Music 9 - 4th quarter - Vocal Music of the Romantic Period.pptx
Employing students to promote e-portfolio use- A win win scenario
1. Jude Comfort and Hannah Jago
Curtin University
Perth, Western Australia
J.Comfort@curtin.edu.au
ePortfolios Australia Conference, October 2011
2. Curtin’s iPortfolio trialled in 2009, implemented more
in 2010
iPortfolio online space for students/staff to allow for
self-assessment of learning achievements and
professional competencies, sharing and feedback
mechanisms and a showcase of achievements
2011 wider use including to several large units
Notably Foundations in Professional Health Practice
(cohort 1700 in semester 1, 2011) where some
assessment tasks used iPortfolio
In Health now integrated into several units and
courses across all faculties and as of April 2011 there
were 27,000 iPortfolio account holders
3.
4. Number of strategies provide support.
Core has been iPortfolio Student Support
Officers
Curtin students who get paid as casual
employees to provide support
Have become first port of call technical
assistance and feedback to users
Part of an ‘earn as you learn’ initiative
Uses principles of peer team approach
5. Staffing lunchtime shop front help desk 2
hours each teaching day
Respond to emails to iportfolio@curtin.edu.au
Provide assistance to lecturing staff in
practical aspects of using iPortfolio with a
class
Deliver promotional/introductory sessions to
students and staff
Running iPortfolio Elluminate sessions (virtual
classroom)
6. IPSSO help desk
in action
Busy day –
assignment due
next afternoon
7. Recruitment semester 1 from Curtin student
mentors through simple EOI
Interview process
Short training session run by iPortfolio Officer
Semester 2 EOI to large first year health
science class cohort
On the job training by first year ‘experienced’
IPSSOs
8. 2011 Semester 1 2011Semester 2
(13 weeks data – full (11 weeks data)
semester)
In-person 159 44
consultations
Email queries 140 66
Staffing 4 commenced 3 continued
3 continued 2 new first year
recruited
Hours worked Generally 2 IPSSOs for Generally 2 IPSSOs
2 hours weekdays for 2 hours
weekdays
Approx cost $7,000 $6,000
(admin + salary)
10. Small well qualified cohort of iPortfolio student
helpers
Provide student perspective on using iPortfolio.
Benefitting from many brains working on tech
solutions
Provide valuable feedback to information
technology team responsible for the technical
aspects of the system
Feedback on issues lecturers may need to know
in setting assessment work
Student/peer led support program
Provides great ‘earn as you learn’ experience
Connects students with Curtin services
Students become our promotion staff
11. ‘Very helpful, didn’t make me feel stupid for
not understanding iPortfolio.’
‘A very helpful experience – relaxed and not
intimidating. Thanks for this service.’
‘Very helpful and able to undo and fix my
computing problems.’
‘Thank goodness they are here to help as I
was shown other computer things that will
also make it easier for me.’
12. Earning opportunity with connection to uni
No need to travel to work
Flexibility around study commitments using
rostered approach
Impressive addition to CV
Students develop unique skill base of
transferable skills e.g. customer
service, IT, presentation skills
Allows for fairly autonomous work environment
Peer to peer learning & promoting peer led teams
Positive working environment
13. Advertising scheme to whole Curtin community
Inconsistent workflow; busy times/quieter times
often driven by assessment demands
Being able to ascertain if problem is system wide
or a specific individual portfolio
Responding to wide variation in IT competency
Ensuring peer training is adequate
Finding the best place for them to be situated on
campus
14. Need ongoing recruitment to ensure
continuity as some IPSSOs will graduate end
of this year
Need for ongoing training and updating
(model will be to recruit new students
semester 2 year 1 with hope to have them for
2.5 years)
Ongoing funding/management resource
commitment required
As better trained Curtin community less
demand for helpline then need to ensure
other uses of IPSSOs
15. Continuing with use of IPSSOs
Using IPSSOs for wider range of iPortfolio
promotion e.g. delivering Open Day
events, running Elluminate
sessions, producing instructional videos
Looking at offering more advanced user
sessions
Need creative solutions to serving non
Bentley based staff and students
More tailored support for staff using
iPortfolio in teaching