6 ePortfolio Assessment and reflective practice
TANNISTHA DASGUPTA
Overview
For a course on Public Speaking, a combination of reflective practice and e-portfolio was used in order to engage in self-evaluation in a structured and measurable way. This assessment method examined the self-recorded video-speaking tasks of 19 Indian undergraduates (L1 Telugu) to determine the efficacy of using reflective practice and e-portfolio to develop speaking skills among learners who found speaking in English challenging. Students created e-portfolios using smartphones and Google Drive, which contained 12 videos (1-2 minutes) related to the topics from their English syllabus during a semester of 4 months. Every week participants after uploading their videos on Google Drive, they reflected on their recordings using a reflective questionnaire, and then later in the class they received feedback from teachers and peers. The recordings were analyzed using a rubric to find improvement in fluency, organization, increased motivation, and reduced level of anxiety. When interviewed at the end of the semester, students reported that reflection questions helped them to evaluate and regulate their performances, and the e-portfolios allowed them to track their progress and learn from their peers. Students reported increased confidence in their speaking abilities, and a reduction in anxiety levels. At the end of the semester, it was found that self-evaluation through reflective practice, when supported by e-portfolio, could lead to significant improvements in speaking skills progressively. Apart from this, students also delivered public speech 3 times in the semester, i.e., in front of a large audience comprised of other university students.
Objective
To prepare and deliver a public speech confidently. The learning objectives assessed by the method in the Public Speaking course are the improvement of speaking fluency and organization, and self-regulation through reflective practice. Additionally, it aimed to develop gauge students’ motivation towards improving their speaking skills and their ability to track progress and learn from peers using e-portfolios.
1) Successful aspects include the integration of reflective practice and e-portfolios, which facilitated structured self-evaluation and progress tracking. The method effectively addressed students’ challenges with speaking English, leading to increased confidence, motivation, and reduced anxiety levels. Peer and teacher feedback further enriched the learning experience.
2) Providing more guidance on self-evaluation techniques could enhance students’ ability to identify areas for improvement accurately. Familiarizing students with reflective practices as (when enquired) they reported that they never engaged in such activities in their other courses or school before. Students need to be motivated/explained not be shy or worried to share their feedback to their peers. In a nutshell, discussions/awareness raising session with students should have been done to orient them towards self-reflection and reducing their worry about providing feedback (shortcomings of) their peers.
3) Instructors considering this method should emphasize the importance of reflective practice and encourage active participation in peer feedback sessions. Providing clear instructions and rubrics for self-evaluation can enhance the effectiveness of the method. Students need to be oriented with using e-portfolio effectively and trained to engage in reflective practices.
4) General advice includes fostering a supportive learning environment where students feel comfortable sharing their reflections and receiving feedback. Encouraging students to set specific goals for improvement and regularly monitor their progress can enhance motivation and accountability.
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