THE CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE ASPECTS OF E-PORTFOLIO FOR RESEARCHERS AND POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH STUDENTS TO CONDUCT RESEARCH

Integration of technology into research is an innovative and creative trend which opens new horizons in the research discourse. This trend; however, has not received the research attention it deserves as in the literature there are no evidence of integration of technology into research. E-portfolios can contribute to research in many ways, such as enhanced sociol networking, joint publications. Moreover, they help promote research collaborations, such as the peer review and co-authoring of research publications. Employing e-portfolios also has humanistic impacts on researchers‟ academic and social behaviours, their identity, globalization, and social interactions. For postgraduate research students, using of e-portfolios can help enhance their learning autonomy, self-assessment, and self –regulation, which are considered to be crucial for research investigators. Supports for autonomy and competence are crucial for development and well-being in any learning environment (Levesque, Zuehlke, Stanek, and Ryan, 2004). This paper examines the significance of e-portfolios in conducting research for post graduate research students and investigators alike.