Since 1 July 2012 Medical radiation practitioners have been a nationally regulated health profession (MRPBA, 2013). The Bachelor of Radiography and Medical Imaging (Hons) (BRadMedImg) program at Monash University prepares students to become registered practitioners under the auspices of Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia (MRPBA). (Baird, 2008). Upon graduation healthcare students are now also required to exhibit the capacity to demonstrate the achievement of identifiy graduate attributes required for employment, rather than simply being able to perform tasks, however the extent to which university teaching and learning processes develop these in graduates is highly contestable (Barrie, 2008). This paper aims to demonstrate how the Monash University radiography progamme uses PebblePad ™ technology to provide students with a cohesive and integrated learning experience, one which they can continue to build on after graduation. It will also explore the use of effectiveness of an ePortflio for increasing awareness of expectations among students by reporting on a small scale study. This study is a follow up to a similar presentation made at ePortflio 2016 where we explored the gap in students’ knowledge arising from the increased complexity as described.

1. The onward march. Are ePortfolios in Monash
radiography helping students prepare for life after
University.
John Mc Inerney

2. MODERN GRADUATES
 Ever increasing complexity for graduates
 A rapidly changing, ever more complex, healthcare system (Wolff,
Pesut & Regan 2010)
Where is the complexity arising?
 Multifaceted
– Exponential increase in healthcare knowledge

3. COMPLEXITY
 Increasing regulation
– Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia (MRPBA) in 2012
– Capabilities Framework published in 2013 (MRPBA, 2013)
– CORU in Ireland
 Radiographers and health professionals are obliged to embrace a
contemporary and integrated conceptualisation of competence (Mc
Inerney & Baird 2016)
– Read: more complex
 Need to ensure the regulator that students can understand and
evidence the registration requirements on graduation

4. EXTENT OF THE ISSUE
 Surveyed first and final years in two institutions
– Ireland
– Australia
Registration requirements
 75 % of first years did not know the requirements for REGISTRATION
as a radiographer
 29% of final years did not know the requirements for REGISTRATION
as a radiographer

5. COMPLEXITY
 Upon graduation healthcare students are now required to exhibit the
capacity to demonstrate the achievement of identified graduate
attributes required for employment, rather than simply being able to
perform tasks (Ulfvarson & Oxelmark, 2012. Baird, 2008)
 The extent to which university teaching and learning processes develop
these in graduates is highly contestable (Barrie, 2008)

6. EXTENT OF THE ISSUE
 Final year students across two institutions
– Ireland
– Australia
Graduate attributes
 45 % were unaware of the fact that graduate attributes exist
 Of these 50 % could not appreciate the relevance of graduate attributes
to the Radiography profession

7. COMPLEXITY
 There are many more elements to current accreditation activities and a
greater number of criteria to fulfil by institutions and students
 Current accreditations are not time-based
– Perpetual monitoring is required
 The previous underlying assumption was that criteria were achieved
unless evidence gathered in the process showed otherwise
– The modern assumption is that a criterion is not met until
evidence is sighted that it has been

8. THE ISSUE
 Monash’s commitment to developing critically reflective radiographers
with the multifaceted skill base to match
 Despite the best of intentions, paper workbooks were seldom seen by
clinicians and students as testament to the whole journey from student to
registered radiographer
 Ensuring students understand and evidence the demands difficult with
paper based workbooks due to their static nature
 Imperative to establish a more integrated, permanent and forward looking
system of monitoring and evidencing students’ professional development

9. SOLUTION
 Portfolios are used for a variety of theoretical and clinical reasons
including assessment of clinical competence, reduce the theory
practice gap, monitor student learning over a period of time and for
personal and professional development (Nairn et al, 2006)
 Portfolios are especially useful where higher levels of learning are
expected, such as critical thinking (Davison, Kudlas & Mannelin 2003)
 ePortfolios can provide students with a means by which they can
demonstrate progressive achievement of competence (Andre et al,
2017)
 ePortfolios can provide students with a holistic, scaffolded, cohesive
and integrated learning experience with a stronger focus on preparation
for their professional life (Andre et al, 2017)

10. SOLUTION!!
 ePortfolios to the rescue!
 Initial implementation focused on evidencing clinical competencies
using workbooks and feedback templates
 Needed to be much more than a repository for clinical documentation
 Allow academic and clinical staff to assist students to prepare for life
after Monash in a more comprehensive manner than was previously the
case
 Students developing portfolios address AHPRA registration
requirements as well as explore their professional identities

11. SUPPORTING STUDENTS

12. SUCCESS?
Preliminary results, small number of respondents, one institution
– Australia
Registration requirements
In 2017 we 20% of final year radiography students did not know the
requirements for REGISTRATION as a radiographer
Graduate attributes
40% of students remain unaware of the fact that graduate attributes exist
in their institution
100% could now appreciate the relevance of the attributes to the
Radiography profession

13. SUCCESS?
Showcase
In May 2017 year a showcase seminar: “Why should I be registered”
– Students
– Academic staff
– Clinical staff
6 CP unit: ePortfolio comprises 30% of the Unit grade
Rubric for corrections

14. SUCCESS
 Let the students efforts speak for themselves
 With kindest thanks
– Tan Hong
– Sophie Barry
– Daniella Gudzoski
– Haylee Murphy
– Stephanie Sipus
 Spend one morning at the showcase portfolio with these bright young
things, give some guidance and do final corrections or……….

15. WHAT ELSE WE LEARNED
 Perceptions of academic staff differ for the showcase
 Minimising instructions paid off, but the “meaning” of the ePortfolio
needs to be maximised
 Rubric for corrections were invaluable
 Clinical staff were extremely hard markers

16. WHAT NEXT
 Surveyed second years
 85 % agreed that they could appreciate the advantages of
PebblePad™ for clinical documentation
 Further research needed to define these

17. REFERENCES
 Andre K,. Heartfield M, & Cusack L. (2017) Portfolios for Health Professionals. Elsevier, Australia.
 Baird M. (2008). Towards the development of a reflective radiographer: challenges and constraints. Biomedical Imaging
and Intervention Journal. 4(1), e9.
 Barrie, Simon C. (2006). Understanding what we mean by the generic attributes of graduates. Higher Education, 51(2),
215.
 Chow, S., Chin, W., Lee, H., Leung, H., & Tang, F. (2012). Nurses’ perceptions and attitudes towards computerisation
in a private hospital. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 21(11 12), 1685-1696.‐
 Davison H.C., Kudlas M.J. & L.R. Mannelin, Portfolios and critical thinking. (Teaching Techniques). Radiologic
Technology, 2003. 74: p. 509+
 Mc Inerney, J., Baird, M. (2016). Developing critical practitioners: a review of teaching methods in the Bachelor of
Radiography and Medical Imaging. Radiography.
 Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia (2013). Professional capabilities for medical radiation practice.
Professional capabilities for medical radiation practice. Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. Available at
http://www.medicalradiationpracticeboard.gov.au/Registration/Professional-Capabilities.aspx
 Nairn S., O'Brien E., Traynor V., Williams G., Chapple M. & Johnson S. (2006). Student nurses’ knowledge, skills and
attitudes towards the use of portfolios in a school of nursing. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 15(12), 1509-1520.
 Wolff, A., Pesut, B., & Regan, S. (2010). New graduate nurse practice readiness: Perspectives on the context shaping
our understanding and expectations. Nurse Education Today, 30(2), 187-91.