On the 4th of June, we relaunched the North PebblePad User Group, a community event where customers and team members came together to share ideas, celebrate successes and build connections at the University of Leeds in the Helix@Leeds. From powerful presentations delivered by our users to attendees providing feedback on our plans for AI in PebblePad, here’s an overview of the event’s many highlights.
Charting progress
The event began with a warm welcome and an introduction to our relaunched PebblePad User Groups, highlighting how they align with our all-encompassing PebblePad Hug initiative. Our Chief Customer Officer, Alison Poot, then shared a series of company updates – including the recent NorthEdge investment and the appointment of PebblePad’s new Chief Executive Officer, Justin Reilly, who also introduced himself and met some of our wonderful customers.
Sharing insights
After the welcome, three speakers delivered two inspirational sessions, showcasing how they are using PebblePad to create new pathways to learning success:
Session One: Empowering Dissertation Journeys – The Role of PebblePad in Dissertation Modules
This session was delivered by Dr Leendert Plug and Dr Corinne Painter (University of Leeds) who described how, before utilising PebblePad for Dissertation modules in the Linguistics undergraduate programmes, it was difficult for supervisors to keep track of required project proposals and ethics forms, particularly when working with multiple drafts and changes.
Since moving the Dissertation module into a form-based setup within PebblePad, it is now much easier to manage as all elements are contained within a single workbook. Corinne shared further PebblePad usage examples that focused on dissertations within MA Intercultural Studies programmes. She offered an honest take on the challenges around balancing multiple platforms – as well as learning to become familiar with a new system from both staff and student perspectives.
Session Two: Structuring Success – Workbook Design for Healthcare Science Apprenticeships
This session explored how PebblePad’s features can support students (and assessors) in meeting KSBs (Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours), the core competencies that must be demonstrated by an apprentice. Dr Nicola Aberdein (Sheffield Hallam University) discussed and showcased how this includes rubrics for both students and assessors to keep track of progress, as well as mapping workbooks across Levels 4, 5 and 6 to further support students during their End Point Assessment. This approach enables learners to evidence KSBs using their ePortfolio built over three years of study.
Exploring AI
Following the sessions, Toni Lavender (PebblePad’s Chief Technology Officer) and I joined forces to deliver a PebblePad AI workshop. Attendees had an opportunity to see our AI Wizard, a potential workbook creation assistant being researched by the PebblePad Product team.
Attendees gave live feedback during a blue-sky thinking activity around how AI could help within PebblePad. The reaction and feedback were hugely positive and will be relayed by Toni to the PebblePad Product team.
What’s next
With such positive feedback – not to mention a great lunch! – expect more news on the next North PebblePad User Group soon. In the meantime, while the Scotland user group has already taken place (write-up coming very soon!), there are a further two regional User Groups scheduled for the remainder of June:
Wales, South & West / 24th June / University of Worcester
London / Date TBC / St George’s, University of London
Please feel free to forward this to any colleagues who you feel may be interested in attending the groups. For more info, speak to your Customer Success Manager or email hello@pebblepad.co.uk
