype was used in a small staff seminar, it was clear that this prototype was 'too clunky'...users would need to learn the system, and do many 'click throughs' to make the system work. The idea emerged that CITS could build something unique. C2010 and CITS explored various options, and toyed with building something based on iTunes U. We also began to agree that, whatever we adopted should be called the iPortfolio becasue of the triple-i curriculum. Apple headquarters in Sydney became interested in our conversations and invited key Curtin staff to come and share ideas. This meeting was helpful and engaging, although no particular solution was arrived at (although both parties were keen to explore how/if iTunes U might be part of the solution). The focus on iTunes U was driven by an evidence-based approach: anecdotal evidence suggested that because of the high level of ownership of iPods, students would be familiar with iTunes (regardless of their choice of computer platform). Its cloud-based nature was also attractive.
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Dec - March 2009
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Mock up of iPortfolio and testing of ideas with experts
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Immediately after the Apple visit to Sydney, it was the Christmas break (mid-December to mid-January in Australia). Enthused, the Director T&L used some of this time to 'mock up' the emerging iPortfolio. This was done using PowerPoint - that is, successive slides showed what the user would see and do in a tab structured environment. The graduate attributes and the triple-i were focal in this mockup. On return to Curtin, the idea was shared with colleagues and was generally met with enthusiasm. The Director T&L and the CIO of CITS agreed it would be a worthwhile investment to travel to share this idea with known e-portfolio experts in the US and the UK (they were also very aware of their lack of experience in this field and wanted to ensure due diligence before investing the University's resources into a new system in an unknown field). The trip was planned and undertaken in February 2009 (and dubbed the 'e-portfolio world tour') and led to meetings with some 20 experts across the US and UK. It was extremely helpful in refining ideas and introducing new ones (such as using the graduate attributes and the triple-i to 'tag' evidence: this idea was from Glen Johnston, Penn State). The mockup was refined and presented to the working party for consideration and feedback.
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April 2009
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iPortfolio begins to be developed
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Meanwhile, CITS commenced scoping how the iPortfolio might be built in-house: Apple also followed up and assisted by sending staff to Curtin to see if iTunes U could be the basis for a new e-portfolio system. In the end, the solution was not to build the iPortfolio based on iTunes U but to have iTunes U as a key publication option (more later). Therefore CITS focused on the build in earnest, and screens and wireframes were shared with the working party which was also (even more) particularly focused on what teaching and learning outcomes would the iPortfolio enable, what legalities might need to be considered, and how might we persuade adopters to use it (both staff and students).
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Aug 2009
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Pilot of iPortfolio
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A basic form of the iPortfolio was piloted by a small group (although any student could create and try out an account) between August and December of 2009 and a report was produced. External experts visited during the 'world e-portfolio tour' and others subsequently met, were offered an account to explore and give feedback on the new system. Key outcomes were:
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The rapid uptake of the iPortfolio during the pilot period and at the beginning of semester 1 2010 (close to 8,000 accounts created to March 26, 2010) suggested strong interest by members of the Curtin community
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Staff and student feedback from the pilot was generally very positive with suggestions for improvement informing the development of ongoing versions
As a result of the pilot, further developments took place:
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Extensive training and development resources, both online and face to face, were created to assist staff and students to embed the iPortfolio within and beyond the formal curriculum
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An iPhone app (iPortfolio Mobile), developed by CITS, enables users to capture evidence of learning (image, movie and audio), tag it with Graduate Attributes and triple-i curriculum tags, and upload it to their iPortfolios 'on the go'-we foresee this being particularly useful in work-based learning experiences
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Students could publish their iPortfolio pages to iTunes U (this has subsequently and temporarily gone offline because Apple has updated its software and our software also needs to be adjusted)
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Jan 2010
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Implementation
- available to all staff and students
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The system was "fully implemented" in 2010 and during that time we 'fed' reports and take up through committees and to the VC. Headlines were that some 16,000 (out of a total of about 40,000) students had created accounts (most voluntarily created the account).
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From 2010 -2011
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We used other key events and strategies to showcase iPortfolio externally and promote its status internally
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- We sought to promote our embryonic system in various national and international fora: such as Australian ePortfolio Project symposium
- We joined the US based e-portfolio group called AAEEBL
- We sought and gained entry into the sixth cohort of the Inter/National Coalition for ePortfolio Research (with the aim of assisting our early adopter teaching staff to access research, travel and publication opportunities with US links)
- We presented at national and international conferences and, wherever possible, in peer-reviewed publications underpinned by the literature
- We sought to connect our work with the known experts leading the field within and beyond Australia
- We use and reuse the logo and selected images fairly consistently and also try to use consistent language to ensure we describe what we do in iPortfolio (and tied in with graduate attributes and capabilities)
- We have formed a network of scholars with Curtin teaching staff who are championing the iPortfolio, we draw on their feedback to improve the system and support them to research and publish their findings
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| The future |
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- We are actively working on the next enhancements - how to make the iPortfolio as sticky as possible for students, at the same time make it as simple to use as possible. This work continues through the committee channels at Curtin.
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