Implementing B3.
Becka Colley-Foster (2022) Head of Careers, Edge Hill University
Presentation at MiniBash UK June 2022
Edge Hill University have transformed a simple self-reflection activity on careers skills into a university-wide initiative that uses PebblePad to support students' engagement with graduate attributes from enrolment to graduation and beyond.
All students are expected to set a career goal and complete career readiness reflections upon enrolment through a Graduate Attributes workbook. Through this process, students self-rate their levels of confidence, reflect on existing evidence of their skills in 20 key areas and develop action plans for future development. Ongoing engagement with the graduate attributes occurs through embedding information and support across the curriculum, personal tutoring and careers advice. In addition, as they progress through their program, students can apply for an Extra Edge Award, whereby they demonstrate and reflect on their extracurricular experience, again in PebblePad.
This comprehensive initiative ensures that, rather than being an afterthought, students are supported in the development of graduate attributes as part of a mindful, intentional strategy throughout their programs.
A professional recognition scheme for personal tutorial practice.
David Grey (2022) CEO, UK Advising and Tutoring
Presentation at MiniBash UK June 2022
UKAT are a higher education association that offers a professional recognition scheme for achievement in personal tutorial practice. Applicants complete a PebblePad workbook, self assessing and mapping evidence against competencies in the UKAT Professional Framework for Advising and Tutoring, the framework competencies. They also provide holistic reflections on their practice, linking back to the scholarship in the field. The complex review process is conducted entirely in PebblePad, from submission through to assessment, moderation, ratification and communication with applicants.
"Personal tutoring should be a purposeful and intentional process that gets students to look towards their future and their growth and development...we're modelling (this process for academics) by getting them to engage with an ePortfolio for this process." David Grey, UKAT.
Academic Personal Tutoring
Ruth Payne (2022) Associate Profession in Student Education, University of Leeds
Presentation at MiniBash UK June 2022
The University of Leeds initial remit with PebblePad was to implement academic personal tutoring in an online environment. The small project team were also tasked with understanding other areas PebblePad could be used including student experience, well-being, assessment strategy, inclusivity, and hybrid teaching, which took centre stage during the pandemic. Many discipline representatives were included in information sessions to share their views on how PebblePad could be used in the personal tutoring space and a comment was made “Watching this, I am irrationally enthused” (Ruth Payne, University of Leeds).
The resulting reflective student-led personal tutoring workbook allowed personalisation of the learning experience and the approach enabled learners to go at their own pace, setting their own agendas. An unintended success of the project was a clear, consistent structure of the personal tutoring model which ensures equity of experience for all students on both domestic and international industry placements. PebblePad has flourished at the University of Leeds and various other initiatives have since taken flight including resources that guide students through how to study during the pandemic, career skills surfacing, library study success and the highly successful welcome week induction pack.
