Contributions of E-Portfolios Assessment to Developing EFL Learners’ Vocabulary, Motivation, and Attitudes

Abstract

A great deal of studies have explored the effects of electronic-portfolios (e - portfolios) on various measures of language learning, including writing and speaking in English. However, the effects of e-portfolios on vocabulary, motivation, and attitudes of EFL learners have remained unexplored. Thus, this study aimed at disclosing the effects of e-portfolios on Afghani EFL learners’ vocabulary, motivation, and attitudes. For this purpose, after homogenizing, a total of 100 EFL male learners were selected and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 50) and a control group (n = 50). Afterward, they went through pretest, interventions, and posttest procedures. The interventions lasted 18 one-hour sessions held twice a week where the experimental group was trained through e-portfolios (Mahara: the electronic portfolio software) and the control group was trained using conventional methods. The collected data were analyzed through running an independent-sample t-test and calculating mean and percent. Results evidenced that the experimental group outperformed the control group concerning their gains of vocabulary knowledge on the posttest. Additionally, the findings documented that there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of motivation at the end of the interventions. Furthermore, the findings indicated that the participants had very positive attitudes toward the e-portfolios. The study concludes by offering some implications for relevant stakeholders and opening some windows for further research.