Research Proposal

Considering the Student Perspective:

Assessment Benefits of Electronic Portfolios

Emma Sarbit

(Student Number: 50999077)

ETEC 500 64C

University of British Columbia

Dr. Sunah Cho

April 5, 2012

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Table of Contents

Introduction: .................................................................................................................... 3

Student Portfolios:...........................................................................................................................4

Research Focus:................................................................................................................................5

Personal Relevance:.......................................................................................................................5

Research Questions:.......................................................................................................................6

Literature Review ............................................................................................................ 7

Student Motivation and Engagement:................................................................................................7

E-Portfolios for Student Motivation and Engagement.....................................................................8

Assessment for Learning:.................................................................................................................10

E-Portfolios and Assessment for Learning:...................................................................................11

Research Methodology: ................................................................................................ 13

Participants:......................................................................................................................................13

Procedure, Instruments and Analysis:..............................................................................................14

Quantitative Components:.............................................................................................................14

Survey.......................................................................................................................................................14

Qualitative Components:...............................................................................................................15

Interviews, Focus Groups, and Reflective Journals:.........................................................................15

Schedule of Activities .................................................................................................... 15

Discussion: .................................................................................................................... 16

Significance:.....................................................................................................................................16

Implications of Findings:...................................................................................................................17

Potential Difficulties:.........................................................................................................................17

References: ................................................................................................................... 18

Appendix: ...................................................................................................................... 20

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Introduction:

Horace Mann, former United States Senator and avid education reformer, once stated “A

teacher attempting to teach without inspiring the pupil with a desire to learn is hammering on cold

iron.” His words ring especially true in today’s classrooms, where a shift in pedagogical focus has put

a great deal of emphasis on the active participation of students in their learning as well as

assessment of the learning process as opposed to the final product.

During the second half of the twentieth century, theories of constructivism gained popularity

amongst educators. Based on Piagetian theory, constructivist models of learning are grounded upon

the notion that knowledge is not passively received, but rather created by individuals and groups as

they interact with the world around them (Attard, 2010). It emphasizes the idea that learners must

construct and reconstruct knowledge in order to learn effectively, and therefore focuses on enhancing

cooperation rather than competition between peers. This approach to learning emphasizes the

interactivity of the learning process and thus not only empowers the learner to engage with content,

but also bestows upon them the responsibility of actively participating in their education. It also

revises the role of the teacher, from that of ‘transmitting knowledge’ to one of supporting and guiding

self-regulated student learning (Attard, 2010). Consequently, the success of this student-centered

theory relies heavily on student engagement and intrinsic motivation for learning.

Classroom assessment practices play a major role in student’s motivation to learn. Student’s

emotional responses to assessment results determine what the student thinks feels and is therefore

motivated to do (Stiggins, 2006). Research has demonstrated that motivation and learning are

enhanced when assessment occurs regularly throughout the learning process and that students are

more aware of the skills, knowledge and competences they are expected to develop, when they are

encouraged to think about and review their own learning experiences (Earl, 2006). This type of

evaluation commonly referred to as ‘formative’ or ‘assessment for learning’, uses ongoing evaluations

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to inform instructional decisions. As well, discerning patterns in student learning not only assesses

student’s current level of achievement, but also shows improvements in student’s abilities, which is a

powerful booster for student confidence and motivation (Stiggins, 2006).

One of the ways that educators are constructing student-centered learning environments and

incorporating assessment for learning practices is through the use of portfolios. Educational

portfolios are designed to enrich student learning, increase student engagement and create self-

reflective, motivated learners.

Student Portfolios:

Paper-based portfolios began to surface in British Columbia classrooms in the early 1990’s as

a result of the Royal Commission Report on the British Columbia educational system and the

subsequent Ministry response in the form of the YEAR 2000 initiative (Anderson, 1998). These

reports focused on the reform of provincial curriculum to become more student-centered, with the

goal of fostering individual student responsibility for his/her learning. Educational portfolios are

defined as a purposeful collection of student work that demonstrates growth and change over time

(Stiggins, 1994, Paulson, 1991). Research indicates that portfolios serve as a catalyst for increased

student ownership and motivation, but only if implemented in a way that encourages student

engagement (Barrett, 2007). Yet paper-based portfolios have numerous drawbacks, including: the

significant time commitment required on the part of the teacher (to plan and administer the portfolio

process), difficulties in reproduction and sharing capabilities and restrictedness in the content they

support (representation of video, sound or web-based work is not feasible) (Foley, 2008).

