ePortfolios
UniSA is piloting the use of PebblePad. This tool is available to a limited number of staff and students during the trial period.
Help resources
- PebblePad - help
- Further support is also available from the IT help desk.
Information about learning resources
The University of South Australia (UniSA) is exploring the use of ePortfolios to support staff and students. Pilot projects in all Divisions are evaluating the use of PebblePad software for teaching and learning in a variety of settings.
The use of portfolios to support and showcase learning has a long tradition, particularly in discipline areas of nursing, education and the arts. Technological advances are enabling portfolios to move from paper based to an electronic format that is accessible to a wider audience.
ePortfolios offer the benefit of supporting learner-centred and personalised forms of learning1. PebblePad is your private learning space. You can choose to share your experiences, achievements and reflections for feedback purposes, as well as, showcase your abilities. PebblePad has been used in education for many years and has in-built functions to assist learners to take control of their learning.
Why use an ePortfolio?
There are a number of reasons for using an ePortfolio. ePortfolios can be customised and personalised into a one-stop shop to demonstrate your skills and experiences to teachers, peers and employers. Many students find their ePortfolio to be a valuable resource when it comes to writing job applications and preparing for interviews. Students who have used ePortfolios report having a greater awareness of their skills, greater confidence in their abilities, and feeling more independent as a learner. Creating an ePortfolio can assist learners to2:
- Develop an holistic overview of your learning beyond individual courses or experiences
- Understand your learning and experience in terms of graduate qualities and employability skills
- Extract evidence to represent your learning and achievements, for example to develop selection criteria responses
- Identify skills gaps through review and reflection on your ePortfolio content
- Plan, set and review personal development targets.
Why should I reflect on my learning?
Reflective practice is a key skill for developing as a professional. Only through contemplating what one is doing and why can one demonstrate that intelligent and competent practice ensues3.
Employers regularly highlight their need for people with both the appropriate professional knowledge and skills in critical reflective thinking. They recognise that staff with an ability to develop creative solutions to problems, who can work within ethical frameworks and who are able to step outside formulaic approaches to challenges are highly desirable assets to their organisation.
The concept of reflective practice is a key component of PebblePad and further supported by two online learning resources: Introduction to Reflective Practice and Critical Reflective Practice.
1. Effective Practice with e-Portfolios: Supporting 21st Century learning, JISC, 2008 available at http://www.jisc.ac.uk/effectivepracticeeportfolios
2.ePortfolio concepts for learners, 2009, Australian ePortfolio Project, Australian Learning & Teaching Council & QUT series of guides
3. Thorpe, K., 2004, 'Reflective Learning Journals: from concept to practice', Reflective Practice, 5 (3), 327-343