ePortfolios: Communities of Learning

The problem of engaging students

An increase in numbers of students within Higher Education is contributing to feelings of alienation and lack of engagement with the learning process, and less intimate relationships between students and tutors. We believe that students do not fulfil their potential in this context, and that the process of transition to Higher Education is a particular problem. We are looking at ways of drawing on different forms of communication and activity, from induction onwards, to improve the student experience of higher education and help them to develop the reflective skills necessary for further study and employment.

Serena Bufton describes the problems students experience during transition, and possible ways to support students throughout the process. View clip

The wider context

Sheffield Hallam University's high standards in learning and teaching, and its established reputation for excellence in innovation have been recognised through three nationally funded Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETLs). This Communities of Learning project has developed from the work of the CETL for Promoting Learner Autonomy, and aims to encourage student autonomy to enhance the process of transition into and through Higher Education.

Pedagogic action research underpins the work of the Centre, as does the inclusion of students as partners within strategic change. These approaches also inform this project.

This clip describes the skills module which will provide the context for using ePortfolios to help students to develop autonomy in learning. View clip

Our initial concern was Personal Development Planning (PDP) and its integration within the first year curriculum as a means of supporting the transition to Higher Education and encouraging the development of learner autonomy. The research we have undertaken, listening to student voices, led us to the conclusion that consideration of PDP needs to be contextualised within the relationship between electronic and face to face communication in the learning process to develop a blended approach to supporting students. We also wanted to make more use of the PDP materials by putting PDP at the heart of the course curriculum

Future development

Students increasingly communicate with each other and with their tutors in electronic ways, and ePortfolios are a way to give students their own voice in the learning process. In this way ePortfolios will be an integral part of our LTA strategy, a strategy which will be jointly developed by students and tutors.

Serena describes how media and ePortfolios will be used to enhance the learning experience to support a diverse student population. View clip

Our vision is to create an inclusive learning environment involving ePortfolios with which students engage from induction onwards.

This learning environment will draw on multimedia and will be interactive to help to foster a community of learning between staff and students by engaging students and helping large groups to feel like small groups.

Website development by the Learning and Teaching Institute, Sheffield Hallam University.