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Along with Kevin Costner in the film Field of Dreams, I wondered if I’d get anybody coming to the SALT Training room for last Tuesday’s practical session on creating webfolios, workspaces and tools to support reflection available in Pebble+. We had a really interesting introduction to what Pebble+ could do to kick-start the month..I hoped so.
I’m glad to say that several did turn up, and others didn’t not because they weren’t interested, but there was a clash. Phew! Beforehand, I asked what particular aspects of the Pebble+ features they were interested in. I’d not done any ‘live’ creation of blogposts, grouping them in the Collection feature and also generating all the features possible, so I made sure, like any good Blue Peter presenter, that I had one I’d prepared earlier to showcase.
The webfolio example drew on Jo Berry’s example, but this time the ‘project topic’ was on the range of ice cream families and establishments in South Wales, including how to add pictures and each student doing a blog on their reflections. If blog posts are effectively tagged, you can use them not just a modular level (which would be specific to a module in Blackboard), but by theme or year, so that as a student they can reflect on your knowledge over time. It also means, using the Collection feature, students can customise an electronic webfolio ‘CV’ according to the nature of the job they are applying for.
There are many preset Reflection templates in Pebble+ that students can use. Templates vary in the depth of detail about the activity that they are reflecting on, so it depends on your personal preference on which to use. However, I also explored how you could establish a specific template which specific fields if you wanted students to submit a more structured reflection on their activities. Its also a useful tool for recording your own CPD.
Hopefully some might give it a go in their own teaching (or for themselves) in the coming year. Do let us know how you get on: salt@swansea.ac.uk.
