The document discusses the use of social media ePortfolios for learning and assessment in a Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice program. Students create collaborative learning spaces using patchwork ePortfolios to capture learning experiences. This allows for ongoing feedback and conversations among students and the wider community. Authentic assessment drives the learning process, with assessment for, of, and as learning. Both benefits and challenges of the ePortfolio approach are presented.

1. Social media ePortfolios for
learning and assessment
Dr. Chris Smith Chrissi Nerantzi Craig Despard

2. intro to the Postgraduate Certificate in
Academic Practice (PGCAP)
• what is it
• structure
• assessment strategy
Chrissi

3. patchwork e-portfolio
• a personal and collaborative learning space
• ongoing conversations and exchanges
• among students on the same cohort, other modules and
the wider community
• capturing the learning process, experiences and the
journey as it unfolds
• develop reflective habits
• students in the driving seat and as creators
• “immediate” and ongoing feedback for learning
• enabled through social media
• modelling innovative practices
• mobile learning enabled and extended
Chris

4. How do our students feel at the
beginning?
Craig Despard

5. authentic assessment as the
driving force for learning
• assessment for learning
• assessment of learning (Barrett & Carney,
2004)
• assessment as learning (Earl, 2003)
Chris

6. combo approach
• Learning and Teaching in
Higher Education module:
Professional discussions
• Application of Learning
Technologies module: blended
conference
Chrissi

7. benefits
• opportunity to model diverse
practices
• develop reflective skills and habits
• media-rich and inclusive learning and
assessment
• be creative, innovative and
experiment
• learning conversations
• build personal learning networks and
connect with others
Chris

8. personalisation
Chrissi

9. challenges
• lack of familiarity with technology
• ongoing support required
• setting-up portfolios and administration
• providing formative feedback on a regular
basis is time consuming especially in large
groups
• high-level of personalisation and variety of
artefacts also means inconsistency demands
additional time to access
Chris

10. Does the e-portfolio really work?
The experience at the end of a module
“It has really helped me to begin my
journey as a reflective practitioner and
really think and reflect on the impact my
teaching has on my students. It has
helped me think about why I am
teaching.” (academic)
Craig Despard

11. Q & A and ideas
Chrissi, Chris and Craig

12. References
• Barrett, H & Carney, J (2004) Conflicting paradigms and competing
purposes in electronic portfolio development. Available at:
http://electronicportfolios.org/
portfolios/LEAJournal-BarrettCarney.pdf [accessed 23/02/12].
• Earl, L M (2003) Assessment as learning. Thousand Oaks: Corwin
Press.
• Smith, C and Nerantzi, C (accepted) ePortfolios: Assessment as
learning using social media, Waxmann publishers,
series ”Gesellschaft for Medien in der Wissenschaft” (Association
for Media in Science, www.gmw-online.de) (more details will
follow)

13. contact us!
• Chrissi Nerantzi: c.nerantzi@salford.ac.uk /
@chrissinerantzi
• Dr. Chris Smith: chris.smith@uwindsor.ca /
@chrissmith544
• Craig Despard: c.despard@salford.ac.uk /
@despard1974