Programme
Supporting the ambitions of higher
education institutions
9:00 – 9:30
🖊️Registration. Arrive, sign in, grab your name badge.
9:30 – 10:00
🎤PebblePad Start: Welcome and opening remarks by Justin Reilly, CEO.
10:00 – 11:00
Mini keynote, Session 1
Shane Sutherland, PebblePad: (Video recording)
In this talk Shane will revisit reflection, thinking about what it means across the disciplines and wondering how we might demystify it, and leverage it to add real value to student learning.
Rebecca Thorley, University of Leeds: (Re)surfacing ‘hidden’ learning for an assessed mock
interview – a PebblePad Workbook Use Case
This presentation explains the rationale for a PebblePad reflection-focused workbook as a learning tool supporting level three students to prepare for an assessed mock interview in which they articulate how degree content has enhanced their professional practice and development. Focus groups with mature students revealed the essence of degree content was being used at home and work, but the names of authors and theoretical models were ‘hidden’ beneath home and work commitments. The workbook uses reminders of previous content and assessments alongside prompts for examples demonstrating how knowledge is becoming incorporated within their practice to ‘(re)surface’ their hidden learning.
Dr Nicola Aberdein, Sheffield Hallam: Integrating Portfolio pages into Workbooks
Degree Apprenticeships require a large volume of evidence to be collected by students and assessed by supervisors throughout the year. Workbooks are a great way to collate evidence but present a challenge to supervisors during assessment due to the number of attachments. However, the integration of portfolio pages allows for this evidence to be presented in a creative and dynamic way by the students. Furthermore, it allows for differentiation, enhancing pass/fail tasks into quantifiable grade-based assessments. Overall, this method of Workbook design has benefitted supervisors by simplifying access to evidence, and allowing students to show off their individuality, originality and flare.
11:00 – 11:30
💬 Break
11:30 – 11:55
Speaker Session 2
Simon Sheard & Martin Holt, University of Sunderland: Student, school mentor & academic staff: using PebblePad to empower collaborative, learner-centred assessment for UK-based and international trainee teachers
Teacher training programmes at the University of Sunderland use PebblePad as a collaborative assessment tool for trainees based in the UK and studying by distance learning in over 50 countries. Student portfolios have evolved to combine assessments and reflections from not only trainee teachers but also their school-based mentors, university tutors and external partners. Assessments are personalised and authentic to ensure they are meaningful for the different contexts of our domestic and international trainee teachers. The portfolio is used to facilitate and record dialogic assessments that focus on the professional practice of the individual in a collaboration conversation with the school-based mentor and university member of staff.
12:00 – 12:25
Speaker Session 3
Lucy Thacker, University of Leeds: Strengthening Reflective Practice Together: Collaborative PebblePad Implementation in Engineering Education
At the University of Leeds, PebblePad workbooks are used within the faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences to support student reflection and evidence learning outcomes aligned with accreditation. This presentation highlights how learning technologists and academic staff collaborate to design and implement digital ‘portfolios’, enabling students to track their development across modules and years; by focusing on simple and structured use cases such as scaffolded programme-level workbooks with evidence uploading and small dedicated reflection spaces. I will discuss how a team-based approach to digital education enhances both the student and staff experience.
12:30 – 12:55
Session 4
PebblePad Product
1:00 – 2:00
🥪Lunch
2:00 – 2:25
Speaker Session 5
Dr Becky Lees, Kingston University: Empowering Employability: A Simple Framework for Student Growth
In this presentation, we share how we’ve worked to close the skills articulation gap for students seeking placements, internships, or graduate roles. At the Business School, we introduced structured PebblePad workbooks built around our Collect-Reflect-Connect process. Students begin by identifying existing skills, reflect on gaps, and connect their development to career goals. In this way PebblePad becomes more than a repository of content—it empowers students to take ownership of their learning journey, track progress, and build confidence. We’ll showcase how we’ve used the platform, gained insights into student aspirations and development, and used this to tailor support more effectively.
2:30 – 2:55
Speaker Session 6
Jamie Spence, University of Strathclyde: Streamlining Progress Reviews for Degree Apprenticeships
This session will explore how PebblePad has been used at the University of Strathclyde to support structured progress reviews for degree apprenticeship students. By simplifying the triadic review process between students, academic advisors, and workplace mentors, the solution improves compliance, reduces administrative burden, and enhances learner engagement. The presentation will focus on practical use cases, including how the platform was configured to meet regulatory requirements while keeping the process intuitive and accessible for all stakeholders.
3:00 – 3:25
Speaker Session 7
Lexy Buchan, University of East Anglia: Guiding the Guide: Applying Academics’ Expertise to an Intuitive Digital Experience
PebblePad can be used in many different ways; whilst fantastic for fluent users, it can be overwhelming for new adopters, resulting in a higher level of administrative and support burden on centralised teams. In this presentation I will talk about the workflow we have developed for on-boarding academics to make moving to PebblePad as simple as possible, ensuring that students – many who struggle with digital literacy – and academics get the most out of PebblePad whilst enabling support teams to work effectively.
3:30 – 4:15
💬Networking Session & Break
4:15 – 4:40
Speaker Session 8
Dr Rebecca Pratchett, Swansea University: Our Pebblepad Journey: From Scalpel to Swiss Army Knife
At Swansea, PebblePad began as a precision tool, purchased for the sole purpose of supporting nearly 2,000 healthcare students in documenting placements across Wales.
But sector-wide financial pressures have prompted a rethink. We’ve broadened PebblePad’s role across the breadth of our activities, from supporting wellbeing and boosting employability, to distance learning and research impact.
In this session, we’ll share how we’ve repurposed PebblePad into a flexible, all-in-one platform – a Swiss army knife for education. Our focus: simple, practical use cases that speak to efficiency, creativity, and real-world impact. Join us as we strip it back and explore what works.
4:45 – 5:10
Speaker Session 9
Maastricht University: Designing a programmatic assessment portfolio to track student progress development
Maastricht University Psychology presents their programme’s design of a programmatic assessment portfolio that is also meant to track student progress development by tutors, mentors and students. The students receive meaningful feedback instead of grades. Decisions are divided into low stakes – focus on feedback -, medium stakes – focus on diagnosis and new learning goals – and high-stakes – focus on pass-fail decision. Data points are collected from group projects, individual projects, presentations, peer revision and co-curricular activities.
5:15 – 5:30
🎤 PebblePad Summary, Thanks and close – Justin Reilly
5:30 – 6:30
Optional Drinks, Nibbles & Conversation
6:30
🏁 Event Concludes
Please note, this draft programme is subject to change.
We want to ensure the best experience for all PebbleBash guests and we will keep this page updated with any adjustments. Thank you for your understanding.
