The document outlines the evolution and integration of Mahara at Southampton Solent University from 2008 to 2015, emphasizing key milestones such as usability studies and university-wide rollouts. It discusses the importance of support materials, tutor champions, and high expectations for student portfolios to enhance engagement and quality. Additionally, it highlights the role of social media and in-house resources in fostering a successful learning environment.

1. Mahara:
Winning hearts and minds
Roger Emery & Sam Taylor
Southampton Solent University

2. It does get better!
2009 > 2010 > 2011 > 2012 > 2013 > 2014 > 2015?

3. Solent’s Mahara Timeline
2008
PDP &
Students
2010/11
Usability
study
2012
Assessment
guidelines
2014
Workflow
Analysis
2009
Mahara
integration
2010/11
Uni-wide
rollout
2013
Mahara App

4. In the beginning…
So many things to address:
Purpose
Systems
Initial support
Ownership
Promotion
On-going support
Alumni
http://www.gbcdecatur.org/files/Creation.jpg

5. Ingredients for success
• Support materials
• Tutor champions
• Example pages
• Student ambassadors
• Bags of enthusiasm &
perseverance!
See: http://www.slideshare.net/samwisemoss

6. Good Practice Communicates
High Expectations
Seven Principles for Good Practice
in Undergraduate Education
(Chickering & Gamson 1987)
Each year ‘best in group’ chosen
to set the standard of expectations
of the tutor for the next year group.
Students will try and meet that standard, then push
beyond it, creating better portfolios.
http://www.elmhurst.edu/~richs/EC/SPS/UsefulDocuments/7%20Principles%20of%20Good%20Practice%20in%20Undergrad%20Ed-ChickeringGamson.pdf

7. Biggest changes:
Increased use of social media and web tools
Fewer support requests
More attention to aesthetics/design
More images
More content & context
More enthusiasm & take-up from lecturers

8. Architectural Technology

9. PR & Communication

10. Quick wins
• Support early adopters
– You’ll need them to champion Mahara
for you
• Create case studies
– Informs other lecturers on what’s possible
• Showcase examples (even if they’re someone else's!)
– Inspire the learners of what they can do
• Create lots of in-house resources
– Helps to ‘personalise’ support

11. http://myportfolio.solent.ac.uk/help

12. Now, let’s get chatting!
Roger Emery
• Learning Tech Dev Manager
• Roger.Emery@solent.ac.uk
• @solentroger
Sam Taylor
• Learning Technologist
• Sam.Taylor@solent.ac.uk
• @samwisefox
http://mahara.solent.ac.uk/