Female English Majors’ Perceptions of E-portfolios at Some Saudi Universities

Abstract

Numerous higher education institutions have been increasingly utilizing e-portfolios to serve multiple purposes. E-portfolios provide a wide range of possibilities for promoting language learning in terms of both the learning processes and the learning outcomes. This study tries to gain insight into the perception of female English majors towards e-portfolios at some Saudi universities. Data were collected from 181 female English majors by means of a web-based questionnaire with items eliciting responses using a five-point Likert-type scale. The questionnaire was adapted from Ritzhaupt, Singh, and Seyferth’s (2008) Electronic Portfolio Student Perspective Instrument (EPSPI). The questionnaire included two domains related to student’s perceptions of e-portfolios as learning and assessment tools. Results indicate that most students have a positive perception of e-portfolios as learning and assessment tools. However, participants expressed neutrality toward some items concerning time spending, group working, errors in assessment, and having some difficulties with e-portfolios. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in perceptions of e-portfolios among students from different universities and levels. These findings promote the use of e-portfolios in English major programs. They also show that the e-portfolios might have a good potential to be part of EFL education.