jordanian pre‐service teachers' perceptions of the portfolio as a reflective learning tool

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Jordanian Pre‐service Teachers'Perceptions of the Portfolio as aReflective Learning ToolRuba Fahmi Bataineh a , Samih Mahmoud Al‐Karasneh a , Ali

Ahmad Al‐Barakat a & Rula Fahmi Bataineh b

a Yarmouk University , Jordanb Jordan University of Science and Technology , JordanPublished online: 12 Oct 2007.

To cite this article: Ruba Fahmi Bataineh , Samih Mahmoud Al‐Karasneh , Ali Ahmad Al‐Barakat& Rula Fahmi Bataineh (2007) Jordanian Pre‐service Teachers' Perceptions of the Portfolio asa Reflective Learning Tool , Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 35:4, 435-454, DOI:10.1080/13598660701611420

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Jordanian Pre-service Teachers’

Perceptions of the Portfolio as a

Reflective Learning Tool

Ruba Fahmi Bataineha*, Samih Mahmoud Al-Karasneha,Ali Ahmad Al-Barakata and Rula Fahmi Batainehb

aYarmouk University, Jordan; bJordan University of Science and Technology, Jordan

This study investigates how portfolios support pre-service teachers’ learning to teach. The findings

revealed that the portfolio provides pre-service teachers with productive learning experiences which

help them develop their library use, knowledge, skills, attitudes, personal traits, motivation to learn,

interpersonal relationships and an information source. The respondents were found to consider the

portfolio a highly effective tool in their learning to teach.

Introduction and Background

Originating in the practices of models, artists and photographers, a portfolio is a

collection of one’s best work, what one has achieved, and one’s reflection on his/her

professional and personal development (Antonek, McCormick, & Donato, 1997;

Bastidas, 1996; Popham, 1995; Tanner, 1996). However, although the portfolio is

neither new nor original to education, it has become extremely popular in recent

educational literature. Rea (2001, p. 1) reports that:

… a simple search of the Internet using the key words ‘‘language portfolios’’ and

‘‘portfolio assessment’’ shows how popular these concepts are in educational circles: the

former produced about 150,000 mostly European-based hits and the latter about

250,000 mostly US-based hits. Many of these articles naturally link portfolios with

personal skills like reflection.

Educational literature is rich with studies delineating the rationale for using

portfolios (see Barton & Collins, 1993; Doolittle, 1994; Ellis Ormrod, 1995; French,

1992; Jongsma, 1989; Klecker, 2000; McLean, 1990; Mills, 1989; Valencia, 1990;

Stiggins, 1991; Wolf, 1989). Portfolios have been hailed as a means of countering

*Corresponding author. Vice Dean, Faculty of Education, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan.

Email: [email protected]

Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education

Vol. 35, No. 4, November 2007, pp. 435–454

ISSN 1359-866X (print)/ISSN 1469-2945 (online)/07/040435-20

� 2007 Australian Teacher Education Association

DOI: 10.1080/13598660701611420

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reduced contact hours, developing learning skills, and encouraging reflective

learning strategies. Several scholars (see Kolb, 1984) have pointed to the value of

the portfolio as a tool for linking theory and application, structuring and supporting

learning experiences in which students are undertaking an activity, reflecting upon it,

and learning from that reflection in a manner which would affect their future

performance.

One of the problems associated with the concept of portfolios is that they can

mean different things to different people, which creates potential for confusion.

Recent claims have been made to the effect that portfolio-related terms are being

used haphazardly and interchangeably so much so that renewed calls for a clear

definition (see Fitch, 2004; Greenberg, 2004) have been made.

There are numerous definitions of a portfolio, but a portfolio is seen mainly as a

purposeful collection of student work that exhibits his/her efforts, progress and

achievement in one or more areas (Arter & Spandel, 1991; Leeman-Conley, 1998;

Niguidula, 1993; Paulson, Paulson, & Meyer, 1991). Doolittle (1994, p. 2) defines a

teacher’s portfolio as ‘‘a collection of work ... constructed by teachers to highlight

and demonstrate their knowledge and skills in teaching’’ . Along the same lines,

Hurst, Wilson and Cramer (1998) view portfolios as reflective compendiums of self-

selected artifacts, representations of teaching credentials, and documentation for

strengthening interviews.

Despite the dearth of local literature, there is a plethora of international research

on the uses, effectiveness, and viability of keeping a portfolio. Cerbin (1994)

examined the use of a course portfolio as a learning-centered tool to improve

teaching and learning. He suggests that course portfolios can be used to assess and

document the substance and complexity of teaching, connect assessment of teaching

with assessment of learning, and foster better teaching and learning.

