Thesis+8

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Recognition of the importance of life long learning skills using professional e-portfoilios during the B.A.

(Heinrich, Bhattacharya and Rayudu, 2007)

Cecilia Martinez

Institution

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**Abstract** Note: The abstract is on a separate page and is a 120-word summary of your thesis. That is, an abstract should include the problem, purpose, method, and findings of your research.

**Add your title here (this can be done later).**

Professional life needs full participation, it is when life long learning skills are essential (Heinrich, Bhattacharya and Rayudu, 2007). Recognition of the importance of life long learning skills using professional e-portfoilios during the B.A. (Heinrich, Bhattacharya and Rayudu, 2007). Students-teachers educational programs tends to give specific grades to what it is learnt at the moment but what happen when the student-teacher faces the necessity of continuing seeing and proving their continuous progress. Educational programs need to consider that students should be aware of their learning and continue improving; that is why the use of an alternative way of assessment is needed, e-portfolios to promote life long learning skills.

There are a lot of benefits of creating a professional e portfolio; however it is not a common way of evaluation and most of the programs do not look forward to promote life long learning skills and if they are doing it, it cannot be clearly seen in a instrument of evaluation as an e-portfolio is. E portfolios are useful to keep on recording the progress and way implementing an extra tool for certification of students teachers the one that would be of big importance in their present studies, to complement their Curriculum Vitae and the most important to promote life long learning skills. Because student-teacher educational programs are not considering the promotion of life long learning skills, it is necessary to start implementing alternative ways of assessment as an e-portfolio to have a better view of what students are accomplishing and how can they continue learning.


 * Artifacts, the essential element in portfolios.**


 * Artifacts that show relevant evidence.** A portfolio needs relevant evidence of the learning process to show students' development. **"**The portfolio is not merely a file of course projects and assignments“(Campbell et. 2011, p.4) although it is a collection of memories and stairs to get to a product. The information collected in a portfolio needs to show relevant evidence about the process and growth, according to Solís (n.d), the portfolio focuses in students’ performance and in the acquisition or learning of skills, knowledge and attitude. The necessary information or evidence provided by portfolios to demonstrate the students’ performance must be summative and formative; it means that by selecting key elements to get to some final point or goal.

Showing key artifacts can build up a good portfolio. "Artifacts are the products and by-products of teaching that demonstrate a teachers’ performance” (Tuker, Stronger, Gareis, 2002, p.25). The identification of the artifacts that will be selected, it will be done by the teachers perception; the artifacts will be the key of a successful portfolio. (Tuker, Stronger, Gareis, 2002). In the case of pre service or in service students they can compound a journal in which they demonstrate their process to become teachers by selecting, sharing and reflecting on the artifacts. These artifacts are such as educational philosophies, techniques for classroom management, units, lesson plans, syllabus, plans developed by them for students with special needs and in the case of using e portfolios it would be also possible to include videos that shows relevant evidence of teaching practice (Strudler and Wetzel, 2011). The artifacts included in a portfolio must show not just the progress but also reflect the professional aspect of each student, the artifacts chosen can be easily classified in two categories produced by the student-teacher and produced by others. All the artifacts from one and other need to have a relevant purpose of being there and that is the best achievements. Moreover, it is recommended to have a caption for each product, the captions add value to the portfolio; the caption are important elements of each artifacts such a: description of the title, date, author and context in which artifact was used, all the previous elements named in the caption will give an extra value to the portfolio and a guidance of the content.(Tuker, Stronger, Gareis, 2002).


 * Who decides the content of an e portfolio.** Opinions in how to carry out a portfolio are a key point to start. Not only, the portfolio content must be organized and decided by teacher in charge but also students can give their opinion about it. This agreement must go through different stages. Firstly, students must understand the purpose of carrying out a portfolio once they understand it, the task will be easier; to accomplish this purpose some questions are recommended for students and teacher to take into account at the beginning of the process: selection of materials around reflection, organization of artifacts and the storage of the portfolios.(Paulson, Paulson and Meyer, 1991). The answers to these questions provide teacher and students the way to organize and to give a first view on how the implementation of the portfolio will be.“All selections included in the collection should clearly reflect the criteria and standards identified for evaluation” (Chriest and Maher, n.d.). The decisions about content are made in this stage; the content can be documents, like final projects. All the data collected must be addressed to a final objective, purpose, or evaluation aim, already made in the previous stage.


