Citation
Beresford, W., & Cobham, D. (2010, July). The role of e-portfolios in higher education: their perceived value and potential to assist undergraduate computing students. Paper presented at International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies, Barcelona, Spain.
Abstract
Whilst not a new concept, ePortfolios embrace the interactive nature of Web 2.0 technology and are beginning to show signs of bringing about a new pedagogy in education. The wide range of commercial and open source ePortfolio and associated tools currently available allows students to maintain an online repository of digital artefacts. These tools can facilitate reflective, collaborative and lifelong learning, and allow students to showcase skills, knowledge and understanding. A key benefit identified in the literature is the ability to create a personalised and reflective learning experience.
Previous research has shown that the lack of competent and effective use of ePortfolios and the inability of students fully to recognise the benefits to them as learners, are hindering their widespread use.
This paper focuses on a small pilot research project, which seeks to identify the Web 2.0 tools that
students following undergraduate awards in technology subjects across various levels at the authors’
institution are currently using. It investigates the extent to which students keep a digital record of their
learning and how they perceive ePortfolios as a learning tool.
The students were surveyed by questionnaire providing quantitative data. Qualitative information was also gained by interviewing a smaller group of those students individually to ascertain whether they were able to identify the value of an ePortfolio and how they might envisage using one in their learning.
The outcome of this initial study has helped to determine whether an ePortfolio application was worthy of further development and trialling as a subsequent project.
Annotation
This study consisted of a small pilot research project involving undergraduate computing science students at a university in England. Researchers used a mixed methods approach–online survey, followed by one-on-one interviews with a subset of the same students–in order to understand in general terms which online tools students were currently using, whether or not students kept an online record of their learning, and students’ perceptions around the value and role of e-Portfolio usage (pp. 1, 7). While students reported that e-Portfolios would be beneficial to their learning, with a large percentage already digitally storing their learning and achievements, few reported any structured use of e-Portfolios. The results of the study would be used to inform “further research into the development and role of ePortfolios in higher education” (p. 3), given an earlier, unsuccessful attempt to get students from a limited number of disciplines at the university to adopt the PebblePad application.