Implementing e-portfolios in the English as a foreign language classroom

Abstract

This proposal proposes the prospective implementation of e-portfolios at school in pursue of helping learners become more skilled language learners and language users. Thus, the focus will be on collaborative learning as a strategy to tackle the different purposefully communicative tasks. The study will be conducted in a state-run school with students who attend first year of Secondary school. Students’ productions will be part of their e-portfolios which will mirror the learner’s progress and achievements. The concept of self-assessment is of great value as it lets learners reflect on their own learning process.

Key words: E-portfolio-collaborative learning-communicative tasks- self-assessment

Introduction

The field of education has witnessed great paradigm shift in recent years.  Considerable emphasis is placed on interactionist and social views of the learning process considering the interaction between the learner and peers, the center of this complex teaching and learning process. The term complex, refers to the various but interrelated factors that affect the process of learning. Bearing in mind aspects such as students’ cognitive level, the learners’ needs and interests among others, when delving into teaching and learning English as a Second Language (ESL) theories and the interaction among students and others, turns this issue of upmost importance (Brown, 2000).

The social constructivist models that are related to current approaches consider of great importance the relationship “between learners and their peers and their teachers and others with whom they interact” (Brown, 2000 p. 287). In this perspective the e-portfolio, a pedagogic tool, which focuses on collaborative learning, is gradually widely implemented due to the ease of accessibility to information and communication technologies.

Similarly, The European Language Portfolio (ELP) states that portfolios have a pedagogic language and reporting function emphasizing a reflective methodology which promotes self-assessment and student autonomy as well ( Kohonen, 2001).

 However, a successful implementation of this work depends on the teacher’s ability to guide learners in their productions while encouraging autonomous learning. The purpose of this research is to shed light on how the usage of e-portfolios combined with collaborative learning help students, inside a classroom environment, become more skilled language users due to the project long-term implications.

Literature Review

Foreign/Second language education has undergone various changes. Constructivist or social Interactionist views in language teaching and learning have become crucial to promote life-long learning while learning-to-learn skills constitute the basis of educational goals in different learning contexts.

At present, researchers center their attention to a paradigm known as Communicative Learning Teaching (CLT).  This paradigm, aims attention to the usage of communicative competences so as to interest learners in the “pragmatic, authentic, functional use of language for meaningful purposes” (Brown, 2000, p. 286).

Brown (2000) argues that in communicative classroom contexts, learners are guided to use the language efficiently under the teacher’s guidance. In this regard, modern technologies (video, the internet, computer software) may become useful resources for teachers trying to keep learners purposely embarked on language learning and use.

With reference to this issue, considerable appraisal is given to computer-assisted language learning (CALL) as a complement for language learning. Though this approach has sequentially developed over the last decades, major attention should be given to the Integrative Phase of CALL (Warschauer, 1996). Within this phase, the implementation of multimedia computers and the internet have made this approach a powerful tool.

In the case of hypermedia, it provides various advantages for language learning since a wide variety of skills may be combined in one activity. Thus, students experience a feeling of autonomous learning as they are capable of moving forwards or backwards over their learning (Warschauer, 1996).

Furthermore, the internet allows students, peers teachers and the general public to share messages as well as different types of documents as e-portfolios. The internet has definitively contributed to the process of language learning due to a variety of uses (Warscahuer, 1996). Especially noteworthy are the contributions to this issue of the European Language Portfolio which is recognized as a central part of the Council of Europe’s long term

undertaking of teaching and learning Modern Languages in Europe (Hawresz, 2009).

 The Common European Framework favours “a general, action orientated communicative approach” (Hawresz, 2009, p.12) to communicate and learn. Simultaneously, learner autonomy is a foremost goal for the framework. At this point, it is crucial to help the learner develop a sense of responsibility for their own learning.  Consequently, the role of the teacher is crucial to increasingly enhance a critical attitude towards learning on the student. Therefore, language teaching should posses a communicative purpose sustaining the maturation of learner autonomy (Hawresz, 2009).

According to Kohonen (2001), a language portfolio refers to a purposefully collection of students work which evidences the student’s efforts, progress and accomplishments considering the set up objectives. From single productions such as short written texts to students reflections and videos are examples of portfolios tasks (Kohonen, 2001). In this fashion, the role of the teacher is crucial within the implementation of this pedagogic tool.

 The teacher should accompany the student while helping them to develop their knowledge of themselves as language learners attending not only to their individual needs but also to their social learning performance. Kohonen (2004) supports the view that reflection on the learning process should be enhanced. In other words, the student may be asked to reflect on his/her own process through open or close questions or open -ended reflections as a way of using the language for critical analysis of their own work.

