Start date: 1 March 2007
End date: 31 October 2008
Funding programme: e-Learning Capital programme
Project website:
http://www.portisheadproject.org/
JISC theme(s): e-Learning, e-Administration
Committees: JISC Learning and Teaching committee
Overview
The project will build on the work of the e-Portfolio for Lifelong Learning
(eP4LL) Reference Model Project. The next logical step in this development
would be to implement a practical application of the model using an
existing e-Portfolio system, with a view to learning lessons from a
state-of-the-art implementation. The PortisHEad project will carry out this
work using the PebblePad system. In addition the project will implement a
‘real life’ pilot version of the web services developed for the Reference
Model Project, including the use of structured entry profiles for
admissions to Higher Education (HE).
The project addresses the Schwartz report recommendations:
'to produce a more integrated service for applicants and specifically
to facilitate … Transfer of information from applicants … Structuring the
personal statement and reference, in particular through the insertion of
course-specific prompts … Providing feedback to applicants'
Aims and objectives
The PortisHEad project will implement the integration of the PebblePad
e-Portfolio system throughout the admissions process as an example of the
‘thin e-Portfolio model’ recommended by the eP4LL Project. We will review
and amend existing business processes, so that the learner’s e-Portfolio
can be placed at the centre.
In particular we will:
-
Produce structured entry profiles for relevant University of
Wolverhampton courses, where they do not currently exist;
-
Revise current IAG and application management practices in feeder
establishments and the University of Wolverhampton for the selected
student groups;
-
Enable electronic data transfer from the students’ e-Portfolio to the
University via UCAS, linking into current UCAS centralised procedures;
-
Provide feedback to applicants, to include assistance to those who are
not successful;
-
Improve induction mechanisms via further data transfer to populate the
university e-Portfolios of successful students.
Project methodology
Using a case study approach the PortisHEad project will implement an
extension of the e-Portfolio Reference Model to enable groups of students
from feeder establishments and from the University of Wolverhampton to use
their e-Portfolios to research, prepare and submit Higher Education
applications via UCAS, to receive information, advice and guidance (IAG)
about their applications from their school or college, to receive feedback
from HE admissions staff and to form the starting point for enrolment and
induction into an HE institution. Using the ‘thin e-Portfolio model’, based
on Web Services and a service oriented approach, the project aims to put
the learner, via the e-Portfolio, at the centre of the HE admissions
process.
Anticipated impact
The project will enable a close coupling between the IAG and admissions
processes on the one hand, and on the other, the applicants’ experience of
learning through the IAG events and personal reflections that occur during
the preparation, submission and assessment of their applications and onward
through enrolment and induction into university life. The project will
demonstrate the efficacy of fully electronic admissions, including faster
processing and better integration of admissions processes than current
systems.
Lead institution
Project partners