UCT Teaching and Learning Conference presentation 20 October 2014. Abstract: Currently, assessment of learning predominates over assessment for learning in Higher Education and alternative methods of assessment, such as ePortfolios, offer well-documented benefits for student engagement and learning (Williams, 2014). The purpose of this curriculum intervention was to align with UCT’s strategic goals related to graduate attributes and preparing students for the workplace through the integration of small authentic learning tasks (e-tivities). Our aim was for students to demonstrate practical skills related to the implementation and evaluation of e-marketing strategies using tactics to market themselves as an online brand (i.e.. practical application of course content). Secondly, we hoped to enable students to think about themselves as future professionals by creating an online space to ‘market’ themselves to potential employers. Our illuminative case study approach included analyses of students’ ePortfolios using multimodal discourse analysis, student evaluations and focus groups. This presentation looks at students' perceptions of ePortfolios in relation to authentic learning, personal value, future and workplace relevance, and how they perceive these texts in relation to their online identities and shifting position from student to emerging professional. Upcoming seminar 6 November, details: http://teaching.cet.uct.ac.za/events/view/663

1. ePortfolio
integration
in an
e-Marketing
Course
BUS4074S Course Convener Stephanie Houslay
CILT ePortfolios co-ordinator Dr Nicola Pallitt
20 October 2014
UCT Teaching and Learning Conference

2. Background
• Postgraduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship
Management or Marketing
• E-Marketing Course (18 NQF credits at level 8)
• 94 students enrolled
• Demographics: 21- 44 years old, different ethnic groups,
diverse backgrounds and range of previous studies
• Course objectives:
- “The overall aim of BUS4074S is to enable you to critically
evaluate and compile e-marketing strategies. The course
examines the latest trends pertaining to information and
communication technologies and marketing
- You will learn practical skills related to the implementation
and evaluation of various e-marketing tactics, through
individual and group-based projects.”

3. Where We Were...
• Fast evolving industry
- updated course content and curriculum for industry relevance
- embed workplace relevant skills in the curriculum and prioritise the
practical application of course content
• Personal online brand
• Rationale - authentic learning:
- learning activities that closely resemble the ways that students will
be expected to use their knowledge and skills in industry
• Rule (2006) identifies 4 main components:
1. involves real-world problems that mimic the work of
professionals,
2. includes open-ended inquiry and higher order thinking skills,
3. engages students in social learning and
4. empowers students by choice to direct their own learning

4. ePortfolios
• ePortfolios
- “A purposeful collection of information and digital artefacts
that demonstrates development or provides evidence for
achieved learning outcomes, skills or competencies.”
(Cotterill, 2007)
• Individual assessment (20% of course work mark)
• WordPress blogs to create ePortfolios
• Negotiation around private/public platform
• 3 e-tivities and overall ePortfolio graded
• Additional e-tivity
• e-tivities (topics) set with industry collaborators
• Internships awarded by industry partners

8. Where Are We Now?
• Research and evaluation
- illuminative case study design
• What kinds of values did students derive from the
integration of ePortfolios as an assessment system in
BUS4074S?
• Data:
- analyses of students’ ePortfolios using multimodal discourse
analysis
- course evaluation (in progress)
- survey (completed)
- focus groups (completed)
- student reflections (e-tivity 3, completed)

9. Preliminary Findings...
• ‘Who are our students?’
- better understanding
• Not about the technology
• Value beyond the University and ‘for marks’
• Graduate preparedness
• Personal online brand - emerging professional identities
• Career changes
• Learning new skills

10. Technical aspect the easiest!
Concurring with ePortfolios
literature, students struggle
with reflective writing. Like
CVs, being selective about
what to include to represent
themselves also difficult.

11. The ePortfolio and eMarketing
course has been extremely
beneficial for me. The
ePortfolio's made me realise
that I had to expand my
digital presence and in so
doing I created my own
website Brad Mylne eCV -
which was a really cool
experience for me. I was able
to include this website on
different social media
platforms, this lead to a 'past
friend' coming across it. My
past friend and now business
owner made contact with me
and offered me a job at a
4month old online retail
company On The Patio. I am
the first person they have
officially employed and really
excited to show them what I
have learnt throughout this
course.
So yeah just thought I would
share a cool little story!!

13. Student Quotes
“What I enjoyed about it was it’s a very different way
to learn theory and, I mean, I’m terrible with learning
theory, but putting it in a way that’s more creative, I
can understand it, like, 100% even though it’s reading
a text book. When you relate it to yourself I was able
to learn it, like, a whole lot better. And so, like Chelsea
mentioned, it’s being able to go back to see what you
did and to see what other people have handed in
whereas normal projects you just hand in your project
and you don’t then actually ever get to see what the
other people are doing.”
(student, focus group)

14. Student Quotes
“I guess they’re a lot more personal. You know,
tutorials are always, like, you’re given something to
do, and almost always third person or something else,
but this is very personal…”
(student, focus group)

15. Student Quotes
“It’s, like, you have to reflect in the right way. Even
though you want to reflect how you want to; there is a
right and a wrong way to do it, which is hard to, like,
balance what you want to.”
“Yes, I felt like I wanted to say a lot of things but I felt it
wasn’t academic enough to say those sort of things on
my blog, even though I was meant to reflect. And,
like, I’m busy with eActivity three now and I really
want to say what I feel but it’s not going to get me any
marks, sort of thing, because I have to reflect in the
right way that’s going to get me the marks.”
(students, focus group)

20. Where Are We Going?
• Use our research insights to modify course content
• Ongoing industry collaboration
• Dialogue with international recruitment agencies
• Equipping students to be competitive graduates in
a global marketplace

21. Special Thanks To...
• Shanali Govender @CILT
• Rian Carstens @c6consulting
• Warwick Allan @mushroommedia
• Nick Knuppe @hellocomputer
• Melody Maker @anthropology
• The other 6 industry guest speakers!

22. Teach with Tech Seminar
• 6 November 2014 @ 13h00
• CILT Seminar Room
• Why ePortfolios in your course for 2015?
Are you teaching a course where students need to
compile evidence and demonstrate engaged
learning? Perhaps to showcase professional
qualifications to stakeholders outside of the
University?
• Read more and sign up:
http://www.cilt.uct.ac.za/cilt/teaching-technology