A Visual Metaphor Representation Of Sustainable Technology Using PebblePad

Webfolio

Graham Oakes, Anthony Felton, Kevin Garner

Department of Architecture and Product Design

University of Wolverhampton UK

June 2009

Degree InformationPebblePad was used on two undergraduate degree courses at Level 1: -

BDes (Hons) Product Design and Innovation,for Product Designers.

BDes (Hons) Design Technology,

for Engineering Designers.

Module Information

PebblePad was used for one Level 1 Module entitled: -‘Sustainable Technology’.

Module topics included: -Carbon Footprint CO2

RecyclingEnergy.

Module Information

Topics covered included: -Product development including using cradle-to-cradle approach rather than cradle-to-grave approach.i.e. where end of life cycle of one product is the start of the life cycle of another.e.g. plastic cups to plastic pen casings.

Sustainability Technology Issues

Sustainability Technology curriculum concentrated on the three main areas of:

Social – peopleEnvironmental – planetEconomic - profit

Academic Approach

As a pilot approach for this module the academic team introduced a blank webfolio to the students that they could share with each other.

The aim was for the students to populate the webfolio with information on Sustainable Technology topics beginning with every letter of the alphabet.

Academic Approach

Students were encouraged to hyperlink any research or resource materials that they found.

Any other student or member of staff ‘sharing’ the module could access and/or edit this collection of ‘digital artefacts’.

Academic Approach

Students could plan, synthesise, discuss and share their knowledge and research findings with each other in real-time using PebblePad.

At the same time the students would be establishing their own research resource.

Learner’s Perspective

To complete the process, students’ assignments were submitted on-line using PebblePad, via a Gateway, and summative academic feedback was provided through PebblePad.

This methodology permitted the dissemination, receiving and responding to both formative and summative assessment.

Practitioner’s PerspectivePebblePad and the use of e-learning was an expectation on joining the University of Wolverhampton.Feedback from the students throughout the module was that they appreciated this innovative approach.The flexibility of PebblePad allowed the creation of structured assets, templates and supporting materials which could be shared with other students.

PebblePad Journey

KnowledgeVault

StudentInput

AcademicInput

StudentAssessment

2008/09Year 1

2009/10Year 2

2010/11Year 3

Retained by Student

Retained by University

Retained by University

Retained by Student

PebblePad

Gateway

Let’s have a look at the Webfolio

Start of PebblePad Journey

Hyperlink to PebblePad page.

Hyperlink to University of Wolverhampton home page.

Conclusion

This presentation has demonstrated: -

The use of technologies to extend and enhance the student learning opportunities through the provision of tasks and materials which enrich, and are aligned with, face-to-face learning.(Blended Learning Strategy 2008)

Conclusion

The areas of Blended Learned covered include:-

Module Content – using digital content, the knowledge base for modules.Formative Assessment – using effective formative assessment with feedback.Collaborative Learning – creating Collaborative Learning opportunities on-line.

Conclusion

The areas of Blended Learned covered include:-

Electronic Personal Development Planning (ePDP) – developing our learners’ awareness of themselves as learners using ePDP.

e-Submission – Submission and feedback of Summative assessments electronically.

Conclusion

Students particularly enjoyed the blended learning approach taken and establishing for themselves a knowledge vault that they could access throughout their course. Because of its success PebblePad was utilised in Semester 2 in a further module entitled CAD & Development 1.A minor problem was file size – this is currently limited to 10Mb.