Cogent Education (Jan 2020)

Investigating the Iranian EFL learners’ attitudes towards the implementation of e-portfolios in English learning and assessment

  • Ehsan Namaziandost,
  • Samir Alekasir,
  • Murad Hassan Mohammed Sawalmeh,
  • M. Zaini Miftah

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2020.1856764
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 1

Abstract

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Electronic portfolios, as digitalized collections of artifacts including resources, demonstrations, and accomplishments that represent an individual, group, or institution activity, can be used to formatively measure learners’ progress and learning with regard to their own production and documentation of educational content. E-portfolios are believed to have considerable potential to provide feedback about learners’ performance throughout the course and also to measure their mastery of the content materials with the help of their active participation in the assessment process. This study intended to gauge the feasibility of EFL learners’ using of e-portfolios in the traditionally exam-oriented context of Iran and also to investigate the potential advantages and challenges of introducing a learning-focused assessment tool to EFL classes. Using mixed methods—questionnaires, semi-structured individual interviews, and focus groups, the current study investigated the learners’ attitudes towards the integration of e-portfolios into their English classes. To that end, the researcher conducted a longitudinal survey by collecting the data from students who attended the Iran language institute (ILI) from 2013 to 2017. To collect the data, 90 EFL learners were given questionnaires seeking their attitudes and experience of using e-portfolios in their English classes, with 50 students participating in the follow-up interviews and 12 students took part in focus groups. The results revealed that e-portfolios were used for documenting many educational activities as diverse as a travel log, storytelling, written compositions, movie reviews, and diaries. Most learners liked e-portfolios as it provided a portrait of the breadth and depth of their learning progress in a more flexible environment in which they could easily reflect on their personal progress by exchanging ideas and feedback. The results of this study can contribute vastly to Iranian syllabus designers to supplement the traditional assessment with a technology-based approach to learning and assessment.

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