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This case study explores the use of Google Sites to support students in developing online portfolios of evidence for professional accreditation. The tutor was looking for a way to reduce the need for students to collate large amounts of paper documents and for staff to distribute these during marking and moderation. The tutor also recognised that increasing amounts of potential evidence is being captured in formats that do not lend themselves to paper portfolios, such as audio and video, and she wanted a way to help students be more creative and use these resources in their submissions.

The use of e-Portfolios, and Google Sites in particular, was proposed to the students and they decided to try it. Google Sites was trialled on one of the four programme pathways, with students given training support in how to record their evidence in the system, and staff shown how to access and comment on the materials. A copy of the portfolios was taken as the deadline passed and it was this that was used as the final submission.

Both staff and students were very enthusiastic about the use of the e-Portfolios, particularly the flexibility it provided in adding and accessing the evidence they contained. Students were able to add resources of various types and staff appreciated not having to carry heavy files of documents around. The approach is now being introduced on the other three pathways, and consortium partners at other institutions have also expressed an interest in trying it with their students.

You can read more about this approach by reading the two-page case study entitled: Creating Online Accreditation Portfolios.

If you are willing to share your experiences in teaching online in a similar case study, please contact us through the Suggestions link.