Telford (UK), January 2014 - Pebble Learning has added a number of new features and enhancements to its popular PebblePad system and Personal Learning Space, Pebble+ in its January 2014 update. Two new features particularly catch the eye.
Real Signatures
In a move designed to reduce paperwork and save time for tutors and students alike, PebblePad now incorporates real signatures from mobile devices.
This means, for example, that students working in a hospital on their work placement can bring up a form on their device when they require a signature from their supervisor or tutor. The supervisor simply signs on the touchscreen device with a stylus or their finger. The signature automatically becomes an integral part of the asset, and the university can see that all the work has been signed off according to requirements.
Colin Dalziel, Operations Director at Pebble Learning, explains, "This means that tutors and supervisors can view and sign off an item on the student’s device without needing to log into PebblePad themselves. This will save them time and means the students knows exactly where they are in relation to completing their work, without having to wait while a supervisor audits a whole group of students. This should make it easier and quicker from everyone involved in the assessment process."
Open Badges
Open badges have great potential in supporting individuals, as they demonstrate capabilities and achievements from a wide range of formal and informal activities. PebblePad now supports the inclusion of Mozilla Open Badges within assets. Users link their PebblePad account with their Open Badges repository, and as they create any asset in PebblePad, they can include their badges as supporting evidence of activity or achievement.
2014 Conference
Pebble Learning’s 2014 conference, PebbleBash, is to be held in Australia from 14-16 April.