21st century advances in technology, especially the educational use of interactive Web 2.0

tools, address the drawbacks of paper-based portfolios through improved opportunities for

collaboration and innovative publishing methods. Therefore, educators are capitalizing on these

developments and endeavoring to increase student engagement by transitioning from paper-based to

electronic student portfolios (e-portfolios). E-portfolios allow students to collect and save their

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artifacts in a variety of multimedia formats (including audio, video, graphics, and text) and

subsequently organize their work (ex/ using hyperlinks) to show connections between evidence,

integrate personal reflections, and set learning goals (Barrett, 2007, Barrett, 2011, Curts et al., 2003).

They allow for flexible demonstration of growth, encourage self-reflection, and allow students to share

their work with a broad audience including peers, parents and administrators (Foley, 2008).

Research Focus:

Researchers agree that e-portfolio use can not only document a students’ learning journey

over time, but also assist with integrating formative assessment practices and stimulating deep

learning by developing motivated, engaged and active, critically thinking and independent self-

regulated learners (Abrami, 2008). While there is widespread acknowledgment of this great potential,

little exploration has been done to investigate student perceptions of their value (Tosh, 2005). Since

student attitudes play a critical role in the implementation of e-portfolios as a successful learning tool

(Chau, 2010), more research needs to be completed in this area. Additionally, although the origins of

portfolio use are rooted in K-12 schooling, the majority of e-portfolio research is centered on senior

secondary and post-secondary (teacher-training) scenarios (Barrett, 2011) Therefore, there is a gap

in the research pertaining to student perceptions of e-portfolio use at the elementary (K-7) grade

level.

Personal Relevance:

Electronic portfolios took on particular significance for me when I began the creation of my own

educational e-portfolio for the Masters in Educational Technology (MET) program at the University of

British Columbia. Prior to this experience, I had been utilizing paper-based portfolios in my upper-

elementary school (Grades 4-7) classroom. Through my participation in the MET program as well as

the beginning of my own e-portfolio creation process, I have begun to reflect upon the effectiveness

of my past teaching practices, specifically that of paper-based portfolios.

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I have experienced first-hand the motivation to engage with my learning, the merit of creating

personal reflections and the effect of a variety of assessment practices on my attitude towards

learning. These experiences, combined with reflections on my current practice, led me to search for

research on elementary school students perspectives on the e-portfolio process. I was curious to

understand how a younger student viewed the same process I had, so I could plan how to best

implement e-portfolios into my own teaching practice. However, instead of finding this information,

what I found was a large gap in the research. This discovery was my inspiration for this research

proposal.

Research Questions:

The way that students view e-portfolios is valuable in assisting educators in their successful

integration (Ritzhaupt, 2008). While researchers and educators appear to be very aware of the

benefits of e-portfolio integration, it remains much less certain how students perceive them or if they

are aware of them at all (Brown, 2008). If we hope to improve the success of all students in British

Columbia elementary school classrooms through the use of e-portfolios, then it is important to

understand their perception of:

- the qualities of e-portfolios they believe are beneficial and influential to their academic

performance, and

- the qualities of e-portfolios that they believe assist them in becoming intrinsically motivated to

learn

Taking into account the current body of research on student motivation and engagement with

self-regulated learning tasks and assessment for learning practices, as well as students’ perceived

benefits of the integration of e-portfolios at the secondary and post-secondary level, this research

project will attempt to identify the conditions necessary to increase student awareness, ownership,

motivation and engagement. Attention will be focused on students’ perceptions of their e-portfolio

creation experience as well as their attitudes towards assessment throughout the process.

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The following specific research questions will guide this study:

1. What are the perceived benefits to upper elementary students of developing electronic

portfolios?

2. What are the perceived benefits to upper elementary students of assessment for learning

techniques within the electronic portfolio experience?

If we aim to use e-portfolios as a method of increasing student engagement and generating

authenticity in assessment practices, then students' responses to e-portfolio creation will aid in our

integration (Burch, 1999).

