Portable Reflective
Learning: The Sheffield Postgraduate Researcher ePortfolio
Professor Jackie Labbe (Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Arts and
Humanities), Dr Joanna Gavins (Faculty of Arts and Humanities)
What is this about?
Postgraduate research students face particular challenges in
recognising, reflecting upon and representing their learning. For many, the
acquisition of knowledge and skills is unique and results from activities such
as volunteering, entrepreneurship and public engagement, as well as from formal
training. By the end of their studies, PhD students’ profiles often possess a
complexity which extends not only beyond the PhD itself, but beyond the core
areas of researcher development around which the Sheffield Doctoral Development
Programme is structured. There is no easy way of representing this rich
experience in a way that preserves its value both for the student and their
future employers. The Faculty of Arts and Humanities Postgraduate ePortfolio
aims to provide a bespoke but structured solution, which is also essentially
student-led. In this presentation, we set out our initial moves towards a fully
flexible and portable ePortfolio for PGRs, which enables students to reflect
upon and collate subject-specific expertise, transferable skills and
extra-curricular experience and to represent themselves fully and professionally
to their future employers.
How will colleagues
benefit?
The Faculty of Arts and Humanities ePortfolio is modelled on
successful comparable solutions implemented at other universities in the
presenters’ experience, both in the UK and US contexts. Colleagues at Sheffield
will benefit from this presentation by having the opportunity to influence,
shape and modify the development of a Sheffield-ePortfolio through the sharing
of experience and best practice across disciplinary boundaries. While the initial
project aims at a rollout in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities in 2015, the
model is adaptable for use across the University.
No comments:
Post a Comment