Download (2177Kb) - ALT Open Access Repository - Association for ...

0031 PK: PechaKucha 4
Embedding an ePortfolio in Professional Practice
Authors
Julia O’Sullivan
Matthew Wheeler
Colin Dalziel
Theme
Broad tents and strange
bedfellows
Tags
assessment, collaboration, CPD,
efficiency, ePortfolio, evidence,
implementation, peerSupport,
professionalDevelopment
The Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK) [FGDP(UK)] at the Royal
College of Surgeons of England, is a standard-setting, educational body for
General-Dental-Practitioners (GDPs). In 2010 the FGDP(UK) implemented a
customised version of PebblePad, called Touchstone, to respond to the ever
increasing demand for quality and effectiveness within healthcare-sectors.
This e-Poster presents the impact of Touchstone on the effective use of
evidence in the workplace through practitioner examples and reflections.
The FGDP(UK) approach focussed on the requirements of the ePortfolio
(attractiveness, security, innovation and fit-for-purpose); to support the
undertaking of Continued-Professional-Development (CPD) (Stewart 2004)
and to enhance outcomes of patient care by improving practice through
reflection and evaluation (O’Sullivan 2006).
Touchstone’s primary purpose is for individual members’ to plan, manage
and record their CPD: “At last, all of my records can be kept in one place,
rather than in a shoe-boxes!”
The collaboration functionality enables networking at divisional and
national levels, e.g. commenting on government and regulatory-body papers
provides the FGDP(UK) with information for formal responses and future
policy development: “Touchstone provides an effective way of disseminating
clinical governance frameworks with the relevant committee.”
Other uses include developing reflective-practice on educational
programmes and the production of e-Portfolios for assessment: “I find
it easy to link my evidence together, doing this on paper now seems
impossible compared to Touchstone.”
Sharing learning and experience is a valuable peer-review function, which
can validate the individual’s learning (Ghaye 2010); the focus is rightly on
demonstrable achievements, but individuals need to go through the process
of learning, reflection and evaluation to produce outcomes for validation.
Implementing an electronic-system into professional practice is about
communicating the identified purpose(s) behind the adoption and clearly
highlighting the potential to all intended audiences. The following points
summarise the key lessons learnt:
• Identify system requirements (technical and pedagogical)
• Build strong working relationship with the vendor(s)
• Pilot the system with as much a variety of users/audiences as possible
• Plan structured induction activities: “Doing the set tasks helped me get
familiar with Touchstone. Once I was comfortable with the basics it gave
me confidence to explore further.”
References
Challen, R., Penfold, B., and Purnell, E. (2008). Using ePortfolios to promote assessment processes
and prevent plagiarism. 3rd Plagiarism Conference: Newcastle. Accessed 28 January 2011: www.
plagiarismadvice.org/images/stories/old_site/media/2008papers/P22%20Challen%20Penfold%20
Purnell.pdf
Ghaye, T. (2010). Teaching and Learning through Reflective Practice: A Practical Guide for Positive
Action. Second Edition, London: Routledge.
O’Sullivan, J. (2006) Continuing Professional Development. In: Jones R, Jenkins F, editors. Developing
the Allied Health Professional. Oxford: Radcliffe Publishing.
Stewart S. (2004) The place of portfolios within continuing professional development. In: Chia SH,
Harrison D, editors. Tools for Continuing Professional Development. Wiltshire: Quay Books.
23