he tangata, he tangata, he tangata 

Acknowledge the past

Embrace the present

Advance the future 

1. Why did you sign up for the joint ALIA/QUT project?

I saw the project as an opportunity to explore a software system that I could see would be introduced by my employer at some point in the future. While there is no way of knowing which system they will eventually select, I think in the end it will be something like office productivity software, learning management systems or library management systems – while they may use different terminology and be set out or arranged in different ways, they’ll all be reasonably similar in the end.

As for TAFE Queensland, I saw the following applications for the use of eportfolios:

Profiling staff (for performance reviews/job applications)

Keeping records for audit (staff qualifications and experiences)

Compiling evidence for students to gain qualifications

Received eportfolios from potential customers for recognition of prior learning and recognition of current competency (RPL/RCC)

And just for once, for us (CQIT) to be ahead of the game in terms of understanding the potential of software, rather than waiting for some other institution to pilot something and then be scrambling to catch up.

I’m also a participant in ALIA’s CPD Scheme, and although I haven’t been audited yet, it’s only a matter of time. I can see that demonstrating my professional development activity by keeping my evidence and records in an eportfolio system will make facing audit much less scary!

2. What do you want to achieve as a member of the project?

To produce a quality eportfolio ready to use for:

Job hunting

Demonstrating to others on staff at CQIT uses of eportfolios, both for themselves, and how students might use them

Preparing material ready for the Departmental Leadership Program

Also, to gain an understanding of how this kind of system may impact CQIT and it’s operations.

3. How are you progressing and what are your experiences so far?

I’m behind where I wanted to be this far into the project – I have found some issues with the way in which PebblePad works, for example, that webfolios are built from the bottom up, rather than the top down. I know I’m not the only person in the project who has used paper to design the portfolio structure, and then selected and created the artefacts to populate it first, before starting the creation in PP. It seems a bit redundant, somehow.

Having said that, it has been a great tool in collecting artefacts – ‘evidence’ – of my achievements, and as this collection builds up a positive reinforcement of what I have – and can – do.

4. How have you used your ePortfolio (practical applications)?

At this point in time, just a collation tool at the moment. I have not yet had an opportunity to use it for either job applications or performance reviews, as neither of those two events have happened to me yet! Associate Professor Hallam has visited CQIT, and my portfolio was used during the presentation! It has been useful, though, in assisting in the preparation of material for the Leadership Program.

5. Almost 8 months have passed, what features of your eportfolio do you like the most and why?

The data storage capacity, in that I no longer have to remember what I own/have read/have watched/etc so that when I’m working on an assignment I hopefully won’t have to rack my brains for where I read that quote... saw that video...etc.

Also, the ability to reuse the ‘assets’ in a variety of ways to produce webfolios on demand tweaked to suit the individual need that I have at any given time.

There are elements of PebblePad which are for the expression of personal thoughts (which are not necessarily displayed to others) which I have found quite challenging to express, even to self in preparing material to upload to the system. Having said that – I have wanted to challenge myself in this way – to perhaps break out of some of these ‘traits’ – ingrained habits? – and PebblePad has provided a ‘safe’ place to do this.

6. If you had to create an 'elevator pitch' aimed at fellow librarians re your ePortfolio and professional development, what would you say?

If there’s one thing that I think we’re collectively bad at – it’s promoting ourselves, particularly as a profession. I’m finding the bad old stereotypes (with thanks to Robyn and Wayne, on ya!) are still out there. By pursuing and demonstrating a wide variety of skills – not just in finding and evaluating information, but also assembling and presenting it using new tools and technologies like eportfolios, we can demonstrate our wide range of skills in a more exciting and modern way – far more interesting than wads of paper or death by powerpoint, far more likely to catch the attention of managers in our parent organisations! I also know that ideas, concepts, (policies and procedures) that are self evident to us are not so to other people, so finding other ways to present them – and ourselves – is a good thing. If we use new systems and technologies like eportfolios, it gives us a great way to showcase our knowledge and skills – for performance reviews, job hunting, and because we can!