Citation
Haralabous, A., & Darra, M. (2018). Advantages and disadvantages of eportfolio implementation in primary education. The European Educational Researcher, 2(1),
Abstract
The research presented in this article attempts to capture the views of teachers of elementary education about the advantages, disadvantages, difficulties and obstacles in the application of the portal as a rating and self-evaluation tool by the students. The survey, which constitutes the second part of a major research within the context of master thesis, was conducted in the second semester of 2016-2017 school year using anonymous written and electronic questionnaires, filled in by 215 elementary education teachers of all specialties from the first educational area of Athens. Most respondents are cautious about the benefits of using eportfolio, drawing attention to caution, lack of culture as barriers to its implementation, as well as basic problems such as lack of appropriate classroom infrastructure and the absence of eportfolio-related training.
Annotation
In this article, the researchers surveyed 215 elementary school [k-12] teachers across “all specialties from the first educational area of Athens” (p. 1), Greece, to explore their attitudes and perceptions [instructor perception] about the “advantages, disadvantages, difficulties, and obstacles” (p. 1) to implementing an e-portfolio system as an alternative “tool for evaluating students” (p. 2), as well as for primary-school aged student self-assessment. “Most respondents are cautious about the benefits of using eportfolio”, pointing to organizational problems and barriers that would impede implementation, including lack of proper technology infrastructure and “eportfolio-related training” (p. 1). Results from this study “are in line with similar research that highlights the importance of knowledge and training” and the problems that arise when technology is “integrated into education without strategical and educational planning” (p. 11).