Nettles and Petrick (1995) described the process of using portfolios in an

elementary teacher training program, defined the concept of portfolios and provided

a rationale for their use in teacher education programs. They suggested that

portfolios may be used in pre-service teacher education to (1) evaluate the program;

(2) enhance and document active student learning; and (3) provide graduates with a

personal marketing tool. They described the six-step process involved in adopting

portfolios for documenting professional growth in a teacher education program:

adopt a philosophy statement; decide on outcomes that reflect the teacher education

program; determine the purposes for using portfolios; select specific types of artifacts

that students will include; decide a process for implementing portfolios; and write a

manual to serve as a guide for faculty and students.

Riggs, Sandlin, Scott, Childress, and Mitchell (1997) described portfolio

assessment in the Inland Empire Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment

Program (IE-BTSA) to promote the new teacher’s reflection and growth within the

teacher roles of organiser, instructor, learner, mentor and colleague as 150 novice

teachers gained in expertise. A review of 2,002 portfolio captions revealed that

novice teachers were able to reflect on their portfolios and identify related role

436 R. F. Bataineh et al.

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indicators. Dialogs with mentor teachers often resulted in identification of the areas

of strength and those in need of further development.

Jonson and Hodges (1998) reported on the development and utilisation of

professional portfolios in the teacher education program of the University of San

Francisco (California). They reviewed the rationale and guidelines for using

portfolios, reported the results of a survey of 45 recent credential program graduates’

use of the portfolio, and discussed implications for teachers’ initial job search and

ongoing professional development. Their findings revealed that beginning teachers

use the portfolio, which was seen to enhance their job search process, in job

interviews 83% of the time. The majority reported that portfolios were an advantage

in the job interview process although several said that interviewers were not

interested in seeing their portfolios. The respondents also reported that portfolios

continued to provide a useful tool for reflecting on their professional and personal

growth through their first year in the classroom.

Willis and Davies (2002) examined pre-service elementary stage teachers’ percep-

tions of the impact of portfolios on professional development. They found that the

portfolio promoted students’ reflective practice, increased their self-confidence,

prepared them for the job search, and heightened their awareness of professional

standards. In a longitudinal study of 20 students of elementary education as they

proceeded from methods courses into student and actual classroom teaching, Meyer,

Tusin, and Turner (1996) found that the use of portfolios in teaching methods

courses encouraged students to develop their own professional portfolios although it

did not seem to influence them to encourage their own students to do so.

More relevant to the focus of this study, a portfolio also provides a means for

reflection; it offers the opportunity for critiquing one’s work and evaluating the

effectiveness of lessons or interpersonal interactions with students or peers. Wolf

(1991, p. 6) describes portfolios as ‘‘a structured collection of evidence of a teacher’s

best work that is selective, reflective, and collaborative, and demonstrates a teacher’s

accomplishments over time and across a variety of contexts’’.

The nature and content of a portfolio may vary according to the purpose of its use.

It is not important what it looks like but rather how its content is selected, collected

and reflected upon. A mere collection of work does not make a portfolio. It has to be

transformed into a meaningful learning experience with a reflective account of one’s

development over time. The Rhodes University Academic Development Centre

(2006, p. 1) cautioned that:

The common sense understanding of a portfolio is that of a file or folder into which one

puts ‘‘best’’ work. In order to develop and enhance teaching, however, the portfolio has

to function as more than a ‘‘container’’ since it has to provide a means through which

lecturers can reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of their practice as educators in

order to identify which aspects of that practice need to be developed.

There is virtually a consensus that a good portfolio contains a variety of entries

which provide a record of authentic accomplishment (Barton & Collins, 1993;

The Portfolio as a Reflective Learning Tool 437

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Doolittle, 1994), the structure of which is based on the purpose for which it is

compiled, the beliefs and philosophy underlying its use, and the manner of this use

(Bastidas, 1996; Doolittle, 1994). A student teacher’s portfolio, for instance, may

include some or all of the following (Doolittle, 1994; Ellis Ormrod, 1995):

N Documentation of one’s history (e.g., personal background, curriculum vitae and

a statement of purpose).

N Class description (e.g., time, grade and content).

N Written examinations.

N A personal statement of teaching philosophy, ethics and goals.

N Documentation of effort to improve one’s teaching (e.g., seminars, training

programs, and conventions).

N Supervisors’ feedback and observation records.

N Graded pupil work (e.g., tests, quizzes and class projects).

N Video/audio tapes of class sessions.

N Self-evaluations and reflections on teaching.

N Reflective documentation and analysis of one’s learning.

N Photographs of major projects (e.g., bulletin boards, chalkboards, or other

projects).

