An investigation on using of methot of electronic portfolio in a computer course

The fact that there is a need to assess all the steps of a learning process requires theuse of alternative assessment methods rather than classical assessment methods. Recentlyone of the most widely used alternative assessment forms is portfolio assessment, whererubrics are used. E-portfolios are prepared by collecting portfolio items with an electronicinterface. Portfolio is not only a method of assessment, but also a learning method. Someaspects that form the basis of constructive model like the learners' ability to use theirknowledge actively, their ability to think and reflect the values and goals of their products,assessing their own learnings, getting feedback from their teachers and peers and having theopportunity to have their own learning goals also serve to the purposes of e-portfolios.The aim of this study is to investigate the students' views and their achievementsin preparing electronic portfolios, writing reflections and portfolio assessment itself in acomputer course.This study was conducted with the participation of Buca Anatolian VocationalSchool Computer Department 2nd grade students (N=28) in their first semester. Studentsprepared an e-portfolio about hardware and graded themselves with the electronic portfoliorubric. At the same time the teacher graded the students and the students' final grade wasgiven by the average of those two grades. The method used is a case study, for this reasonthree of the portfolios were chosen for comprehensive analysis. Also there were interviewswith 15 students, there were surveys filled by the students and the researcher's observationswere used.The analysis of the results compiled by qualitative and quantitative studies revealthat the students were first worried about using such a new method in class, but soon theygot used to it, enjoyed it a lot. They stated that their research skills, learning new things, self-reliance, learning to assess themselves, managing time effectively and feeling theresponsibility towards learning have improved. There was positive feedback from thestudents about adding reflections to their works; about reviewing their works, expressingthemselves, developing self-reliance, taking responsibility towards their own learning, etc.The students said that their self-reliance would develop and they would not fear the gradesthat much if the grades were given by the students, but on the other hand they claimed thatsuch a grading method wouldn't be fair when students overgrade themselves and the others,and the difference between the good and the bad students could not be found. It was foundthat the students agreed relatively high on the terms like ?I learned how the teachers evaluateour works?, ?I got the grade I deserve?, ?I think I got better grades than those classicalassessment practices?. No significant difference was found between the gradings of teacherand the students when rubrics were used. There was high correlation between the scorings,all the students had a passing grade, and the achievement was above average.