Challenges of Introducing

e-Portfolios to

Post-Registration Nursing

and Allied Health

Professionals

Julia Booth and Nicky Parker-Summers

May 2017

Presentation Aims:

• Why E-Portfolio ?

• Strategic and National Drivers

• Pros and Cons

• Improving the learning experience

• Assessment and Feedback via E-

Portfolio

• Models to aid lifelong learning and

employability

• Our current aims for Post grad education

in Healthcare

• The many challenges which lie ahead

• Our revised plan……

Why e-Portfolio ?

A broader definition of e-portfolios

….a repository, a means of presenting oneself and ones skills, qualities

and achievements, a guidance tool, a means of sharing and

collaborating and a means of encouraging a sense of personal

identity…

(CRA, 2008)

• Coventry University Group Education Strategy 2015 – 2021:

specifically, ‘Innovation and Digital Fluency’; ‘Embedded

employability’; ‘Creativity and Enterprise’

• Desire to introduce improved Student Experience, by encouraging

formative, peer-based assessment

• To encourage the development of self-regulation in students

• To enable timely, high-quality feedback to improve student-learning

(Welsh 2012)

Strategic Drivers

Pros and Cons of e-portfolio

Pros:

• Freedom of network and mobile access

• Increased security

• Removal of physical size restrictions

• data storage/backup advantages

• Ability to add a plethora of media sources of evidence – hyperlink

items in and between modules

• Creation of matrices to link theory and practice elements

Cons:

• Lack of access to off site IT/network

• Off the shelf systems – `one size doesn't fit all’ scenario

• Requires high level of technical support/training initially

Improving learning experiences

• E-portfolios promote a learner centered approach to the learning

experience with a focus on reflection and outcomes.

• Encourages students to embrace the critical reflective process of

written reflections to articulate learning and knowledge development.

• Nurtures problem solving strategies and ability to synthesize and

integrate information (evidence) - Metacognition

• Inclusive

• Encourages the development of IT skills

Assessment of Learning

• Summative v Formative assessment

• Can assess a range of abilities – critical thinking and clinical

decision making

• Cognitive and technical abilities

• Student self assessment

• Peer assessment

• Embraces authentic assessment practices in order to assess

competence – by encouraging reflection and self assessment.

Plan

collect

Assess connect

reflect

Continuous Feedback

Potential for a variety of sources of feedback:

– Supervisor

– Peers

– Wider audience – gaining international perspectives

Quality / Timely Feedback

– Written

– Audio

– Visual

Models of e-portfolio to aid -

Lifelong learning and Employability

Developmental

showcase

Assessment

Hybrid

(Haldane T, 2014)

Our aims To develop a career-long reflective-learning

habit in all our nursing and AHP students by

the adoption of e-portfolio

1. Pilot the e-portfolio with level 6 CPD

Health Assessment students

2. Introduce level 7 Advanced Clinical

Practice (multidisciplinary) students to the

e-portfolio

3. Roll out e-portfolio to all our

undergraduate nursing students from

2019

4. Include all Health and Life Science

students from 2021

Challenges in choice of platform

Challenges in IT set-up

• Learning to use a new system

• Having the ‘editing rights’ for

set-up

• Enrolling IT technicians into the

e-portfolio team

• Working with non-medically

orientated technicians

• Ensuring hospital ‘firewalls’

allow students access

Challenges in Time-scales

Challenges in Training Staff

• Time constraints!

• Are we all IT-literate?

• Overcoming resistance

• Getting to a stage where we

can teach the students how

to use it!

Mentors:

• Users guide

• Student-led tuition?

• One-to-one from University staff?

Students:

• Users guide

• Seminars on use of e-portfolio

• One-to-one from University staff?

Challenges in introducing to mentors/students

Revised plan

1. Pilot with Mahara platform May 2017

2. Review workability of e-portfolio

3. Revise format + training

4. Launch to whole cohort of level 6 Health

Assessment students in September ’17

5. Reassess

6. Launch to Level 7 Advanced Clinical

Practice September 2018

References

• Andre K (2010) E-Portfolios for the aspiring professional. Collegian, Vol.17(3), pp.119-124.

• Andrews, T, Cole, C. (2015) Two steps forward, one step back:

The intricacies of engaging with e-portfolios in nursing undergraduate education.

Nurse Education Today, Vol.35(4), pp.568-572

• Belcher, R. ; Jones, A. ; Smith, L.J. ; Vincent, T. ; Naidu, S.B. ; Montgomery, J. ; Haq, I. ; Gill,

D. (2014) Qualitative study of the impact of an authentic electronic portfolio in undergraduate

medical education. BMC medical education, 2014, Vol.14, p.265

• Chang, Chi-Cheng ; Tseng, Kuo-Hung ; Liang, Chaoyun ; Chen, To-Yu (2013) Using e-

portfolios to facilitate university students' knowledge management performance: E-portfolio

vs. non-portfolio. Computers & Education, November 2013, Vol.69, pp.216-224

• Crathern L., Clark S. J., Longden J., Styche T. Using the RCPCH e-portfolio for trainee

ANNPs: a three-year evaluative study. Infant 2017; 13(1): 29-32.

• Garrett, B M. Macphee, M. Jackson, C. (2013) Evaluation of an eportfolio for

the assessment of clinical competence in a baccalaureate nursing program Nurse Education

Today, October 2013, Vol.33(10), pp.1207-1213

• Green, J, Wyllie, A, Jackson, D (2013) Electronic portfolios in nursing education: A review of

the literature. Nurse Education in Practice, Jan 2014, Vol.14(1), pp.4-8

• Haldane, T. (2014) "Portfolios" as a method of assessment in medical education.

Gastroenterology and Hepatology from Bed to Bench, 2014, Vol.7(2), pp.89-93

References continued:

• Hughes, J., Herrington, M., Mcdonald, T., Rhodes, A. (2011) E-

portfolios and personalized learning: research in practice with two dyslexic

learners in UK higher education. Dyslexia, Feb 2011, Vol.17(1), pp.48-64

• Haverkamp, J. J., Vogt, M. (2015)

Beyond Academic Evidence: Innovative Uses of Technology Within e-Portfolios in

a Doctor of Nursing Practice Program. Journal of professional nursing : official journal of the

American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2015, Vol.31(4), pp.284-9

• Morgan, P., Dyer, C. (2015) Implementing an e - Assessment of Professional Practice.

British Journal of Nursing, Mark Allen Publishing, 2015, Vol.24(21), pp.1068, 1070-3

• Yang, Min ; Tai, Mui ; Lim, Cher Ping (2016) The role of e-

portfolios in supporting productive learning. British Journal of Educational Technology, 2016,

Vol.47(6), p.1276(11)

• Shepherd, C. E., Bolliger, D. U. (2011)

The effects of electronic portfolio tools on online students' perceived support and cognitive lo

ad. The Internet and Higher Education, 2011, Vol.14(3), pp.142-149

Images courtesy of:

Aaronlouie.com East Anglian Daily Times Eduardo Binda Zane

www.healthcareers.nhs.uk www.mirror.co.uk