 * Assessment in portfolios**
 * Portfolios as an alternative way of assessment.** The nature of assessment includes and stresses the importance of having students involved in portraying what the knowledge and skills they have. The nature of the assessment is also to reveal when a student is in a middle point, between the known and the unknown; and around this, it is necessary to identify that the students is capable to continue learning. Portfolios are being used for assessing teachers in pre-service and in service teachers, using as a principal tool the evidence. “A portfolio of work can fulfill the full range of various assessment purpose: accountability, summative assessment, certification, selection, promotion, appraisal, and formative assessment in support of teaching and learning process”.(Klenowski, 2002, p.10).

Portfolios are a great tool to assess students. However, to use this approach it is necessary to have evidence of student-teacher work, access to this work and that the student receive feedback. (Jun, Anthony, Achrazoglou and Coghill-Behrends, 2007). For some people portfolios are not consider really assessment, but if the assessing is consider as gathering of information with a purpose, then portfolios can be consider as authentic assessment. Students must be engaged in self-assessment and goal setting, two of the skills students will need during their whole life, also they can be called some of the life long learning skills ( Mueller, 2011).

The portfolio development storage evidence of task which involves active student's participation, in which students are asked to reflect; so they can reflect, and teachers can assess the process of learning having the necessary evidence. Portfolios are not just for Arts disciplines but also demonstrate a meaningful application. “Students in classes that emphasize improvement, progress, effort and the process of learning rather than grades and normative performance are more likely to use a variety of learning strategies and have a more positive attitude toward learning”(Mueller, 2011). Student’s story is told in a clear presentation of evidence, portfolios are a great vehicle to notice process and develop of life long learning skills in the elaboration process (Mueller, 2011).


 * Professional e-portfolios and their benefits of using them on assessing students.** Students has changed, their environment is not the same that before, technology now plays an significant role in education. Electronic portfolios is what was first a hope and then an assumption, and now a research-based claim: that creating, evidencing, connecting, and reflecting involved in electronic portfolios engage students in new and beneficial ways—especially when the portfolio provides a space for student informed participation” (Blake and Hunt,2009 pag.28). E portfolios give the opportunity not just to storage information but also to connect it, which is one of the best advantages e portfolios have over their ancestors the portfolio based paper. The decade in which we are, it is innovative technological and students are familiarized with it.

Building an e portfolio is easier than before, taking as base the technological tools we have. Even though some projects with e portfolios are in early stages, it is notorious that they increase in students levels of engagement and retention, it is not know how, but we are still learning in the critical relationships that defines e portfolios. In particular, the relationship between any model given, example in career preparation to a given particular program example accreditation or graduation, and to a given technology; a software or web site used for academic purposes, as it is carrying out an e portfolio.The different e portfolios can be created with a previously designed temple or without it, this will depend on the purpose of e portfolios and the relation students can make between the important aspects of the curricula and their own projects and their self criteria, which it is one of the life long learning skills students can develop through the use of e portfolios. (Blake and Hunt,2009). There are software specially used for e portfolios, networks that provide users the opportunity to organize, storage, modify and share their work with the people who is subscribe to this; A clear example of it, it is the Mahara software; this software provides users the opportunity of being part of groups and a network of learning by giving feedback and receiving it about the creation and development of e portfolios.


 * Purpose of portfolios**


 * Reflection on learning process.** Language learning is a process in which many elements are taken into account to evaluate students’ performance. Milanovic and Saville (1996) mentioned speeded test are a disadvantage for English language students, despite the fact that the author is referring to writing skill in specific, the statement is also applied to students. Learning is a long term process in which students must learn new things and correct mistakes they make. A portfolio gives students the opportunity to record information; and teacher can notice and intervene when necessary upon the work used as evidence, because it can reflect a lot of student’s learning.

Reflecting a productive activity to give students the opportunity of knowing deeply their work.The reflection upon students’ work; furthermore, reflection must be done by students to give them the opportunity of reflect about their own learning process. Along with using reflections, skills are taking into account too, the fact that students are reflecting on the use of different skills, it is relevant. Reflection it is always necessary to be aware of mistakes and future improvements or improvements already done, so if students are aware of their own learning they will be more in touch with their own assessment. Moreover, reflections sheets also give teachers a clearer idea of what students are thinking or feeling towards their own assessment and can be more critical with themselves and with the grade obtained. (Chriest and Maher, n.d.)

English language learners need more detailed feedback of their performance than other types of students. Feedback is also more extensive by using portfolios as an alternative way of assessment. EFL students gain too much from detailed feedback from experts, so they know better their strengths and weaknesses using language. “Experts in authentic assessment assert that knowing what students do, both inside and outside the classroom can provide a clearer indicator of achievement” (Goodman, Goodman and Hood, 1989). As it was said it before, if there is more information of students’ work, the feedback and consequently the evaluation will be more critical and complete for students’ achievements, improvements or things they must work on. (Solis, n.d.). Mistakes are noticeable when who committed them have evidence to notice and to really look at the mistakes and identify the areas in which they must work on and try to be better next time.

