RAPPORT
Volume 3 Issue 1 (2018)
(Normand & Anderson 2017). The
portfolio also allows the students to
showcase their skills, experience and
learning to future employers through a
professional portfolio of evidence which
they can carry with them post-graduation.
Since the module encourages self-
awareness and creativity and facilitates
the development of digital literacy skills,
the students must make a deliberate
effort to engage with the technology in
creative ways. For example:
• a student who expressed the
development of their project and skills
using the digital storytelling tool, Pixton
Comic Creator;
• another student who included an
infographic to highlight their future
career plans and action planning using
Piktochart, an infographic design
application;
• a music video created by a student
undertaking an internship with a video
production company to showcase their
professional skills.
Our external examiner has praised the
effectiveness of the portfolio, commenting
that it allowed for far greater levels of
creativity and flexibility than previously
with five different unconnected
assessments. The examiner also praised
the impact on student learning of using
the portfolio as an holistic assessment
tool and not just a repository for
completed work. The portfolios have also
made a tangible impact on student
attainment: the number of ‘A’ grades
achieved in the Business Management
Internship Module rose by 4% from 2016
to 2017, with almost one third of students
achieving an ‘A’. Similarly, in the generic
Internship Module, 32% achieved an ‘A’.
In feedback students also praised the
effectiveness of this form of assessment:
• “Ideal way of assessment.”
• “It’s a good way to be creative and it
alerts you to actually analyse what
your placement did for you.”
• “Really enjoyed it. Fun and different.”
• “Very effective as it provides a
comprehensive view of what has been
gained from the module and
placement.”
The impact of this innovation reaches key
stakeholders including employers. The
online portfolios have enabled students
to demonstrate their learning from the
module and show their positive impact in
the organisation they worked for resulting
in many students securing paid summer
jobs or continued work experience with
their internship providers. Students also
undertook skills analysis, reflection on
personality assessment, careers
investigation reports and work place
appraisals which they fed back into their
internships to improve their performance.
Internship supervisors were highly
impressed with students’ abilities to
reflect on their performance and set
goals.
Looking forward
Although this has been a very successful
initiative in the internship modules there
is still work to be done. Initial
assumptions of students’ digital literacy
proved to be inaccurate and the level of
support needed by the students severely
impacted on staff time and resources.
Extra support sessions had to be set up
to take some students through the set-up
of portfolios and explain what was being
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