Case Study
Crafting a bespoke student portal for project-based learning and skill-building
Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin
Share on whatsapp
Highlights
Banff Academy partnered with Software Imaging’s team to create a bespoke student portal for project-based learning and skill-building in the digital age.
The primary objective was to help Banff Academy successfully implement a digital student portal, leveraging Sidecar and Microsoft 365 technologies. The portal, designed to reflect Banff's unique identity, organizes student work, tracks progress, and facilitates personalized learning experiences. Utilizing existing Microsoft and Glow accounts ensures seamless integration and compliance with GDPR. The outcome demonstrates a transformative approach to managing student work while prioritizing data security and privacy.
Our Client
Banff Academy is a S1–S6 secondary school in Banff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. At the core of the school’s ethos lies the strapline, "Building Skills for today, tomorrow and the future". This is the foundation of what Banff Academy strives for - building a more modern digital education ecosystem, where students are well equipped for their future career or studies. Their goal is to support children in surpassing their own expectations by introducing innovative approaches to teaching and learning.
The Challenge
As Scotland's education system prepares to introduce a cutting-edge digital portfolio for pupils through a National Working Group, Banff Academy faced significant challenges in implementing effective project-based learning. A crucial component lacking was a support system, notably a digital portfolio, essential for capturing, sharing, and showcasing student projects across diverse subjects within the school community. This absence hindered the school's ability to provide comprehensive feedback and monitor student progress effectively. Furthermore, existing off-the-shelf products proved cumbersome and inefficient for managing student work, highlighting the pressing need for a tailored, user-friendly platform.
The Sidecar Solution
Using Sidecar, our versatile toolkit for developing tailored solutions, we crafted a digital profile solution for our client, that seamlessly organises and assesses students' skills and work. This digital profile serves as a centralised portfolio, allowing students to track their progress from their initial school days to graduation. Leveraging Microsoft 365 technology, we integrated existing accounts and stored data, streamlining the implementation process and enhancing data accessibility.
- Sidecar combines the development and digital transformation cost savings by utilising the tools you already use day-to-day.
Outcome
Aligned closely with Banff’s identity, the digital student portal embodies the unique spirit in the design, organisational structure, and skills, ensuring a cohesive experience. The platform includes a collection of student work, representing different milestones. It also allows users to explore individual projects, each tagged with relevant skills, facilitating assessment and progress tracking. Learners can easily access recent work, add to projects, and view associated files. With options to filter for specific skills, the portfolio serves as a comprehensive archive while staying GDPR compliant and ensuring data security and privacy.