Literature Review

The following summary outlines pertinent information from the current body of research

concerning the integration of e-portfolios as they relate to student engagement and intrinsic

motivation and assessment for learning practices.

Student Motivation and Engagement:

“You cannot push anyone up the ladder unless he is willing to climb himself.” - Robert Schuller

Infants and young children are driven by curiosity and an inherent desire to explore their

environment. However, as children grow, their passion for learning appears to dissipate. In the

province of British Columbia, it is estimated that twenty percent of students will leave school before

graduating (Ministry of Education, 2012) and many more that remain physically present in the

classroom will fail to engage fully in their learning experience.

Engagement and intrinsic student motivation are essential for learning. Engagement leads to

sustained interaction and practice, and similarly, increased motivation results in a greater amount of

time and energy a student is willing to devote to a learning task (Earl, 2006). Motivation and

engagement enable students to process information more deeply and fosters an improved willingness

to accept instruction and feedback thereby improving academic achievement (Irvin, 2007).

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Intrinsically motivated students participate in learning tasks for the enjoyment they provide, the

knowledge created and the resulting feeling of accomplishment as opposed to participating in order to

obtain an external reward such as grades or teacher approval (Lepper, 1988).

In order to enhance the educational experience and encourage students to be successful in

their learning, educators need to focus on creating environments that engage students and ignite their

intrinsic motivation to become active participants in their learning. All too often students report school

as being a place of disengagement. Research indicates that students become disengaged and

unmotivated when learning and evaluation do not appear to be authentic and meaningful (Abrami,

2008). When students can see how skills learned from a task can be applied in the real world,

motivation to learn is fostered (Lepper, 1988). Additionally, tasks that connect to students’ lives by

drawing upon background knowledge and life experiences have been shown to motivate (Irvin, 2007).

Abrami et al (2008), Earl et al. (2006) and Irvin et al. (2007) suggest that students who

participate in self-regulated learning tasks feel ownership of their individual learning journey, enjoy

having choice in their educational pursuits and are thus more likely to be motivated to succeed.

Students have also been shown to have increased motivation and confidence when they can see

personal progress and achievement, as opposed to feelings of failure and defeat when compared to

their more successful peers (Earl, 2006).

The method in which content is presented can also support and cultivate student motivation

and engagement. The use of technology in the classroom has been shown to be highly motivating.

Research has demonstrated that students are much more likely to persevere with skill development

when it involves the use of technology (Irvin, 2007).

E-Portfolios for Student Motivation and Engagement

The above research demonstrates the critical relationship between student motivation,

engagement and achievement. It indicates that in order to enhance education by engaging and

motivating students, learning tasks need to be relevant, contain self-directed elements and utilize

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assessment practices that provide regular feedback and show individual progress. The integration of

technology into the classroom also plays a valuable role in helping students to become active

participants in their learning

E-portfolios are one of the techniques educators are implementing to make use of technology,

issues of learner engagement and motivation and increase student ownership of the learning

process. By fostering a sense of personal ownership over one’s accomplishments, feelings of pride,

responsibility, and dedication result, which in turn lead to more intrinsically motivated students

(Barrett, 2007). Student managed e-portfolios help student’s understand their own learning by

becoming self-aware of their strengths, weaknesses, and achievements which assists them in taking

responsibility for their learning and establishing personal learning goals (Barrett, 2011). Researchers

have identified the following benefits specific to student engagement and motivation through the use

of e-portfolios: (Barnstable, 2010; Earl, 2006)

- Self-esteem and self-confidence will be enhanced as students have control over, and

responsibility for their own learning and progress as well as achievement is emphasized rather

than failure

- Students develop their own goals for learning which builds confidence

- Students receive more recognition for individual learning abilities and preferences, increasing

motivation

- Work is seen as being relevant and appealing to students and provides the scaffolding

students need to genuinely succeed.

Young adolescents are at a developmental stage where they benefit from experiences such as

these, that promote self-confidence and allow the discovery and development of their individual

talents (Collins, 1993). Therefore, one could assume that e-portfolios make the perfect vehicle for

enhancing student engagement and motivation. However, the two anecdotes below provide insight

into opposite extremes of student attitudes towards portfolios.

