Developing a successful academic identity for non-traditional students:

the role of the electronic portfolio

David Blundell (Dept of Education) & Peter Chalk (Undergraduate Operations)

London Metropolitan University Learning & Teaching Conference 2008

Takashi’s showcase:uk.youtube.com/watch?v=PFNWTPlz10Q

Background

Autumn 0809 pilot ePortfolio project (Chalk 2008)

Foundation Degree in Community Sports Coaching (Blundell & Cunningham 2007)

ePortfolio placed at the centre of the curriculum (but no template or structure)

Students encouraged to use it as a repository for a variety of digital resources.

‘Non-traditional’ students Contested term: ‘modern’ better? Perceived as ‘deficit model’:

Class First in family ‘Non-standard’ qualifications, i.e. ‘less’ Race

Alternative view – diversity as positive self-identity, alternative cultural capital…

1. Prior achievements Diverse achievements in ‘non-academic’

field, e.g.sport.

2. ‘Digital natives’ Diversity of IT experience & self-

confidence – 1st semester learning object:

In first 10 days, links to web 2.0 sites:

3. Diversity of race/ identity

Positive images of cultural icons (in learning object built by Marcus):

Brian Lara – Chantelle’s learning object ‘box’

Towards an academic identity

Showcasing a writing skill

ePortfolio & academic identity

ePortfolio work in all four modules: Learning object in HEO Performance standards achievement Coaching plans Reflections on feedback SMART analysis Wagon wheel performance analysis

Examples follow:

Evidence of planning Coaching plan

Evidence of reflection

Coaching plan - evaluation

SMART analysis

Wagon wheel analysis

From self to academic identity

Transition in ePortfolio from evidence of personal accomplishment to records of academic achievement

Assisted by embedding in all 4 modules, small group (of 3), IT Lab support, use of ePortfolio to store evidence of

standards attainment.

Positive self-identity

Of nine pilot ePortfolio modules this was probably the most ‘successful’ – why?

Perhaps it was the L&T strategy above Perhaps it was fact that ‘non-traditional’ ‘diverse’

students typically have Positive self-identity Achievements Experience

Leading to a self-confidence we need to ‘unlock’

Towards a theoretical understanding…

‘Otherness’ inherent in diversity not a barrier, but can be a tool to help realise academic excellence

ePortfolio provided a dwelling space (Heidegger 1971) “…Only if we are capable of dwelling, only

then can we build…” Chantelle’s ‘Brian Lara learning object box’

Another explanation?

Sports achievers use immediate feedback Knowledge of Results (KoR) theory:

Fast, positive feedback is inspirational ePortfolio, perhaps, also provided a form

of immediate feedback, e.g. achievement evidence showcased on web

Tentative suggestion: transference of skill/ expectation/ experience going on?

Conclusions

Initial focus on prior positive achievement Confident successful self-identity Encourage initial show-casing Other ‘traditional’ degree students not

engaged with ePortfolio (why not?) All students should be encouraged to

approach ePortfolio as showcase Avoid ‘deficit model’ of non-trad student

References

Blundell, D. and Cunningham, P. (2007) ‘Community Sport Coaches as Social Pedagogues and Agents of Citizenship Education’, CiCe Nordic Conference - Citizenship Education in Society - A challenge for the Nordic countries at Malmö University, School of Teacher Education, Malmö, Sweden, 5th and 6th October, 2007.

Chalk, P. (2008) ‘Introducing an electronic portfolio: results of a one semester pilot’, London Metropolitan University PDP Group Report.

Heidegger, M. (1971) Poetry, Language, Thought. New York: Harper and Row.