This project investigated the problem of how to enable a student-centered environment in reading instruction through effectively incorporating meaningful web-based technology into the community college reading curriculum. Three multimedia strategies were tested to promote individual and collaborative meaning making: ePortfolios, eJournals, and the Class Know-It-All. The success of these strategies was measured against that of a previous course with identical materials and resources with the exception of multimedia integration.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / abstract / Education / Master / Master of Education

Little research has been undertaken investigating e-portfolios as a strategy in the development of self-directed learning skills in young learners. This dissertation aims to contribute to this area of research. Self-directed learning is considered an important skill in assisting learners to prepare for a future where the skill set required is undetermined for many roles. Eportfolios have been shown to assist students in development of their reflective thinking and self-assessment skills. Self-assessment and reflection are both key skills in selfdirected learners. Research into e-portfolios has primarily been focused at tertiary level and has not focused on the development of the indicators of self-directed learning. This study is a qualitative case study of four Year 1 students which takes place over three months at a private international school in Hong Kong. The intervention (eportfolio) was introduced into the context of expressive oral reading. Each student produced an e-portfolio documenting their learning. The indicators of self-directed learning were assessed prior to the intervention, during and post intervention through interviews, document and observations. Results strongly indicated that e-portfolios were effective in developing selfdirected learning skills. In particular there was a clear emergence of the indicators intrinsic motivation, self-assessment, ownership of learning and celebration of learning. Surprisingly creativity, self-confidence, and self-esteem also emerged to significant levels. It was concluded that e-portfolios were an effective way to develop self-directed learning skills. It is recommended that e-portfolios are used with young learners as an effective way of engaging students in their own learning process. / published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Science in Information Technology in Education

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The purpose of this project is to develop a classroom handbook explaining the process and standards, necessary in developing an employability portfolio.

The assessment procedures utilized in the Department of Biomedical Technology at Mangosuthu Technikon were critically reviewed. This revealed a rather narrow approach with an emphasis on traditional assessment methods such as tests and examinations that provide limited feedback that does not necessarily determine whether learning has taken place. This study was prompted by the realization that the existing traditional methods of assessment promote or encourage a surface approach to learning which makes it difficult for the students to transfer the theoretical knowledge that they have attained into the practical performance that is required in the workplace. The study was conducted over a period of four years using an action research approach, which revolved mainly around the use of the existing assessment methods and an evaluation of the participants’ perceptions regarding the introduction of portfolio assessment in the Department of Biomedical Technology at Mangosuthu Technikon. During the study a group of students in the Department of Chemical Pathology was exposed to an in-course portfolio assessment as well as an experiential training portfolio assessment. A number of variables in the in-course portfolio assessment was tested. These variables were related to the concerns raised in the workplace. The introduction of the in-course portfolio showed some improvement in the way students performed their basic duties in 2005. The 2006 group of students was not exposed to the in-course portfolio assessment therefore this provided a better comparison of students by the employers. The study also involved the lecturers in the department who had different opinions regarding portfolio assessment. It was found that some of them supported the idea whereas others felt that the time allocated for lecturers’ duties did not permit them to introduce such a time-consuming assessment format. Employers involved in the study clearly indicated which areas or skills students needed to develop before they could come to the workplace for experiential training. However, the researcher concluded that some of those skills could be accumulated with further years of work experience. The study revealed that a significant portion of the students realized that, by integrating assessment in the learning process, they are able to be more critical of their own work, thereby putting more effort into understanding what they learn through the use of formative assessment. This in turn should pave the way for students to understand that learning is no longer teacher-centred, but learner-centred. This approach means that they are expected to work in more reflective and independent ways in the future. The study highlighted a number of issues that need to be addressed in assessment strategies. The lecturers were accustomed to assessment system that was time-efficient and yielded the scores required by the system. However, the way this assessment system related to learning was not so clear to either lecturers or students. Particularly, students felt that a mark did not necessarily reflect what they knew about the subject matter. They argued that if the same subject content had been assessed in other ways, a different performance outcome might have been achieved. This means that the actual awarding of marks is an intimidating process for some students and that ways should be found to render assessment less intimidating or threatening. A critical finding of the study is that assessment requires not only a high level of critical reflection, but also active engagement and discipline-specific knowledge by the lecturers to make the necessary changes for an assessment method where students’ learning is the centre of focus. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the purpose and role portfolios are playing in developing reflective practice in student teachers and to assess the degree to which this role is being achieved in practice. This study was a interpretive small scale case study. The target groups were 3 student teachers in their final year of study, 3 teacher educators and the vice-rector of the college. Data were obtained through interviews and document analysis. The findings indicated that the students had no meaningful orientation to both the role of portfolio development and reflective skills. The sources of this were the lack of common understanding among teacher educators, lack of support for both teacher educators and student teachers and lack of time, lack of guidelines for construction and clear assessment rubric. The results of this study indicated that the teacher educators were in need of vigorous professional development and considerable implementation strategies are needed to develop the desired reflective skills.

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No description available.