In recent years, teacher education programs have increasingly required that every

pre-service teacher develop a professional portfolio (Giuliano, 1997; Machado &

Meyer-Botnarescue, 1997). Many teacher education programs use portfolios as

either reflection exercises or a requirement for graduation based on the premise that

compiling a portfolio potentially engages pre-service teachers in real-world practices

and allows them opportunities to link theory to practice and then relate them both to

their own teaching context (Barton & Collins, 1993; Shannon, Ash, Barry, & Dunn,

1995; Vavrus & Collins, 1991).

One of the aims of compiling a portfolio is to develop the student’s ability to

‘‘learn how to learn’’, self-esteem, and ability for self-assessment and self-direction.

Compiling a portfolio involves seriously assessing one’s own progress in light of

the goals of the program or those he/she has set for him/herself. In other words,

the portfolio gives a comprehensive picture as to where the student had been,

where he/she is at the present, and where he/she is going from there. Pre-service

teachers create portfolios to demonstrate their knowledge and skills of teaching

and learning to teach which improve not only their professionalism but also

their professional articulation (Barton & Collins, 1993). In addition, a portfolio

involves pre-service teachers in practical experiences that are student-centered

and, thus, individually relevant, not to mention that these teachers are explicitly

instructed of what is expected of them and given clear feedback about their

performance.

Teacher education literature reveals that pre-service teachers may be asked to

produce portfolios as a means of reflecting on their learning and growth, as evidence

of their competence, or as marketing tools for employment (Rakow, 1999). Krause


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(1996, p. 130) views creating the portfolio as an ‘‘authentic and dynamic’’ activity

that captures the complexity of teaching, shifts responsibility to the learner, and

models good assessment practices.

Some research reveals that pre-service teachers have a positive reaction to

portfolios. Green and Smyser (1995) reported positive changes in pre-service

teachers’ evaluation of teaching, professional growth, and reflective thinking as a

result of portfolio construction. Similarly, Dutt-Doner and Gilman (1998) found

that pre-service teachers not only praised the freedom and creativity in the portfolio

process but also expressed pride and confidence upon completion. Although some

research findings indicate students’ concern about issues such as ambiguity,

decisions about what to include, and the amount of time required, they show that

portfolios were considered good indicators of students’ growth, strength, and

professional concerns (see Zidon, 1996).

Significance and Purpose of the Study

To these researchers’ best knowledge, no local literature exists on using portfolios as

a learning tool. The researchers were able to locate a lone study by Al-Sheboul

(2004) on the effectiveness of portfolio assessment in teaching science. Al-Sheboul

herself did not cite any local literature and limited her review to foreign research. She

reported that using portfolios has positive effects on students’ self-learning,

understanding of science, interpersonal relationships, attention and organisation

although no effects were found on students’ achievement in science.

The present study is an attempt to bridge the gap in local literature on portfolios.

More specifically, it attempts to answer the following question: what are Jordanian

pre-service teachers’ perceptions of the benefits of compiling a portfolio? It focuses

on the portfolio more as a reflective learning tool than as a teaching or assessment

tool. It is the first of a series of studies which investigate Jordanian pre-service and in-

service teachers’ perceptions about, attitudes towards and actual use of portfolios

and the feasibility of incorporating these portfolios into the mainstream practices in

the Jordanian educational context.

Sampling and Preliminary Procedures

Despite the limitations of purposeful sampling, the researchers opted for it to ensure

selecting participants who would more likely be well informed about, motivated to,

and serious about compiling a portfolio. The sample consisted of three intact classes

of pre-service teachers, the first of which majors in methods of teaching social

studies, the second in classroom teaching, and the third in methods of teaching

English as a foreign language. The first group consisted of 18 (13 female and 5 male)

students enrolled in CI 324 (‘‘Methods of teaching social studies’’), while the second

consisted of 14 (11 female and 3 male) students enrolled in CI 321 (‘‘Methods and

curricula of social studies’’). The third group consisted of 18 (11 female and 7 male)


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students enrolled in CI 316 (‘‘Methods of teaching English as a foreign language’’

(TEFL)). These courses were all offered by the Department of Curriculum and

Instruction at Yarmouk University (Irbid, Jordan) and taught by the first three

researchers in the second semester of the academic year 2004–2005.

Prior to data collection, the researchers had distributed a three-item questionnaire

to the students in all three classes to determine whether or not they are familiar with

the concept, components and uses of a portfolio. An analysis of the students’

responses revealed virtually no knowledge of portfolios. This did not come as a

surprise in light of the traditional nature of course requirements at the program and

the virtually non-existent local literature on portfolios.

Based on the results of the preliminary analysis, the researchers had taken

measures to ascertain that the students in all three classes were familiar with the

concept of a portfolio and procedures involved in constructing one. These students

were instructed about the portfolio-building process (e.g., the nature, purpose and

procedures of compiling a portfolio) to enable them to make informed value-

judgments and, thus, provide informed responses to the questions posed in this

research.