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1. “A school district in the Pacific Northwest described a situation that they heard happen in another nearby

district, where the students were required to set up a 3-ring notebook, put in specific sections and

assignments. After their high school graduation, the seniors built a bonfire and threw in their paper-based

portfolios. Whether this is truth or urban legend, the lack of ownership in their portfolios by some students

can be seen in the trash cans in the halls at the end of each school year.” (Barrett, 2007)

2. “A high school freshman developed such a wonderful writing portfolio in her 9th grade English class that it

was selected to be used by her teachers as an exemplar in professional development classes. When the

portfolio was lost, the student was heartbroken and offered a $50 reward for its return. It was never found,

but the student was able to reconstruct components from files on her home computer.” (Mahoney, 2002)

Stark differences between these two stories illustrate the need for research into the variables

that produce diverse student attitudes towards portfolios. Examination of student perceptions of the

benefits of e-portfolios will assist in their successful integration into the upper elementary school

classroom.

Assessment for Learning:

“Feedback is often the spark that ignites motivation.” – Robert Marzano

Today’s assessment practices have evolved to depict rich descriptions of student achievement

that inform students how they can improve, and provide feedback to teachers on the effectiveness of

their instruction (Stiggins, 2006; Black, 1998). This type of assessment, aimed at supporting learning

and increasing student confidence and motivation, includes regular evaluations that occur in an

ongoing, interconnected series to show learning performance over time and maximize student

learning potential (Stiggins, 2006; Stiggins, 2007). Research refers to this type of evaluation practice

as formative or “assessment for learning”.

Assessment for learning is defined as: “the process of seeking and interpreting evidence for

use by learners and their teachers to decide where the learners are in their learning, where they need

to go and how best to get there” (Assessment Reform Group, 2002) The theory behind this type of

assessment is not to generate grades, but rather for students to develop the capacity to gather and

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reflect upon evidence of their own learning in order to determine where they are in their learning and

plan next steps for achieving learning goals. Specifically, the objective is to monitor student learning

and provide ongoing descriptive feedback that informs teaching and improves learning.

Consistently applying the principles of assessment for learning, creates a feedback-rich

learning environment where impressive gains in student achievement, especially for struggling

learners have been noted (Black, 1998; Stiggins, 2006). Considerable increases in student

motivation and self-esteem have also been reported (Clark, 2011). Assessment for learning enables

students to enhance their achievement by teaching them to identify the strengths and weaknesses of

their own work (McDowell, 2009). In this way, teachers and students work together as a partnership

to generate understandable and visible information about student learning. This experience reveals

to students their individual improvements over time and turns the classroom assessment culture into

one of student success, which in turn fosters confidence in their abilities and motivation to carry on

(Earl, 2006; Stiggins, 2007).

E-Portfolios and Assessment for Learning:

E-portfolios are an important response to changing trends in assessment practices.

Implemented correctly, they support assessment for learning practices by affording an environment

where students can collect digital work samples, select specific samples that highlight learning

outcomes, reflect on learning demonstrated, set personal learning goals and celebrate achievements

through the virtual display and sharing of their work (Barrett, 2006). Paulson et al. (1991) liken

portfolios to “laboratories where students construct meaning from their accumulated experiences”.

They point out that portfolios support formative assessment by facilitating student reflection through

storytelling, stating that:

“A portfolio tells a story. It is the story of knowing. Knowing about things... Knowing oneself...

Knowing an audience... Portfolios are students' own stories of what they know, why they

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believe they know it, and why others should be of the same opinion. A portfolio is opinion

backed by fact... Students prove what they know with samples of their work.” (Paulson, 1991)

Through this self-reflective process, a deeper level of engagement and self-awareness is

developed. Students better understand their own learning and teachers and parents see visual

representations of ongoing student development and gain a better understanding of what students

know and are able to do (Barrett, 2006). E-portfolios make student work accessible and reviewable,

while allowing for self-regulated critical reflection and collaboration (Zubizarreta, 2004; Curts, 2003;

Abrami, 2008). They prompt learners to articulate their learning from different perspectives, connect

their learning to goals and standards, and promote self-reflection practice (Earl, 2006).

