The portfolio as a teaching/learning strategy in a dentistry course: students' perceptions

Abstract

The use of portfolios in academic activities is used to document and reflect on learning. They allow for the organization of work, the assessment of progress and the demonstration of skills. Thus, encouraging self-assessment becomes a valuable tool for both students and educators. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the perception of students of the dentistry course at a private university in southern Brazil regarding the use of the portfolio as a teaching/learning strategy. An exploratory, descriptive case study with a qualitative approach was conducted with a convenience sample of fourth semester dental students. A semi-structured interview was held with each participant individually. The answers were recorded and subsequently transcribed. The data were submitted to the content analysis method proposed by Bardin. The sample was composed of seven students (six women and one man). The mean age was 24 years old. The aspects perceived as the most influential in the construction of the portfolio were the importance of the professor guiding the work and motivating the students, the subjectivity of the process, which depends on the individual characteristics of each student, and the importance of sharing ideas with classmates. The method was considered challenging, as it demands self-expression and the capacity for critical, reflexive thought. All students discussed the potentialities of the method. Despite being considered a challenging method, the portfolio proved to be an effective teaching/learning strategy. The use of this method encouraged the search for knowledge in a continual, holistic process that better prepared the students for evaluations.