Glossary 

Asset

Any item created within PebblePad or uploaded into the system is known as an asset.

Avatar

An avatar is a virtual person that exists online. PebblePad includes an avatar that is visible on screen and is used to provide audio explanations of navigation and actions performed within the system. It is normally activated by users who have a visual impairment or by users who have dyslexia.

Blog

A Blog in this ePortfolio is a chronological online diary tool that can only be viewed by the person who creates it, unless they choose to share it with someone else. It can be used for whatever purpose you choose, for example as a reflective journal, a project diary, a placement diary. Refer to the written Help section on Blogs for further information.

Browser

Browser, Internet browser or web browser is a piece of computer software that allows you to access websites. There are different browsers available but those which are most commonly installed on computers include Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Opera, AOL Explorer.

Browser check

Browser check is an area off the login page that, when activated, shows you what type of Browser you have, what version of Flash you are using, whether you have pop ups blocked, and other information. This information is useful as is tells you at a glance whether your computer is set up correctly for the ePortfolio to work properly.

Desktop

Desktop refers to the visual appearance of your screen. You can change your desktop appearance in a wide variety of ways using my settings within the tools menu. This ensures that the appearance of PebblePad meets your needs and preferences.

Download

This is the process which normally occurs when you transfer a file or piece of software from e.g. a website onto your computer. You tend to receive downloads and send uploads.

ePortfolio

This is a portfolio that is accessed via the Internet, so is called an online or ePortfolio.

Export

Exporting refers to the process used to take a copy of the contents of one ePortfolio account and either transfer it into another ePortfolio account or onto a storage device e.g. a memory stick or floppy disk, as a back up copy. Refer to the Export section in the written Help for further information.

Filter

Filtering is a process that allows you to look for specific types of records e.g. Action plan, Proforma rather than all records, by selecting the record type you want to filter on. This is helpful as it allows you to sift through large numbers of records to find the one you want more quickly.

Flash (full title Adobe Flash)

Flash is a piece of software used to add animation and interactivity to websites and has been used to build the ePortfolio, allowing it to work in a particular way. Without Flash software installed on your computer, the ePortfolio cannot work. Flash software is often pre-loaded onto computers these days, but if not it can be downloaded from the Internet for free. Version 9 is the recommended version for the ePortfolio.

Gateway

Gateway can be thought of as an institutional space, the place where assets can be published for viewing by other users such as tutors or peers.  Access is controlled by permissions so on some gateways users may be able to publish items but not view other people's work whilst on other gateways users may be able view each others work. This means that gateways can have a wide range of uses including assessment submission, mentoring and sharing items with a group of people. Refer to the gateways section in the written Help for further information.

HTML

HTML refers to the abbreviation used for the language used to describe how website and webpage text is structured and presented. In the ePortfolio, you may see it used in relation to exporting your records, as exporting ePortfolio content in html format allows the content to be viewed in a webpage structure.

Icon

An icon is a normally a small image, usually displayed as a picture, character or symbol. It can represent a particular type of record e.g. an Ability icon, or can be an active button that, when selected, performs a particular task e.g. cut, copy, paste are icons that you will see in the ePortfolio.

Import

Importing refers to the process used to transfer a copy of the contents of one ePortfolio account into another, or to transfer a copy of the contents of an ePortfolio saved on a storage device e.g. a memory stick back into a live ePortfolio account. Refer to the Import section in the written Help for further information.

Pad

A pad is the rectangular shaped box that opens up as a small window in your ePortfolio. Pads differ in their uses in the ePortfolio e.g. there is a Create new record pad, the Home pad, a My  records pad, an Overview pad and can contain one or multiple pages. You may also have more than one pad on screen at once, depending on what you are doing in the ePortfolio.

Permissions

When you share a record with someone else you can choose what they can do with your record using permissions.  There are 4 levels of share permission:

• View – allows someone to view the record only
• Comment  - allows someone to add a comment to your record that you can then see
• Copy  - allows someone to take a copy of the record for his or her own ePortfolio. The original record and the copied record become separate items and can be independently edited. 
• Collaborate – allows someone to work on a record at the same time as you and any changes made by the person who is collaborating on the record will be made on the original record in your ePortfolio.
• Cascade - allows the person you have shared with to share your record with other users. This may be useful if e.g. you are creating a Blog for a project that has involved a number of active participants who can further add to your Blog.

Refer to the sharing section in the written Help for further information.

Pop up

A pop up is the Internet term for a new window that automatically opens inside an existing website window. Pop ups are often automatically blocked from opening by your computer as many of them are advertisements.  PebblePad contains no advertising and pop up windows contain useful information you need to see for the system to work correctly. Therefore you should allow or unblock pop ups for the PebblePad website address.
 

Proforma

A proforma is a particular type of template used to create a new record in the ePortfolio. There are several proformas to choose from the main Proforma pad in Create new. Once a particular proforma is selected and started, it opens in a new window as a web form. Proformas may look slightly different to other Create new templates such as Ability but all have the same purpose of providing blank templates for you to record your activities on. Refer to the Proforma section in the written Help for further information.
 

Profiles

Profiles are self-evaluation questionnaires that allow you to audit your current knowledge, skills and abilities. Profiles can be created based on subject knowledge, skills or they may be based on professional standards from external organisations. When you complete a Profile you respond to questions and ability statements with scales ranging from 1-2 through 1-9 and with short text and long-text answers. Once you have completed a Profile if appropriate you may be able to link evidence  to highlight your abilities or create action plans which help you develop new skills. Refer to the Profile section in the written Help for further information.

SWOT

You can create a SWOT, either as part of the Action plan template or as part of the SWOT analysis Proforma template.  A SWOT analysis encourages you to identify your:

• Strengths - describe your personal strengths that will support successful achievement of an outcome or process
• Weaknesses - describe your personal limitations that may hinder successful achievement of an outcome or process
• Opportunities - describe what resources or people are available to support successful achievement of an outcome or process
• Threats - describe what factors may present a barrier to successful achievement of an outcome or process

Tab

A tab is a subsection of a pad that, when selected, reveals further options or information. Tabs do not appear in all pads but where they do their heading will appear greyed out and their full content hidden until they are selected.

Tag

A tag is a labeling system in the ePortfolio that enables you to organise your records together under related labels or ‘tags’. You can add a single or multiple tags to a record to show what that record is relevant for e.g. you can add a project  tag to all assets that are relevant to a project you are involved in. You can create your own tags. Refer to the Tags section in the written Help for further information.

Toggle

Toggling options within the ePortfolio means to turn options on or off e.g. you can toggle the screen reader avatar on or off.

Upload

This is the process which normally occurs when you transfer a file from your computer to a web based system such as PebblePad.  This is the opposite of download where you take a file from another system and save it on your local computer.

Webfolio

A webfolio is an evidence-based website that is used to present stories about yourself or stories about your learning. They can contain any number of pages which can be added to, edited or deleted at any time. Pages may also contain links to Websites and other assets within your  ePortfolio. Refer to the Webfolio section in the written Help for further information.

Zip

Zip or zipped file format is a popular file compression format. The purpose of zipping or compressing files is to reduce their size to enable them to be transferred more easily over the Internet e.g. for uploading large numbers of files into websites, for sending multiple, large files as email attachments. There are a number of software packages available to zip and unzip files, a common one being WinZip. Some computers already include built-in software for zipping/compressing files including more recent versions of Windows and Apple operating systems.