The rapid explosion of social networking, blogging and texting via mobile phones highlights the transformative nature of online connectivity. Interestingly, this transformation is not restricted to the young people in society, it seeps into the lifestyles and the interactions between people of all ages regardless of social class, culture or education. Alongside the frenzy to have a personal online space comes the question about the educational value of such spaces for reflecting upon and monitoring one’s own personal and professional development. Is there a role for educationalists to adopt this latest ‘social gizmo’? What benefits could it have in an educational context? How could existing skills and expertise in this environment be honed to current requirements of award-bearing courses? This paper investigates the use of e-portfolios in the context of initial teacher education focusing specifically on the compulsory assessed elements of the school-based placement, namely the formative and summative profile reports. However this is only one element of a longitudinal research study which adopts an innovative and unique collaboration between all educational partners from the teacher education sector in an attempt to streamline the transitions from initial teacher education into induction and early professional development, through to continued professional development (CPD) and finally into leadership qualifications for headteachers. In addition, policymakers from the General Teaching Council and the Department of Education sit alongside those tutors responsible for training the teachers at all stages in their careers. Harnessing Technology: Next Generation Learning 2008-2014 stresses the importance of technology and its key role in improving the planning of teaching and learning by “making the learning experience more dynamic” and allowing “education and learning professionals to engage more effectively with learners” (Becta, 2008, p. 11). Plans to deliver online CPD to teachers are also well developed as evidence exists of ‘enabled’ and ‘capable’ infrastructures to support this level of training and it is envisaged that the next step of ‘e-confident’ systems and learners is within reach for many educational organisations. Alongside ‘e-confident’ systems is the need for ‘e-maturity’ or “the capacity of a learning institution to make strategic and effective use of technology to support educational outcomes” (Becta, 2008, p. 20). Through peer support and collaborative working practices across the four teacher education institutions, these ‘e-confident’ and ‘e-maturity’ requirements will be embedded into existing teacher education practices through the use of the e-portfolio.

Approximately 60 student teachers across the four institutions were asked to reflect upon their progress at the end of each school-based placement using the national Teacher Competence framework. The traditional paper-based Formative Profile Report (FPR) was converted into electronic form and hosted in the PebblePad e-portfolio environment. Students were then asked to complete their perceived strengths (attaching supporting evidence) and areas of further development before meeting with their tutors to finalise the report. The same process occurred at the end of the teacher education course for the formal Career Entry Profile report which bridges the transition from initial teacher education into induction and early professional development. A two strand mixed methodology was used to evaluate the shift from the paper-based to the electronic FPR capturing the tutors’ perspectives and student teachers’ experiences using questionnaires and focus group interviews.

A thematic analysis of the focus group interviews of the tutors involved in the use of the e-FPR revealed that the tutors valued the additional evidence provided by students to support their claims of competence in core areas of teaching. The transition to the e-FPR also revealed the differing levels of maturity as a ‘reflective practitioner’ more prominently in the e-FPR compared to the original paper-based FPR system where evidence was not selected to support the statements. Preliminary findings from the student questionnaires reveal that the students agreed that the e-portfolio assisted their reflective practice and was especially beneficial in encouraging them to focus on the teacher competences at key stages during the course. There appears to be a natural evolution from the e-FPR to e-CEP and the evidence included as strengths assists students in ‘showcasing’ their development as a teacher over the duration of the school-based placements.