Periods of time are another important factor for EFL students, because students who are learning a new language must go through different learning stages and learn about each one, which is why portfolios are a great tool. Portfolios are built up over extended periods of time and embrace different phases of learning process represented in each piece of work previously selected. In the case of writing skill, it is easier to evaluate and to see the changes or improvements made by the selection of different pieces of work that really shows the problems to improve, being later checked by the teacher or the tutor. (Milanovic and Saville 1996.) The presentation of evidence allows teacher to see the individual progress students make as the time goes by. ( Josten, Sluijsmans, and Jochems, 2010).


 * EFL students' opinion identifying purposes of using portfolios**. Students’ opinion and the different descriptions or considerations about portfolios too; students and teachers are considered as a team in which they work equally and both have the same importance in the evaluation. //Knowing the opinion of students facilitates the learning process by Heng and Shao (2009) a//bout perception of students of a foreign language regarding the use of portfolios as an alternative way of assessment. Students’ opinions regarding portfolios seemed to be positive. In the research implementing electronic speaking portfolios: perceptions of EFL students, Heng, and Shao (2009), mentioned advantages students identified after some research done on a group of English language students in a Taiwanese university.

If students and teachers notice the real benefits using portfolios, then they would be a very productive way of asses//sment.// Advantages of using portfolios are reflected on their performance, and the first advantage identified in the study of Heng, and Shao (2009), it is the identification of weaker areas in speaking skill; the information they stored in the portfolio helped them to identify weak areas in their use of English language. It reflects the importance of good evidence to make students really notice the use of portfolios. The second advantage mentioned in the results, it is that students thanked the additional opportunities of practicing English; that is what happens at the time of using portfolios inside and outside classroom, students can practice more than just going to the classroom and not there. There is also another advantage mentioned in the document and it is more referred to students’ feelings; the third advantage mentioned by students, it is that students feel that portfolios decrease their anxiety at the time of speaking, because the interaction is with a computer with electronic portfolios. (Heng, and Shao, 2009).

Positive feeling bring better results//.// Martínez (2011) mentioned in her study conclusions that refer more to students’ feelings towards portfolios. Students reflect positive attitudes rather than negative reactions. The instruments applied provided some positive results. The focused group and also the reflections sheets give the opportunity to see the different reaction students have towards physical portfolios. In the focused group, most of the opinions were positive, indicating that they liked the extra points given for carrying the portfolio but they were also concerned because of the organization of it. Also the responsibility given to these students make them afraid of carrying the portfolio and to not accomplish with all the contents. All the reactions are different because each student has a different perception of things but in general, it is observed that the opinions are more positive than negative. (Martínez, 2011).

In general the use of e portfolio as an alternative way of assessment to promote life long learning skills is gaining fame and it is more and more used by teachers; English language teachers can use portfolios to evaluate students-teachers’ proficiency. In this literature review were presented plenty of elements to understand better the use of portfolios and give readers the opportunity to see the different perspectives about the use of portfolio for English language courses.
 * Conclusion**

There were stated three main sections that refer to use of e portfolios. The first section mentioned the artifacts that show evidence of student- teacher progress, and how the evidence should be included and what kind of works will be kept. Secondly, the second section was about the portfolio as an alternative way of assessment, in which there is explained general information about this evaluation tool; The last section is the one that mentioned the students feelings and perceptions about the use of portfolios; the studies used to collected the information are researches made with two different groups, the ones that mentioned positive and negative reactions and opinions. All the information collected is of big importance to consider using the e portfolios and to know more about other option or extra tool to evaluate and make students develop life long learning skills outside the classroom and rewarding them with by grading the evidence presented in the portfolio, hard evidence that will show students’ work. 1.- How can e-portfolios promote life-long learning skills? 2.-Who decide the content of a professional e-portfolio? 3.- When is it the ideal moment to start carrying out a professional e-portfolio?
 * Research Questions.** Promotion of life long learning for student-teacher nowadays is necessary to have it into account in the educational programs: the purpose of this research is to know how portfolios can work and promote life long learning skills in the English language teaching B.A. program in the Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes.

**Method (Approx. 500 words)**
 * Participants.** The participants are five random students per each semester in the B.A., two prope groups, second semester group, forth semester, sixth semester and eight semester. That are the students participants, in the other hand, teachers are also required for this research, teachers that currently are giving classes to students in the English Language Teaching B.A. there are seventeen teachers all of them will be asked to answer a questionnaire.
 * Instruments.** The instruments applied will be two different questionnaires one for students and other one for the teachers currently giving courses in the B.A. Both questionnaires are designed to obtain information about the use of portfolios by asking some questions regarding the use, purposes, and preferences. In general, questions that brings to light some important facts about the use of portfolios in the B.A. subjects. Especially in teacher’s questionnaires are some questions that indicate the use of portfolios in a professional view and also within their classes as an alternative way of evaluation. The courses are listed in both questionnaires to give the participants the opportunity of remembering or predict what subjects are more accurate to carry out an e portfolio.
 * Procedure.** After the instruments are finished, both questionnaires will be applied to all the participants. Eventually, when having all the questionnaires answered the data on them will be analyzed. After the results given on these instruments and the data analysis of them; some teachers will be selected to make them a short interview in which they can give a wider range of information about the use of the e portfolios in some of the courses in the B.A. Teachers will be selected according to their response towards portfolios and the experience they have with the use of paper based or e portfolios as an alternative way of evaluation to promote life long leaning skills in their classes, and also finding out if they see future using this evaluation tool in a long term period of time.
 * Research Design.** **T**he design is totally qualitative in nature because of the experiences, purposes, opinions among others are considered in the questions asked in both instruments, and in the interviews too. It is a research with a quasi-experimental design, because we are randomizing but being focused in students of the B.A. in English Language Teaching; Also teachers of the B.A. will be selected after finding out certain things they think about e portfolios. This design involves selecting groups as the teachers’ groups, it is important to mention that teachers must be the ones giving one or more courses within the B.A. And so, to have more accurate of answers of the role of e portfolios have or can have in the evaluation and formation of the future English teachers.

**Results and Discussion** The results are the findings of your research. The discussion is your conclusion of your findings. Make sure you have a good mix between results and discussion – not too much of one while sacrificing the other. Provide visuals when doing so makes it easier to understand the data (e.g., graphs, tables, etc.).

**References** Blake, K. & Hunt, K. (2009). Electronic portfolios a decade into the twenty-first century: What we know, what we need to know. //AAC&U peer review.// Campbell, D., Cignetti, P., Melenyer, B., Nettles, D. & Wyman, R. (2011). //How to Develop A Professional Portfolio: A Manual for Teachers//, Fifth Edition. New York, NY: Allyn & Bacon. Chriest, A. & Maher J. (n.d). //Portfolio assessment.// Retrieved from: [] Goodman, K. S., Goodman, Y. M., & Hood, W. J. (Eds.). (1989). //The Whole Language Evaluation Book.// Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Hamp, L. (2009) Applying ethnical standards to portfolio assessment of writing in English language as a second language. In Milanovic, M. Saville, N. //Study on language testing 3: performance testing, cognition and assessment.// Cambridge university press. Heng, D. & Shao, A. (2009). Implementing electronic speaking portfolios: perceptions of EFL students. //British journal of education technology,// 41, 84-88. doi:10.1111 Josten, D. Sluijsmans, D. & Jochems, W. (2010). Assesors Aproches to portfolio assessment in assessment of prior learning procedures//. Assessment and evaluation in higher education,// 35. pp. 59-74. Jun, M., Anthony, R., Achrazoglou J. & Coghill-Behrends, W. (2007). Using e portfolios for the assessment and professional development for newly hired teachers. //TechTRends//, 51(4), 45-50. Klenowski, V. (2002). //Developing portfolios for learning and assessment, process and principles.// New Fetter, London: RoutledgeFalmer. Martínez, C. (2011). "(action research)" The portfolio as an alternative way of assessment to evaluate students’ proficiency. Milanovic, M. & Saville M. (1995). //Studies in language testing 3: performance, testing, cognition and assessment. Selected papers from the 15th language testing research//. New York, NY: Cambridge university press. Mueller, J. (2011). //Authentic assessment toolbox.// Retrieved from: [|http://jfmueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/portfolios.htm#are] Paulson, F., Paulson, P. & Meyer, C. (1991). What Makes a Portfolio a Portfolio?. //Educational Leadership//, 58(5), 60-63. Strudler, N. & Wetzel K. (2011). Electronic portfolios in teacher education: Forging a middle ground. //Journal of research on technology in education// 44(2), 161-173. doi: 800.336..5191. Solís, A. (n.d). //Portfolios in secondary ESL classroom assessment: bring it all together//. Retrieved from: [] //Tucker,P.//, Stronge, J and Gareis C. (2002). //Handbook on teacher portfolios for evaluation and professional development.// New York, NY: Eye on education.

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**Appendix B**

**Appendix C**
 * NOTES**