In this session, Martin Holt and Simon Sheard from the University of Sunderland share how PebblePad is used to support collaborative, learner‑centred assessment across UK‑based and international teacher education programmes.
The talk tells the story of how PebblePad was introduced following regulatory challenges, transforming fragmented, student‑held portfolios into a coherent, quality‑assured system that connects trainees, school‑based mentors, academic staff, and external partners.
Key themes include:
- Using PebblePad as a one‑stop shop for planning, monitoring, and subject development
- Supporting large‑scale teacher education provision across schools and international contexts
- Improving oversight, consistency, and quality assurance for regulator‑driven programmes
- Embedding dialogic (tripartite) assessment involving trainees, mentors, and academics
- Enabling authentic assessment through video, presentations, and live feedback
- Tracking subject knowledge development and professional growth over time sing Atlas reporting to support real‑time intervention and student success
- Supporting mentors through clear structure, ease of use, and targeted onboarding
- Encouraging long‑term ownership through alumni portfolios and professional development
The session highlights how PebblePad supports authentic assessment, meaningful feedback, and strong partnerships — while remaining simple, structured, and scalable for busy educational contexts.