Fostering Student Personal Development and

EmployabilityBarbara Lee & Samantha Moss

Barbara Lee Samantha Moss LIS Roger Emery LIS Ann Bingham SSNO Liz George: Careers LIS Research Assistants: Roz Collins & Accalia

Atkinson

Project team

Analysis of course documentation

Considering how Career Box and any portfolio project would link

Evaluation of available portfolio products

Identifying how to take forward the development of an e-portfolio product that links to MyCourse

Project outline

Students liked: The idea of an on-line blog A place to record work experience A good way to showcase yourself The idea of a professional directory The fact that different audiences can be

enabled to have different views and that each view can be tailored to its audience.

Help in staying focussed on careers and jobs as they progressed

Research: Student Focus Groups

More than ¾ did not keep a blog What records did they kept as part of career

planning?◦ Assignments; CVs; Work Experience; Qualifications and

Educational background 80% said they would use an electronic storage

space The most popular functions (in ascending order)

were: storage of useful documents; useful websites; web bookmarks; certificates/qualifications; contact lists; PDP, CV builder; Feedback mechanism; diary; action plan, job interview records; reflective journal; display gallery; blog; video centre; sound deck

Research: student online survey

All their different information could be kept in ONE place

An easy, practical and professional way to provide information for employers

It would really help them get a job in more competitive times

Convergence with other media makes it a very useful application.

So what did students see it as useful for

Too complicated – links to focus group who identified a need for support

Would want it to be transportable (online/focus groups)

Unreliable internet connection

Use of another product or need for a tangible portfolio

What issues might prevent use

Various benefits identified◦ Student use: independent learning, recording

academic/professional development

◦ As part of a unit – units tended to be based on projects, learning journal, action plans etc

◦ Flexibility of use

◦ Own development record

Research: staff focus group

Where to find it & when: Go to myCourse:

◦ http://mycourse.solent.ac.uk

On the top navigation bar, hover over myCourse and select ePortfolio from the drop down menu (see next slide)

The Mahara E-Portfolio can be fully accessed from early/mid October 2009

More information & demo e-portfolios can be found now at ◦ http://mycourse.solent.ac.uk/eportfolios

Mahara homepage: