ePortfolios in Art, Design and Media: Enhancing Learner Skills and Employability
Overview
E-portfolios can be seen as platforms that facilitate individual learner pathways and as tools that enable negotiation between higher education institutions and the wider social world, including professional and working domains. These aspects will be explored in the project through a consideration of the needs of stakeholders in art, design and media higher education – including those from formal learning and teaching contexts (learners/tutors), those from beyond the academy (in the realms of work and creative enterprise) and those whose role is to mediate between the two (skill sector councils, professional associations).
Aims and objectives
The project aimed to promote developments in the subject-specific use of e-portfolios that support learning in art, design and media disciplines. The project design aims to represent diverse ADM subjects, to include fine and applied arts and design disciplines. The key objectives of the project were to generate:
• A contribution to literature review and review of evidence on e-portfolio applications and use for learning and teaching
• Liaison with key stakeholders, with an emphasis on the relationships between subject domains and the needs of employers
• Subject-specific protocols for evaluating e-portfolio software, guidelines for use and for presentation of relevant content in educational and work-related situations
• Selection and customization of three software packages for pilot use in art, design and media contexts
• Reports of three pilot studies
• A final project report
Project methodology
The project was organised into four phases, with a range of research activities embedded within these as work packages. During a formative literature review [1], liaison and interviews were undertaken with sector skill councils, and focus group activity with professional associations [2]. This process would enable the building of a knowledge base of employer perceptions that transcends existing employability profiles for art, design and media subject domains – specifically in relation to e-portfolios [3].
A series of pilot studies assessed and tested existing portfolio software in subject-specific contexts, and the research team sought to identify correlations between these activities [4].
Download the final project report.
For more information about this project visit the Evolve website: http://pathfinder.cumbria.ac.uk/del2.html
Project manager
Dr Cheri Logan
Teaching and Learning Coordinator
T: 01228 400300
cheri.logan@cumbria.ac.uk
Project team
Stephen Wheeler
E-Learning Developer
01228 400300 (477)
stephen.wheeler@cumbria.ac.uk
Simon Allan
E-Learning Researcher
01228 400300 (477)
simon.allan@cumbria.ac.uk
Linda Shore
Administrator
01228 400300 (484)
linda.shore@cumbria.ac.uk
Lead institution
University of Cumbria
Evolve – Centre for research & enterprise into e-learning for the creative arts
Brampton Road
Carlisle
Cumbria
CA3 9AY
http://www.cumbria.ac.uk
Partner Organisations
University of Cumbria
Further information about the project can be accessed from: