Abstract:

This article intends to make evident that the use of an electronic portfolio promotes self-regulated learning and encourages autonomy, motivation, self-evaluation and self-reflection on students´ learning process. Self-regulated learning is a complex construct which has been studied by numerous scientific research. Kramarski and Michalsky [1] believe that it can be developed through participation in experiences and environments that provide the opportunity for students to regulate their own learning. The electronic language portfolio is an excellent way to aid in the teaching and learning of foreign languages as well as to provide a means to accurately assess language ability in a more dynamic and multidimensional way than simple test results. Besides being a cutting-edge assessment tool used by numerous educational institutions, an electronic portfolio teaches students how to organize better the material that they wish to acquire, evaluate their own knowledge, determine their long and short term objectives, as well as identify strategies to reach those goals. It promotes management and planning strategies.

An electronic portfolio is a digital version of a paper portfolio promoted by the European Council and serves present and former students of a foreign language as a means to present information related to their linguistic skills. It is an electronic document which serves students of a foreign language as a means to present information related to their linguistic skills. It documents any experiences and skills gained in the foreign language, whether obtained in a formal educational setting or through extra-curricular contact. It is owned by students. It consists of three parts: a language passport, a language biography, and a dossier.

The electronic version of language portfolio offers great advantages in comparison with the paper portfolio. It is easy to update, print and transport. Students can have access to their portfolio and see their progress via Internet. It allows to conduct an ongoing evaluation of the learning process, promotes a quick feedback and motivation. It is easier to fill out and modify than a paper portfolio. It shows progress on short and long term objectives and makes success evident. It offers a low-cost and cutting-edge tool to evaluate and keep track of students’ learning process.
The goal of this didactic experience is to develop self-regulation language learning skills through a systematic use of an e-portfolio. It was implemented as a part of the required coursework of the Senior Seminar. It consisted of a project that students had to turn in at the end of the fall semester of their last year and served them as a digital multimedia resume that they could send out to their future employer.

The electronic language portfolio encourages students´ autonomy and maturity in language learning, as well as makes the success of students, teachers and educational institutions more evident, more visible easier to measure and to document. The language portfolio is well recognized internationally, both by all the members of the European Council, Russia, Georgia, Turkey, the United States as well as in Canada, and has been the impetus behind various projects.

References:
[1] Kramarski, B. & Michalsky, T. (2009). Investigating preservice teachers´professional growth in self-regulated learning enviroments. Journal of Educational Psychology, 101, 161-175

Keywords:

ICT, E-portfolio, Self-regulated Learning, Language Portfolio, Self-evaluation, Autonomy, Motivation.