6 improvements for ePortfolio authors in ID6

So you’ve noticed that your ePortfolio has changed in appearance from the ID5 template to ID6? Now are you wondering if the editing interface has changed and if it has any new functions/options? Well here are the 6 main improvements for ePortfolio editors in the new template.

1. Editing ease

Most of the functionality of the tools and features will remain the same in the new template, just more accessible. One of the biggest advantages you’ll notice is that you will be able to see both columns together when editing your ePortfolio. You will also be able to see other elements of the page such as borders and banners so you’ll see exactly how it’s going to look on the page without having to click back and forth through previewing. You’ll see an outline around each of the columns and be able to edit each column in its place, but you’ll still only be able to edit one at a time. However if don’t want to see the banners when editing then you can click them out of view with the Show Header While Editing button. So in a nut shell, you’ll still have the Edit bar with the icons and buttons, you’ll still have to click Publish, but you’ll get a much more realistic impression of what it’s like when you’re actually in the content editor.

2. Fixed-width design

The old ID5 template uses a fluid design which offers flexibility and accessibility which allowed the creation of designs that would flex and stretch to fit the viewer's screen. However this type of layout has its limitations as editors can lose control of the layout of a page (I’m sure many of you have experienced this!) and the importance of the content maybe lost. Once an ePortfolio has been transferred to the ID6 template it will have a fixed-width design. You as an editor will have more control over how the page appears and the design will stay the same, despite how large the screen is viewed on. There is also a fixed space to work with, so text line lengths are easy to control, as is the placement of text and images. As users now use a wider variety of devices it has become more difficult to create a design that looks good for every screen size, however this type of design is the best option to make your ePortfolio more accessible to viewers.

3. Banner and site design

The new ID6 template allows different sizes of site banner, with content options inside the banner. It also permits borders to the left and right of the page content styled to compliment the departmental site design. These new features will be selected by your department and may contain a texture, image, or perhaps a continuation of the design. Although these options will not be editable by you as an ePortfolio user they offer many benefits to an ePortfolio. The banner and site design will allow easy amalgamation of your ePortfolio and its content into a department – it will make it more obvious where your research fits within the university. The modern design will also provide an eye catching back drop so minimal resources can be used when editing without compromising appearance.

4. Design layout

The new ID6 template offers several choices of page layout (see examples) as opposed to the old default of a wide centre content area and a smaller right hand side column. There is a drop-down menu in the SiteBuilder content editor displaying the layouts in a visual format; you just click on the format you want to use and then start editing the text in the area that you want. If you use these new templates, all the content will be viewable and editable at the same time. The new layout function will give you more flexibility to present yourself as you wish with ease.

5. Page headings and fonts

You may find that the headings in your page change when your ePortfolio is transferred to the ID6 template. There is now a choice of five different headings for use in a page, whereby the size of each heading level more accurately reflects its importance within the page. You may also have noticed a change in the font displayed on your ePortfolio. There is now a choice of standard font sets, as opposed to the common font used throughout the university in the ID5 template, which will be chosen to match each departmental site design. Although you will not be able to select a specific font yourself as editors, you will find that your ePortfolio will naturally stand out and better reflect the distinctive nature of each department and your research.

6. Box styles

The number of box styles available for use will decrease in the ID6 template. There will be around four box styles that you’ll be able to select from the drop-down menu however these are designed specifically to fit with your departmental site design.

More details about the changes to the template and a video explaining them is available from go.warwick.ac.uk/id6

Steve Ranford : 17 May 2012 12:00 |  Tags: How To Id6 Live |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

ID6: ePortfolios are changing appearance, what's different?

Some of you will have noticed a ‘change’ in your ePortfolio, for others this change is due to happen very soon. But you may be thinking why is this happening at all and how does it affect me? Well, all the Warwick web sites that use SiteBuilder share a common template; the details vary between departments but they all have the same Warwick branding and general format. The university website has had several different templates over the years; however the current template is the fifth version and is known as ID5. The newest version of the template is known as ID6 and soon it will be applied to all Warwick web sites including ePortfolio's, so pages will look quite different (see examples of old ID5 and new ID6 template).

