Dissertation Abstract

Establishment of an electronic portfolio system with PACS connectivity reflecting educational pedagogy in a radiography undergraduate programme

Holistic competences are seen as the most appropriate approach to establishing the benchmark standards which ensure a professional degree possesses an appropriate balance of academic and clinical capabilities. This balance is necessary to meet the needs of a changing health care environment and to satisfy the requirements of the registering authority, employers and educational institutions, who can have similar but differing graduate requirements. However, outcome-based standards are usually embedded within the learning objectives, which make it difficult for each stakeholder to note the level of student attainment in meeting their own individual expectations or requirements. Therefore, it seems reasonable to establish a framework to capture learning outcomes that can demonstrate student progress in identified areas of competence, leading towards the attainment of identified professional graduating competences, which is the aim of this study.

The framework concept development used both qualitative and quantitative research approaches and the data collection methods included questionnaires and secondary data. Based on the findings, the stages and standards of progress were determined. This formed the specific components used in the standards based portfolio, thus informing students about their progress towards attaining a particular stage, and eventually the overall graduating competences. The soundness of the current assessment strategy in the B.Sc. (Hons) Radiography was also reviewed, so as to ensure appropriate assessment tools were in place to provide evidence that could be captured in the framework. The findings as a whole provided the essential ingredients to devise the framework which was subsequently verified by comparing with other assessment practices. This framework concept was then transformed to a web database portfolio system which covers the framework requirements. An electronic portfolio practice was launched for two rounds with students and reviewers as volunteers using the system. Users' feedback and comments before and after the implementation were collected.

Evidence to date suggests the system supports users to build their portfolios with sound hypertext reflection under a facilitator's guidance, and with reviewers to monitor students' progress providing feedback and comments online in a programme-wide situation. Positive mean scores were noted with respect to 'Features of the ePortfolio' in the ePortfolio Questionnaire, such as collection: Q.1: 3.87 (students) and 4.67 (reviewers); selection: Q.2: 3.82 (students) and 3.67 (reviewers); and reflection: Q.3: 3.69 (students) and 4.33 (reviewers), of evidence of development. These responses indicated good alignment of system functionalities with portfolio pedagogy and quality portfolio processes. The web database portfolio system's format and use seems well accepted by the students and the three reviewers who have used the system, apart from some minor issues raised by both groups that have helped to strengthen it.

The electronic portfolio practice is not limited to monitoring Radiography students' progress towards, and ability to meet, graduating professional competences. A wider contribution is the facilitation of students' professional development from undergraduate level to later CPD (vertical extension) and also for other professions from health care areas to any professional discipline (horizontal extension). In this way, a large population of students and professionals can be served, so as to achieve the ultimate goal of web database portfolio technology without sacrificing the most important value of portfolios, i.e. reflection. Study advancements and innovative aspects of this study include: (1) The portfolio framework concept provides a clear pathway for students to progress and eventually attain the radiography graduating competences. (2) The standards of progress established are not in an 'all or none' sense but incorporate the philosophies of the novice to expert continuum. (3) The portfolio framework suggested is integrative rather than based on individual applications in either academic or clinical subjects. (4) The tailored web database portfolio system addresses the major criticism of existing products. (5) The development of PACS connectivity in a web database portfolio system.

Finally, it is the introduction of good practice, on-going support and feedback (which would be better supported in a compulsory situation), and functionalities of reflection facilitation rather than powerful or attractive technology that are the most crucial factors.

This dissertation citation and abstract are published with permission of ProQuest Information and Learning. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission.