H807-2. CASE STUDY #1: Use of e-portfolios in the social sciences

This case study reports on a decision taken by Sheffield Hallam University to move from a traditional paper-based portfolio to an e-portfolio for the purposes of personal/academic development planning (PDP) in social science classes. The change was made following much negative student feedback on the former: students were unable to see the value of this reflective tool, and they typically completed it just before the deadline in order to fulfil the assessment, thereby negating any potential it may have had to contribute to the learning process.

However, I'm a bit uneasy about this case study as it's written. The rationale for introducing yet another portfolio is not explained. Why should an e-portfolio be any different? The methodology they claim to be following, the Integrated Learning Design Framework (ILDF), does not seem to differ significantly to what they were following for the paper-based version. They show examples of both the paper and the e-based assignments; I'm afraid I do not see an essential pedagogical difference between them, nor why it is presumed that e-portfolios will be so much more attractive to students, why they will not simply leave them as well until the last minute. Is the 'innovation' here merely the ability to provide hyperlinks to pieces of work, etc. within the e-portfolio? This can also be done on paper! Perhaps I'm just confused...?

I also don't quite understand the authors' complaint about "the predominance of seemingly mundane concerns about time and personal organisation" - why mundane? These are legitimate concerns on the part of students, I think. In my teaching experience, students' greatest weakness - and the greatest obstacle to their learning - is a lack of time management skills. Particularly if students are not used to a process-based approach, they can be easily overwhelmed by an ongoing series of small tasks. This may be ironic, but nevertheless, it is the perception.

I must say, on another note, that PebblePad looks mighty cool...a much slicker look than Wikispaces, which is what I'm currently using for my (work in progress) professional e-portfolio.