RAPPORT Vol 3 RAPPORT Vol 3 Issue 1 | Page 53

RAPPORT Volume 3 Issue 1 (2018) Figure 1: Coghlan and Brannick’s spiral of (action) cycles (2001, p. 19). The following sets out how the 4-step cycle was developed, from the first step of diagnosing that e-portfolios might provide an improved method of assessment, through the second and third steps of planning the introduction of e-portfolios and assessment materials, and acting (i.e. implementing the plan), to reviewing or evaluating any intended or unintended outcomes during implementation. Step 1: Diagnose From a teacher perspective, the intended purpose of incorporating e-portfolios into the course assessment was primarily as a mode of assessment. It was thought that it would also help improve professional practice by introducing a new technology- enhanced learning tool to teaching, learning and assessment. Without prior personal knowledge of e-portfolios as a mode of assessment and considering the very recent DCU-wide introduction of learning e-portfolios on Loop Reflect 2017, learning by (and while) doing was the experiential learning approach we adopted to test e-portfolios as a method of assessment. Step 2: Plan We discussed how to introduce the e- portfolios to students prior to the start of the second semester of the academic year 2017/18. To facilitate a comparative evaluation of student learning outcomes we decided to keep the same reflective journal exercises. Lisa Donaldson, a learning technician with the Teaching Enhancement Unit (TEU) at DCU with responsibility for promoting and implementing use of e-portfolios, provided advice and support. Our discussions on planning the introduction of e-portfolios would provide another evaluation element of reviewing how well the plan worked (intended outcomes) and what else emerged during implementation (unintended outcomes). Working closely with Lisa we developed the following supports for students. 1. Revise the assignments so that they would be ‘e-portfolio friendly’ As the exercises were reflective already, they appeared to be a good fit with the e- portfolio format. Some minor changes were made to the assignments to match the templates (for example the videos in 52