As the above research indicates, e-portfolios can report on student progress, competency and

achievement while engaging students in an active process that empowers them to take control of

their learning and develop self-awareness by reflecting upon and articulating their strengths,

weaknesses, achievements, learning experiences and goals (Barrett, 2006). In this way, the

integration of e-portfolios can assist in the application of assessment for learning practices in the

classroom which serve as a motivational tool that kindles students’ intrinsic interest, improves self-

esteem and boosts academic achievement and overall success (Barrett, 2006).

While the research indicates great value in formative assessment within e-portfolios, if

students do not appreciate and understand this importance of these tools then their usefulness will

not be recognized. Studies investigating pre-service teachers’ attitudes towards e-portfolio

assessment practises have reported mixed results. While some reported viewing portfolios as a

powerful tool that helped to support deep learning and valuable reflection, others viewed them as

simply a hoop that needed to be jumped through in order to graduate (Barrett, 2007). Therefore,

more research needs to be completed, specifically at the elementary school level to investigate the

value students perceive of the purpose and assessment of e-portfolios.

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Research Methodology:

A mixed method case-study design will combine quantitative surveys with qualitative

interviews, focus group discussions and reflective journals in order to investigate the research

questions. This combination will be a complementary and enriching amalgamation of the two

methodologies, emphasizing each of their strengths and minimizing their limitations (Keele, 2011).

This mixed method approach will allow me to increase the validity of my findings by triangulating

results (in essence, double checking data by using multiple methods) while at the same time utilizing

more personal techniques with smaller sample groups in order to delve deeper into participant’s

thoughts and beliefs surrounding e-portfolio integration. At the conclusion of the school year and

study, participating classrooms will be invited to host a “Show and Share” day where they will be

encouraged to present their portfolios and discuss their experiences with teachers, administrators and

parents.

Participants:

Upper intermediate (grades 4-7) is an ideal time for learning experiences that promote self-

evaluation and require responsibility (Collins, 1993). As a result, participants of this study will be five

upper elementary (grade 4-7) teachers and their students (approximately 150 students) from a variety

of school boards in British Columbia, Canada.

The study will be promoted at a provincial conference for intermediate teachers (sponsored by

PITA – the Provincial Intermediate Teachers’ Association) and interested teachers will be selected on

a volunteer basis. From the volunteer pool, five classrooms will be chosen randomly, with controls in

place to ensure approximate gender and socioeconomic equity.

An information meeting will be held for parents from participating classrooms to review

procedures and ask questions regarding impending research. Informed consent will be obtained from

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participating students’ parents and research will strictly adhere to policies on the ethical treatment of

research participants.

Procedure, Instruments and Analysis:

Volunteer teachers will come to this study with varying levels of expertise. In an attempt to

normalize this level of e-portfolio experience, all teachers will attend a four day workshop in a

centralized location to familiarize themselves with the concepts and processes of e-portfolios and

assessment for learning techniques. A timeline and streamlined procedure for implementing e-

portfolios in their classrooms for the 2013/14 school year will be outlined at this time. Following the

training session, bi-weekly teacher meetings will be held via Skype. The intent of these meetings will

be to standardize classroom implementation as well as discuss and address any concerns and/or

barriers encountered. Student participants will also receive training at their respective schools on the

use of requisite software.

Quantitative Components:

Survey

Data regarding overall student perceptions will be collected through a questionnaire named

“The Benefits of E-Portfolios” which will be formally administered by the research team to all students

involved (approximately 150) at the conclusion of the school year. The questionnaire will consist of

20 questions that use a Likert scale from one to five, where one represents strongly disagree and five

represents strongly agree. The survey will be modeled after the “Electronic Portfolio Student

Perspective Instrument” (EPSPI) which has a high degree of internal reliability (α >.9) and established

initial validation (N=204) (Curts, 2003). Data collected will be exported to Excel for analysis where it

will be grouped into three categories: items relating to how students perceive e-portfolios as a

learning device, items relating to e-portfolios as a viable means of assessment and items relating to

motivation and engagement.

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Qualitative Components:

Interviews, Focus Groups, and Reflective Journals:

One-on-one interviews and focus group discussions will provide a more candid and

personalized look into student perceptions. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with thirty

randomly (with measures in place to ensure gender equity) students at the conclusion of the project.