The University aims to constantly improve the web design to keep it modern for both visitors and editors for years to come. Since ID5 was introduced design conventions have changed, display capabilities of web browsers have improved and the range of devices which people use to view our web site has changed and diversified. There has also been an increase in demand from departments within the University for design richness and flexibility in how pates are presented on the web. The new template is designed to allow more variation for each user whilst retaining an overall Warwick web identity.

You do not need to do anything to your ePortfolio for these changes to take place, but if not already the new template will be applied to your ePortfolio's pages shortly. Your page content will remain the same as it is, however each page will automatically be styled to your departmental site design.

The main changes you may notice are:

• A centred, fixed-width design which can be easier to predict how your content will view on other people's screens, and allow you to be more creative with layout.
• A larger, single ‘Warwick’ bar with search options and site-specific search which will search the site containing your ePortfolio.
• Navigation styles can be either vertical or horizontal, but the default is now a horizontal navigation bar at the top of each page with menus that appear on hover.

For 'Live' ePortfolios hosted in departmental pages:

• The branding to your pages, the borders to the left and right of the page content styled to compliment the site your ePortfolio is hosted within and cannot be changed.
• The particular navigation style of your ePortfolio set by the site your ePortfolio is hosted within and cannot be overriden. Your content will appear differently if you're used to seeing the left-hand navigation options. This can mean that your content takes up more width, and therefore appears shorter.
• Your fonts will now be more distinctively linked to that of the host site for your ePortfolio.

For 'Under Development' ePortfolios hosted in our under development directory:

• ePortfolio pages are created and edited in ID6.
• It is best to design for the department pages you desire to host your ePortfolio when it goes live. If they use vertical navigation, please be aware that as you 'go live', you may need to make ammendments for the thinner page width.
• If the departmental host site you desire your ePortfolio to move to when it 'goes live' has opted to use one of the new font sets, it will automatically be applied to your ePortfolio. This cannot be overridden.

The 'Under Development' ePortfolios will change to ID6 in the coming weeks. More details about the changes to the template and a video explaining them is available from go.warwick.ac.uk/id6

If you need help, or have questions, our RSSP Advocates will be able to assist via the ePortfolio Forum.

Steve Ranford : 11 May 2012 14:18 |  Tags: Id6 Live |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Tools in the fight against SPAM through ePortfolios

The internet continues to be trawled by people who make a living out of sending spam to your email address published for the purposes of being contacted by well intentioned visitors to your ePortfolio. Techniques exist to make it harder for spam bots or 'crawlers' from harvesting your email address from your ePortfolio pages, e.g. by putting your email address within [email]email@address.com[/email] tags. There is however no 100% effective solution without removing your email address from the page entirely, which has undesirable effect of making you uncontactable.

Preferred Solution

One technique that I'd like to show you today helps you do just that, but remain contactable, by using the 'Page contact' feature at the bottom of sitebuilder pages.

Click on your name at the bottom of the screen, and a popup box will appear that allows people to send you an email, without revealing your email address. This pop-up box has a fall-back full-page version for cases where pop-ups don't work on the computer accessing the page, and this can be accessed through the URL:

• http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/sitebuilder2/api/ajax/emailOwner.htm?page=<sitebuilder page>
• <sitebuilder page> to be replaced by the URL of your ePortfolio without the domain e.g.
  http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/csde/gsp/eportfolio/directory/pg/aosgao making
  http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/sitebuilder2/api/ajax/emailOwner.htm?page=/study/csde/gsp/eportfolio/directory/pg/aosgao

Further Resources

• What is email SPAM and how can it be reduced?