 During this process, it is expected they acquire “tools for the self-assessment of their language skills” (Kohonen, 2004, p.31). Besides, the learner responsibility is fostered towards a more independent use of the language. With the implementation of e-learning there is a move towards collaborative learning and e-portfolios are part of this shift. Luchoomun, Mc Lucky and Wesel (2010) claim that the usage of e-portfolios abets collaborative learning among other forms of learning. The belief is that students gather pieces of work and reflect on their achievements together with peers and the teacher. Then, greater interaction is expected to arise as students are demanded the most challenging tasks (Luchoomun et al., 2010).

By the same token, e-portfolios are flexible tools which allow students to work with the language leaning on the skills they possess in pursue of creating texts for communicative purposes. Similarly, Kohonen (2004) claims that mixed-ability classes benefit the implementation of e-portfolios since more talented students may help less able peers in the classroom. It is the teacher’s commitment to guide learners while encourage hard work resorting to various language abilities with the intention of helping students “become more independent language learners and users” (Kohonen, 2004).

Delimitations

This research will be carried out at an urban state-run school which includes secondary level It is a school of six hundred middle-class students. There are six courses of each division and each group is made up of thirty students at the most. The school has got facilities such as heating and electricity. Moreover, there are tape recorders, a library and net books with internet connection.

Limitations

Though the main aim of e-portfolio implementation is to stimulate cooperative learning while making use of modern technologies within the classroom environment, some constrains may arise.

One of the most significant drawbacks is time limitation due to students are exposed to two-hour period of English per week. It seems that this type of work demands a lot of student-student and student-teacher interaction in order to constructively interchange ideas, knowledge and reflections.

Then, another potential setback that may hamper the result of this research is students’ previous knowledge about modern technologies. Even though the great majority of students use the internet, it may occur that some learners possess more basic knowledge as regards modern technologies. Then, it is the teacher who may suggest other more knowledgeable student to assist these learners.

Participants

´The participants of this research will be students in first year of Secondary level. This course is made up of twenty six students whose ages range from twelve to thirteen years old. They have English classes twice a week lasting an hour each class. However, it is important to mention that a reduced number of students take private classes of English in different institutions. On average, students have been in touch with the language since fourth year at primary school.

Materials

In order to systematize the use of e-portfolios, specific guidance is given to students on what they are expected to include in their work (Appendix A). Each student has the possibility of personalizing the portfolio by adding photos, videos and opinions on each section. An assessment sheet is handled to students so as to obtain a clear picture of their reflections and opinions on the usage of this pedagogic tool as a gadget for learning (Appendix B).  Besides, the teacher fulfills observation cards along the process in order to assess students’ progress and usage of this tool.

Procedures

The teacher will work on different topics such as personal information, habits, routine, etc (Appendix A). Then students are required to write texts, record videos, take pictures illustrating each of the topics. These texts and visuals will be uploaded to their portfolios at school after students and teacher have shared and analyzed their drafts. Then, students and teacher will meet to reflect on the usage of the portfolios and their achievements as well (Appendix B). After this discussion, each student will be given an assessment report on the teacher’s analysis of each of their e-portfolios final product and learning process (Appendix C).

Conclusions

On balance, we believe there are a great number of advantages to the usage of modern technologies in particular e-portfolios to the classroom. E-portfolios provide students and teachers with various opportunities to learn and use the language for communicative purposes. Furthermore, collaborative learning is promoted as different constrains arise, being the teacher and peers support essential factors for overcoming difficulties. Therefore, we believe that e-portfolios are flexible tools in ESL classrooms which may be utilized according to the teacher’s purpose in view of the learner’s needs.

References

Brown, H. D. (2000). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching (4^th ed.). New York, US: Longman.

Hawresz, A. (2009).  Unit 2: Curriculum Content. Universidad CAECE. Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Kohonen, V.(2001).  Developing the European language portfolio as a pedagogical instrument for advancing student autonomy. Available on the website: https://www.uta.fi/laitokset/okl/tokl/projektit/eks/pdf/kohonen2001.pdf

Kohonen, V.(2004). On the pedagogical significance of the European Language Portfolio: findings of the Fininsh pilot project. Available on the website:

http://www.atriumlinguarum.org/contenido/Kohonen13.5.04.pdf

Luchoomun, D., Mc Luckie, J., & Wesel, M. (2010). Collaborative e-Learning: e-porfolios for assessment, teaching and learning. Electronic Journal of e-learning, 8, 21-30

Retrieved February 18, 2011 from

http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ880096.pdf

Warschauer, M. (1996) Computer assisted language learning: an introduction. In Fotos S. (Ed.) Multimedia language teaching, 3-20. Tokyo: Logos International.