Scaffolding learning
At Waterloo, over 70% of all undergraduates participate in a paid co-op experience. Co-operative Education (Co-op) is centrally coordinated, supporting Co-op degree programs in six faculties (Applied Health Sciences, Arts, Engineering, Environment, Mathematics and Science). As part of their degree, students in the co-op program who have worked in research-focused positions on multiple work-terms can elect to have this recognized through the Co-op Research Certificate initiative. . PebblePad helps scaffold the learner’s experiences through a self-study guide to aid reflection and skill development, which is shared for the opportunity to receive some personal guidance/feedback.
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Engaging in this work reinforced how influential even a small degree of reflection and feedback can be in supporting student success.
Jeremy Steffler Faculty Relations Manager for the Faculty of Mathematics, Entrepreneurship & Research Centres and Institutes, Co-operative Education
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Supporting assessment and feedback off campus
PebblePad is used to support an online Master of Social Work graduate program with 150 students and 150 external assessors. A PebblePad workbook facilitates effective mechanisms for authentic, direct measures of assessment, and includes self-assessment, peer, and faculty feedback processes. The 150 practicing professionals external to the institution are securely provided access to the student’s capstone project for assessment.
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Using the workbook to guide and assess learning has helped shift the program from a didactic model toward a more student-centered model. PebblePad has been a real life-saver during these [COVID] times!