The document discusses the implementation of eportfolios for students in a postgraduate public health program in Africa. It aims to enhance reflective learning and digital literacy among students and lecturers. Google sites was selected as the platform to develop eportfolios. Objectives include developing instructions for creating eportfolios, defining lecturer roles, and exploring assessment linkage. Research supports that eportfolios improve reflection, engagement, and problem-solving skills when integrated appropriately with support and clear guidelines.

1. UWC
Verona Mathews

2.  School of Public Health offers a mixed
learning postgraduate programme in
Africa which consists of distance learning
and one-week block format courses
 The focus of this case study is the
postgraduate diploma student consisting
of approximately 40 students the portfolio
is presented as an assessment
requirement though the primary focus is
reflection on learning.

3.  Kecik et al (2012) assessed the feasibility of
an E-Portfolio Application in a Distance
Education Teaching Practice Course using a
customized e-portfolio application with three
groups: university supervisors, preservice
teachers, and cooperation teachers
◦ They found that eportfolio applications can
meet the majority of the
planning, teaching, and reflection needs in
the teaching process.
◦ It has the potential to document the history
of the students learning thus considered a
valuable tool for self regulated
learning, planning, self-directed
learning, and not just the collection of the
work done (Kecik et al, 2012).

4.  Enhancing the students’ and lecturer’s ability
in using emerging technologies for teaching
and learning
 Standardizing the purpose and platform for
eportfolios thus improving the input and
output of the eportfolios
 Enhancing the culture of reflective
practitioners

5.  Students complete the diploma course
successfully but fail to see the connectedness
between the modules and how the modules build
on one another and develop an understanding of
public health.
 Computer and digital literacy for both students
and lecturers with the inclination to acquire the
skills and knowledge in technology.
 Administration of the eportfolio, first with the
administrative staff and their digital literacy and
secondly creating change in structure and
logistics for assessment and formative learning
 The role and expectations of lecturer in the
process of compilation, feedback and assessment
of the eportfolio.

6. • The portfolio contained two parts Part 1:
◦ A careful selection of the work compiled as the student
work through the six modules. This may comprise of
between six – eight (6-8) samples of the students’ work
as evidence of their experience and growth;
◦ relevant items undertaken alongside the programme for
their work role may be part of the 6-8 samples;
• Part 2: A reflective report in which they
comment on their experience and growth
using the samples as evidence of this
growth.
 For the 2013 cohort a paragraph was inserted
informing the students that they will receive
instructions on how to create an eportfolio using
Google sites.

7.  Chuang (2008) used the lens of weblog affordances
(using Foster and Tam, 2004)
globalness, immediateness, connectedness, engaged
ness and authoritativeness
 Connectedness is an affordance because it firstly
connects lecturer and student on a technological
platform which enhances the relationship due to the
fact that most of the students are distance learners.
It also connects the students’ learning with their
professional practice.
 Collaboration will be encouraged though peer
feedback and lecturer’s inputs.
 Authorativeness because it enables the learner to
become confident in the area of learning, reflecting
on learning and becoming a reflective practitioner.
 Ecological because it will save paper and save trees as
there will be no more printing of all submissions for
assessments.

8.  Matt Bower (2008) describes a framework for
affordance analysis with matching learning tasks
with learning technologies. He continued by
identifying three types of
affordances, educational, social and e-learning
technology.
◦ Educational affordances of eportfolio using google sites
would be being a reflective practitioner, digitally
literate, use of multimedia in learning and
teaching, linking learning with educational competencies
and finally linking learning with practice.
◦ Social affordances includes being up-to-date with latest
technology by introducing potential social medias that
could be used which might be unfamiliar to target group
due to their age and practice.

9. ◦ E-learning technology affordances includes:
 web-based and thus ownership is with the student
allowing for continuous learning and development.
 open-source and free,
 multimedia uploads thus creating creative
environment,
 secure because it is password protected,
 transferable as with many open-source software it can
link or be uploaded in other software’s or LMS’.

10.  The intervention is to implement eportfolios to
both students and lecturers using Google
sites. The intervention has the following
objectives:
◦ Review and document purpose, process and
requirements of an eportfolio for the Diploma in Public
Health
◦ Develop a set of instructions on how to develop an
eportfolio on selected technology platform
◦ Enable students to use a technology platform to compile
and submit their portfolios
◦ Explore and define the role of the lecturer in the process
of implementation, feedback and assessment
◦ Support Lecturers in accessing the eportfolios and
providing feedback on reflective tasks handed in by
students
◦ Explore mechanisms for linking assessment to
eportfolio and develop a set of recommendations

11.  E-portfolio Workplan 2013.xlsx

12.  Gray, 2008 identified the following key points
for effective practice applicable to this case
study:
◦ Appropriate online support materials,
◦ Effective design of tasks,
◦ Immediacy of communication,
 Provision of alternative routes where
difficulties prevail
 Incorrect presumption that users both
students and lectures understand the
processes like feedback, reflective
writing, selecting information, and planning.
 Transparency and consultation

13.  O’Keefe and Donelly (2013) posits using
eportfolios counteract the challenges such
as students
◦ being passive consumers of knowledge,
◦ never fully engaging,
◦ never thinking deeply,
◦ or never truly understanding
 The eportfolio will be used for a reflection
on learning that could be presented
through different forms of multimedia;
students can demonstrate their ability for
problem solving and evaluate their own
learning as they progress through the
program

14.  Zhou et al (undated) evaluated eportfolio
platforms in higher education and found
Google sites to meet most of the criteria.
 Improve the curriculum design of the
portfolio
 Student centred approach focussing on the
needs of the students.
 Teaching and learning using emerging
technologies

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Available
Online:https://eportal.cityu.edu.hk/bbcswebdav/orgs/L_EPORTFOLIO_
WORKSHOP/Publication/eCASE2010-eP-platform-evaluation.pdf