This is a PebblePad ePortfolio, known to users as a webfolio. As you can see you can add images, audio and video to enhance a webfolio page but the most important thing about it is it’s narrative structure where links are made from the text to items saved in the portfolio store (like this picture of the team of graduate students who have developed PebblePad) or links to other items on the web (like this student’s YouTube video).

This particular webfolio doesn’t contain many personal links or reflections as its purpose is to present evidence for the Learning Impact Awards but you could explore some of these other webfolio examples from students. You might also like to know that Tom, who created the animated presentation has his own webfolio (indeed several, for different purposes); as do Shane and Emma who made the presentation at the conference. So, if you have time, read through the rest of this webfolio and follow any links that appeal to you.

Listen to a narrated version of this presentation.

View the Learning Impact presentation online.

Context and History

Ours is a regional university with a reputation for serving under represented students. One way it has achieved this is through the intelligent use of technology. Back in the days of web 1.0, a small team at the university began to develop exciting new technology where the content and access was owned and controlled by the learner. PebblePad was born.

Impact 1 – Embedded Use

Learning is personal, life-long and life-wide. Every day about half of the university population log in to use PebblePad to support their studies or to reflect on their diverse learning experiences. Tools in PebblePad promote essential learning skills like planning, reflecting and connecting.

Ann-Marie Killean- Psychology Student 

Impact 2 – Assessment for learning/Assessment of learning

Assessment both promotes and evaluates learning. Assessing approximately ½ a million eportfolio assets requires powerful functionality. PebblePad provides gateways through which teachers, mentors and peers can share instant, iterative, scaffolded and developmental feedback or grades.

Marina Salt- Graduate Student of Art & Design 

Impact 3 – Sharing

PebblePad embraced web 2.0 ideals since before web 2.0 existed. Everything a user creates is private unless it is shared with others. Powerful permissions allow users to choose exactly who they share with and our statistics indicate that this is very important with over 26,000 shared items receiving 195,000 comments.

Jon Rhodes- Blended Learning Advisor 

Impact 4 - Wider Impact

We are at the forefront of learning with and about eportfolios and have willingly shared our knowledge and understanding with the UK learning community and beyond. Our leading and learning is through projects that improve access to higher education; promote use by staff for their own development; promote work-based learning; embed personal development planning; develop new interoperability standards and contribute to two international research coalitions.

Lisa Gray - Programme manager, e-Learning 

Impact 5 - Professional Impact

The exciting work and outstanding results at our School of Education inspired one of the UK’s largest professional bodies, the Institute for Learning, to adopt PebblePad to support its members’ professional development.

From its roots as a tool to support learners new to university, PebblePad now supports learning well beyond the traditional university reach. Its impact on learning starts from when learners prepare for university through their early experiences and their later research projects. Ultimately it supports their transition from university into employment and their ongoing professional development.

Julie Hughes - Principal Lecturer, Education 

Conclusion

As our storyboard fills up with evidence relating to our eportfolio journey it occurs to me that the board is neither portable nor easy to share with others. This would have made so much more sense as a PebblePad ePortfolio.