English Studies: Contemporary Performance module, University of Nottingham

e-Portfolio context: We introduced Mahara to year 3 students on the Contemporary Performance module. We encouraged voluntary use of this e-portfolio for development  of reflective commentaries on weekly sessions with theatre and performance practitioners in the East Midlands region. 8 out of 16 students chose to use an e-portfolio for this purpose in 2012, submitting final portfolios which allowed them to cross-refer directly to evidence and examples such as maps, data, images and audio/video recordings.  

Dates of provision: Since September 2012

Reason for implementation: The reflective e-portfolio supports the experiential nature of the learning and encourages students to draw on a wider range of evidence to support their reflection and critical responses. Students were allowed to submit their final portfolios for assessment in Mahara but were not compelled to do so.

Purpose/s: To enrich the learning process by supporting ongoing reflection and to encourage use of a wider range of resources/evidence in final portfolio development. 

Learning processes involved: Information handling, reflection, assessment, feedback

Practice: Mahara was made available to all students on the module as a means of recording reflections and collecting evidence/linked material related to each of the weekly encounters with theatre practitioners; teaching staff were able to comment on these initial reflections to enable further development and reflection. In addition, students were given the option to submit the final assessment task of four 500 word reflective commentaries covering 4 out of their ten visits as part of the assessment in the module through Mahara; 8 out of 16 students chose to do so. 

Key staff involved:

Dr Joanna Robinson  http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/english/people/joanna.robinson

As Director of Teaching, Jo Robinson focused on developing excellent and innovative practice and research in teaching and learning, with particular focus on assessment and feedback and work related learning in the School of English.

Dr Sarah Grandage http://nottingham.ac.uk/english/people/sarah.grandage 

Examples:

Embedding Employability in English: School of English, University of Nottingham

Example of student's e-portfolio 'A critical reflection on the emerging theatre companies and whether or not collaboration is necessary for them to survive in the current UK theatre climate'