Web-based portfolio application in primary school 7th grade: Samples of sciences and social sciences

Assessment is a necessary part of educational activities. Assessment should be spread to all instructional processes in order to achieve educational quality, so portfolio as a process assessment method is coming forth in educational system and its importance and situation is gradually increasing. Portfolio is an accepted method in constructivist approach. Portfolio is formed by collecting students? products organized, on purpose and systematically. A web based portfolio (WBP) site was created for this study and it is tried to overcome the difficulties and lack of the classical portfolio applications. Besides, in process of portfolio application various flexibilities in communication and time for teachers and students were provided. The purpose of this study is to research the effects of WBP site to academic achievements of 7th grade primary school students in social sciences and science lessons. This research was conducted 7th grade students (N=67) in the second term (in spring semester) of 2006-2007 academic year. Besides, students? attitudes towards computer, internet and their opinions about WBP site were researched by using computer and internet attitude scales. 2 Pretest posttest control group model was used for the study. The experimental group was composed of 34 students and control group was composed of 33 students. The study lasted for 7 weeks. At the end of the study data were analyzed by SPSS 15 Program and the findings showed that web based portfolio increased both social and science lessons? academic achievements; but social lesson? academic achievements (167,89) was higher than science lesson? (83,29), (F(1; 66) = 62,028 ve P = ,000).