Electronic portfolio development and narrative reflections in higher education: Part and parcel of the culture?

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effective use of the electronic portfolios in the educational context of graduate students in a major research university in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The use of electronic portfolios with university students has many benefits including advancing learning, assessment and evaluation. The electronic portfolio is considered an innovative instructional approach that has not widely been used in the UAE. Forty electronic portfolios were included in the careful analysis of the e-portfolio development, rubric and reflective narratives. Description of best methods on how to develop the e-portfolio in university teaching and learning, along with areas of attainment is presented. A major result indicates a high reliability of the e-portfolio rubric (0.77) with UAE graduate students. Another result indicated that university student effective use of electronic portfolios leads to successful learning and reflective experiences. A key recommendation is that instructors and institutions can effectively utilize e-portfolios to improve learning and assessment, course delivery, and program outcomes. In addition, personalizing learning indicated by several authentic narrative reflections can be another implication of the e-portfolio use at the higher education level to improve self or online learning and project-based learning.