Steve Ranford : 15 Sep 2010 15:14 |  Tags: Email Live Spam |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Announcement: New Award categories and prizes for 2009

Writing about web page http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/csde/gsp/eportfolio/awards/

• Best ePortfolio award £200

The highest scoring ePortfolio. Winning this award makes you ineligible to win a faculty prize also.

• Arts and Social Studies ePortfolio award £100 ^new

The highest scoring ePortfolio in the Arts and Social Studies Faculties.

• Science and Medicine ePortfolio award £100 ^new

The highest scoring ePortfolio in the Science and Medical Faculties.

• Interdisciplinary ePortfolio award £100 ^new

The highest scoring ePortfolio for research across disciplines. Sponsored by the Warwick Institute for Advanced Study.

• ePortfolio newcomers award £100 ^new

This award recognises the achievement of ePortfolios in the early stages of research (started your PhD after 1st October 2008).

• Peer Review Prize £100

Opt-in to the peer review process to be eligable for the peer review prize.

Steve Ranford : 11 Mar 2009 11:25 |  Tags: Awards Eportfolios |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Announcement: ePortfolio Focus days

Writing about web page http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/csde/gsp/eportfolio/editing/focus

A new face-to-face support event for your ePortfolio has been launched today. Focus days will be an opportunity for you to develop your ePortfolio in the inspirational, creative, and supportive environment of the Research Exchange. The first day will be* 11th Feb*, with active support from 2-5pm.

No need to register, just turn-up and get things done. Hope to see you there.

• ePortfolio Focus days

Steve Ranford : 15 Jan 2009 15:19 |  Tags: Eportfolio Research Exchange |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Changes to ePortfolio Drop–In Service

Writing about web page http://go.warwick.ac.uk/eportfolio/drop-in

The ePortfolio drop-in service will be moving to the Wolfson Research Exchange in the library from Autumn 2008.

The service will now be bookable online. This means you will be able to guarantee your half-hour slot before you set-out for the Library. Slots are allocated on a first come first served basis, but all are pending approval by the ePortfolio Support Team.

To check when drop-in's are running, and to book a slot, visit:

• http://go.warwick.ac.uk/eportfolio/drop-in

Steve Ranford : 23 Oct 2008 12:53 |  Tags: Drop-In Live Support |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

New Summer Workshop Open for Registration

In response to demand, an ePortfolio Training Workshop will be running in July on 8th July.

Register online here

Steve Ranford : 02 Jun 2008 15:15 |  Tags: Live Workshop |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

ePortfolio Award Winners '08

Writing about web page http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/csde/gsp/eportfolio/awards/winners/

Congratulations to the winners of the ePortfolio Awards 2008 who walk away with a glass award and prize money. The winners are as follows: 

		Laura Atkinson
		Gavin King
		Asaf Federman
		Jassim Happa

Steve Ranford : 22 May 2008 13:58 |  Tags: Awards Competition Live |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

ePortfolio Awards Presentation

Writing about web page http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/csde/gsp/eportfolio/awards/presentation/

This years ePortfolio Awards will have physical presentations of awards and real glass awards. The presentation will be part of the Postgraduate Poster Competition on Wednesday 21st May. Strawberries and champagne will be laid on to celebrate. In addition to this, you will have the opportunity to have a profile photo taken by a professional photographer for your ePortfolio (between 2:30 and 3:15), making this a worthwhile event for you if you have (or are considering starting) an ePortfolio.

Put it in your diary now.

Steve Ranford : 16 May 2008 15:54 |  Tags: Awards Live |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

I'm an undergraduate and I would like an ePortfolio, can I have one?

At the moment ePortfolios are only available for researchers. If you are undertaking research as part of your degree on the URSS scholarship scheme, you may apply for an ePortfolio. If you are not a researcher, but still want an ePortfolio please tell us why – eportfolio@warwick.ac.uk.

Steve Ranford : 14 May 2008 11:59 |  Tags: Faq |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem