Dear Carina
I run our School's PDP system here at Kingston. We use the portfolios on Blackboard. I show students how in an introductory talk and enthuse about the benefits of PDP in general. I provide various templates asking students to consider Goals, Skills and Academic performance. Students upload the templates into their portfolios, fill them in with their reflection, and share the portfolios online with their personal tutors. Students then book a meeting with their tutors once a semester. Tutors discuss what the students have written, and look for evidence that students have engaged with the idea of PDP. If so, tutors sign off students on certain core modules using Blackboard Grade Center. Students earn 5% of the module mark as coursework for engaging in PDP. They can also earn further marks for attending careers workshops, writing CVs etc.
The keys to success for this system are:
a) having a feasible staff/student ratio - we have about 8-10 tutees each. A really large school would not be able to offer this embedded module/tutor-supported system. I do think, though, that personal tutors are essential - students want feedback and someone to talk to!
b) being able to capture all first year students in core modules - we can do it in 3 modules for all our 300+ students. Students diversify in modules after the first year and it gets much more complicated to track them. We can only offer PDP in our embedded tutor-supported form to first years only, with the hope that they like it and continue it in later years, e.g. keeping in contact with their tutors, especially for references.
c) PDP is made as painless as possible - the system is entirely electronic, from viewing Blackboard (StudySpace portfolios) to sign off in Grade Centre (all personal tutors are enrolled as instructors). No bits of paper floating about, which everyone appreciates.
Does it work? It certainly works as a system. And some students really like it. As to its long term effect, that's what needs to be evaluated - any ideas, anyone?
Hope this helps,
Best regards
Mark
Dr Mark Carew
Senior Lecturer in Physiology and Pharmacology
School of Pharmacy and Chemistry
Kingston University
Penrhyn Road
Kingston-upon-Thames
Surrey
KT1 2EE
UK
Tel: 020 8547 8450
Fax: 020 8547 7562
http://www.kingston.ac.uk/cps/carew.html
-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion and support list for PDP UK Network members [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Carina Buckley
Sent: 17 November 2009 15:27
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Using Blackboard for PDP
Hi everyone,
Portsmouth is currently looking into a revamp of the ways in which PDP is offered to students and supported throughout the university. At present we are pretty much locked into using WebCT Vista but in order to make the most of what we do have and capitalise on this opportunity to change the way it works, I was wondering if anyone is using (successfully if possible, but not exclusively) Blackboard for PDP. I would be very interested to hear what works, what doesn't, what you've added or taken away and how staff are supported in its use. Also, if there would be any possibility of having access to a demo account then that would be very helpful indeed.
Thanks very much for your help,
Carina
*****
Dr Carina Buckley
Senior Research Associate and Learning Support Tutor
Foundation Direct
The University Library
Cambridge Road
Portsmouth
PO1 2ST
023 9284 5899
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