Questions will address the students’ perceived benefits of e-portfolios and formative assessment

techniques. Interviews will be audio-recorded and subsequently transcribed verbatim. Results will be

summarized and coded by two independent readers and major clusters (labeled as categories) will be

identified. Similar categories will be linked to form larger themes.

Additionally, five students will be selected randomly to take part in a focus group discussion

midway through the school year. This dialogue will prompt participants to discuss their experiences

with the e-portfolio process to date. Two objective independent observers will score student

responses using a scoring rubric provided by the researchers.

Throughout the study, students will be asked to keep a reflective journal where they will

discuss their experiences with the e-portfolio process. Designated time will be provided to complete

entries and a list of prompts will be provided, although students are not required to adhere to these

topics. Researchers will select a small sampling of these journals to utilize at the completion of the

school year.

Schedule of Activities

The estimated timeline for intended research is shown below in Table 1.

Approximate Dates Location Research

Early October 2013PITA Annual Fall Conference (North Delta Secondary School)

Research to be promoted in an effort to recruit participants

October 2013Individual school sites (teacher training provided in central location)

Participating teacher trainingConsent forms sent home to studentsParent information meeting held

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November 2013

Individual school sites

Teacher bi-weekly meetings beginStudent trainingStudents begin portfolio projects

February-May 2014

Students continue to add artifacts and reflect on progressStudents participate in focus groups

June 2014 Students complete portfoliosStudent show and share days occurFinal student surveys and interviews with researchersFinal teacher interviews*

July-August 2014 Research office Data analysisSeptember-December 2014 Individual school sites Sharing of study findings

*Brief teacher interviews will be conducted at the conclusion of the study in order to detect if any

variations from the standardized implementation protocol were employed as deviations from this

protocol may impact student perceptions.

Discussion:

Significance:

Today’s teenagers, comically referred to as “screenagers”, are immersed in the digital world

outside of the school day. If educators can tap into this level of motivation and engagement while

furthering the goals of student-led learning and formative assessment through the use of electronic

portfolios, we may be able to realize the true potential of technology in the classroom. E-portfolios

may be able to both improve and showcase student learning, however the current body of research

demonstrates very little understanding of how this learning task impacts students and whether they

understand the benefits of its integration.

Information collected throughout this study will reveal whether younger students perceive e-

portfolios to be a meaningful self-directed learning task, or obligatory projects mandated by their

teachers. This information will be then used to make recommendations for the future implementation

of e-portfolios in upper elementary classrooms in ways that will not only improve student learning, but

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also motivate and engage students by having them fully understand the benefits to their use. Results

of this study will also help teachers understand and conduct effective assessment for learning

practices.

Implications of Findings:

Based on findings from senior secondary and post-secondary data (Chau, 2010; Burch, 1999),

we anticipate the following themes to be located:

1. Choice and Ownership: We hypothesize that students will be able to identify that e-portfolios

allow them to set their own learning goals, choose their own artifacts and personalize their

portfolios.

2. Feedback: We suspect that students will identify the ability to self-reflect, self-assess, and

revise work when necessary as a benefit to e-portfolios. Additionally, we believe that students

will discuss the helpfulness of regular feedback as an advantage to this type of assessment.

3. Confidence: We theorize that students will report increased self-confidence due to the

responsibility they must take for their own learning (by selecting, reflecting, commenting on,

and presenting their own work).

If results from this study show that students can clearly identify the benefits to e-portfolios and

assessment for learning practice, then we will know we have successfully integrated this

technological tool. However, if this study does not show these results, then teachers will need to

revisit the value of their current instructional methods.

Potential Difficulties:

Admittedly, there are numerous factors that may create differences in student perspectives

that cannot be decisively controlled in this study. Although we will attempt to normalize teacher

experience and standardize the portfolio integration process, individual teacher variances will create

slight differences in experience for the students. Additionally, cultural, socioeconomic, and gender

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differences will not be fully controlled in this study. These differences could contribute to varying

student insights. Finally, while we expect older learners to be aware of and be able to successfully

communicate events in their learning through self-reporting surveys, we accept that this will be a

much more difficult task for younger students. This difficulty may impact our findings. These are all

aspects that should be considered for future research.

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