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Apprenticeship programmes use ePortfolios to boost engagement
24 Mar 2025, 10:00 AMUsing ePortfolios, The Development Manager (TDM) blends practical, work-based learning and university degrees to support reflective learning and professional growth.
The Development Manager (TDM) is an organisation in the UK dedicated to delivering high-quality training programmes. These bridge the gap between education and industry. Led by Derrin Kent, TDM focuses on work-based learning and has been instrumental in delivering Skills Bootcamps, apprenticeships, and degree apprenticeships.
To create personalised learning experiences for its apprentices, TDM was after a tool to not just showcase work done, but the reflection and learning process behind it. Focusing on integrating reflective learning into the apprenticeships, TDM adapted Mahara as its ePortfolio platform, ensuring apprentices apply their knowledge in real-world contexts while developing a portfolio of their work.
Opportunity
Mahara was chosen due to its flexibility and focus on authentic learning. The platform enables apprentices to build a reflective portfolio, evidencing their knowledge, skills, and behaviours in a structured yet creative way.
As Derrin Kent explains, “Mahara is a true ePortfolio platform. It’s not just a dropbox with tracking. It offers our apprentices a chance to show their learning journey and how much they’ve grown.”
Initially, TDM encountered apprehension from both apprentices and employers. Many learners were unfamiliar with reflective practice and portfolios, having previously been taught in a more traditional, essay-based school system. Employers also needed to be brought on board, as they had not experienced portfolios as part of an apprenticeship model.
A main project goal was to ensure that apprentices could demonstrate their learning in a way that was both personal and relevant to their workplace while meeting the standards of their programme. The challenge lay in making this approach work seamlessly within the work-based learning framework, where apprentices must balance their studies with full-time employment.
“The ePortfolio makes learning real. It allows for reflective practice and continuous feedback, ensuring apprentices not only understand the theory but can apply it practically.”
– Derrin Kent, Director, The Development Manager
Solution
TDM tackles these challenges by providing a robust support system for learners and employers. Its approach includes:
- Individual Learning Plans (ILPs): TDM adopted a coaching-based approach, focusing on individual learning plans for each apprentice. The plans are personalised to the apprentices' work context and aligned with the knowledge, skills, and behaviour standards for apprentices. ILPs create a unified learning journey for both the apprentice and their employer.
- Reflective learning: Mahara became key to TDM’s reflective learning strategy. Through using portfolios, apprentices document their real-world projects, reflecting on their work and the skills they applied. SmartEvidence is used to map each apprentice’s evidence to the required standards, enabling the apprentice and their employer to track progress.
- Ongoing coaching: There are two types of coaches who support apprentices. Firstly, a skills and knowledge coach who focuses on the technical aspects of the apprenticeship standards. Secondly, a performance and development coach who works on improving the apprentice’s overall job performance and personal development.
As Derrin explains, “We coach, we don’t teach. Our goal is to help apprentices reflect on their experiences and apply what they’ve learned in real-world settings.”
Results
TDM’s use of portfolios in degree apprenticeships has been highly successful. By integrating Mahara into the apprenticeship model, TDM coaches have seen positive outcomes for both apprentices and employers.
- Outstanding results: TDM has had over 40 degree apprentices pass through its degree apprenticeship programmes, with most of them achieving top marks. Apprentices demonstrate their real-world projects, making their assessments tangible and directly relevant to their work.
- Increased engagement: Degree apprentices who initially struggled with the portfolio concept enjoyed using portfolios once they dove into the process. The ability to document and reflect on their work over time proved valuable, leading to higher levels of engagement with their learning.
- Employer satisfaction: Employers have responded positively to the portfolio-based approach. 85% of employers in a recent survey said they were delighted with the results, recognising the portfolio as a valuable tool for tracking their apprentices' progress and development.
- Easy competency mapping: SmartEvidence in Mahara helps apprentices map their learning to specific standards, making progress tracking more transparent for both themselves and their employers.
A richer learning experience
As Derrin reflects, “The ePortfolio makes learning real. It captures the evidence of what apprentices are doing in the workplace and allows them to reflect on how they’re applying their knowledge.”
The degree apprentices have a richer learning experience through TDM’s integration of Mahara into its programmes. They reflect on the real-world projects that they are involved in, demonstrate their growth, and align their learning with workplace needs. Employers have also benefitted because they see the value of work-based learning in a more structured and reflective format.
Listen to Derrin Kent
Learn how The Development Manager uses Mahara to build reflective learners and support professional growth by listening to Derrin's episodes on our podcast 'Create. Share. Engage.'
Growing reflective learners
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The Mahara team at Catalyst has decades of experience with ePortfolios and are the core maintainers of Mahara. Contact us if you have any questions about portfolios and Mahara. We're happy to help.
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