Virtual Booth

ABSTRACT

This innovation project introduces the SmartPadlet: Supervisor Resource Centre, a centralised digital platform developed to support and empower lecturers in their role as academic supervisors. The initiative addresses the challenge of inconsistent supervisory practices and limited access to ready-to-use resources, aiming to improve the efficiency, confidence, and consistency of academic supervision across faculties.

Academic supervisors often faced difficulties navigating fragmented resources and unclear processes. Struggled with managing multiple documents and coordinating supervision tasks, leading to inefficiencies and inconsistencies in the assessment process. These challenges highlighted the need for a structured, accessible, and collaborative solution to support supervisory responsibilities.

Using a design-based research approach, the team developed the Padlet platform through needs analysis, content curation, and iterative refinement based on user feedback. The Padlet includes structured sections such as supervision guidelines, assessment rubrics, report templates, common issues in supervision, and peer-sharing boards.

This innovation demonstrates how a simple, low-cost digital tool can significantly enhance academic support services. The SmartPadlet model is scalable, replicable, and adaptable to various educational contexts beyond supervision. It encourages knowledge sharing, reduces information silos, and promotes professional development. As higher education moves toward blended and digital-first strategies, such innovations play a crucial role in improving teaching and learning support systems.

Keywords: Industrial Training, Padlet, Academic Supervision, Teaching Innovation