From the onset of the three courses, each instructor/researcher explained the

semester-long portfolio construction assignment and closely oversaw the evolution of

the process as the students’ ability to compile a portfolio evolved. Following training,

the students were expected to systematically construct portfolios in light of their

respective goals, abilities and learning strategies. To enable them to create their

individual portfolios, they were each given a set of specific guidelines to inform their

portfolio construction process (see Appendix).

Students in each class were further involved in bi-weekly conferences with their

respective instructor/researcher who reviewed their portfolios, gave them feedback

about their progress, and provided them with specific instructions for further

improvement. The students were also allowed to discuss their progress with fellow

students as a means to help them reflect upon and reinforce the ideas that informed

their portfolios.

Instrumentation, Data Collection and Data Analysis Procedures

Following the final review of the portfolios produced by the students in the three

courses, open-ended interviews were conducted to collect the data for the analysis.

Examining the portfolios suggests that the participants have had a spectrum of

experiences during the compilation of these portfolios. The quality of these portfolios

ranged between satisfactory and outstanding, which, in light of the fact that the

participants had had no prior experience in compiling a portfolio, has verified the

credibility and diligence of these students.

The researchers conducted the interviews a week after the last meeting of the

course. Participants were interviewed individually on campus at the time of their

choice. After the participants were assured of the confidentiality of their responses,


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the interviews were tape-recorded and then transcribed. Each interview consisted of

the following three questions:

N Based on your recent experience, what are the benefits of compiling a portfolio?

N Do you think keeping the portfolio has helped your learning to teach? If so, how?

N What do you think are the points of strength and weakness of keeping a portfolio

for your learning to teach?

The interview questions were checked for validity by a jury of three experts in

curriculum and instruction, elementary education and measurement and evaluation.

All interviews were conducted in Arabic to avoid language-induced problems since

English is a foreign language in which the sample (with the exception of the TEFL

group) may not be adequately proficient. The TEFL group would have done well if

interviewed in English, but the researchers opted for Arabic for homogeneity

purposes. All relevant excerpts were translated into English by the researchers and

checked by two professors of linguistics and TEFL for accuracy and consistency with

the Arabic text.

Strauss and Corbin’s (1990) line-by-line review of interview texts was used. All

references to the benefits of keeping a portfolio (1,327 responses) were highlighted

and each given a preliminary label (n 5 43). Consequently, a set of labels was

compiled and later refined by consolidating predominant labels into eight broad

categories which were validated by a jury of experts in curriculum and instruction

and measurement and evaluation.

Findings and Discussion

Albeit not the primary source of data, the written samples in the portfolios provided

important information on the participants’ growth as teachers. However, some

teachers provided too few written samples to adequately judge their development

through the semester. Portfolios which contained numerous and dated samples

proved very useful in assessing growth.

As part of the process of examining the contents of each portfolio, the instructor/

researcher prepared written commentaries on the contents that would be shared in the

bi-weekly conference with each pre-service teacher. These commentaries focused on

the points of strength and weakness of a particular portfolio. The material in the

portfolio allowed the instructor/researcher to determine the level of proficiency attained

by pre-service teachers and to provide these teachers with feedback about their progress.

The analysis of the participants’ 1,327 responses revealed 43 benefits for keeping a

portfolio. These benefits were grouped into eight major categories as shown in

Table 1 below.

Table 1 shows that the respondents reported a wide range of benefits for keeping a

portfolio. Despite some apparent overlap, these benefits were grouped into the eight

major categories of developing students’ library skills, knowledge, skills, positive

attitudes, personal traits and values, motivation to learn, positive interpersonal


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Table 1. Perceived benefits of keeping a portfolio

No. Category Sub-categories

No. of

responses %* Total %**

Developing library skills a. Collecting information 60 23.5

255 19.2

b. Using different sources of

information (e.g. books and

journals)

60 23.5

c. Using the Internet 55 21.5

d. Studying at the library 50 19.6

e. Establishing a positive relationship

with the library

30 11.7

Developing students’

knowledge

a. Knowledge about the parts and

contents of the library

60 29.5

203 15.2

b. Knowledge about educational

matters (e.g. curricula, learning

theories, teaching methods)

57 28.0

c. Knowledge of portfolio structure

and organization

44 21.6

d. Knowledge of information sources 32 15.7

e. Knowledge of self-assessment 10 4.9

Developing students’ skills a. Thinking skills (reflective, critical,

and analytical skills)

60 28.4

211 15.9

b. Searching skills 35 16.5

c. Documentation skills 31 14.7

d. Reading and writing skills 35 16.5

e. Organization skills 29 13.7

f. Cooperation skills 10 4.7

g. Content analysis skills 7 3.3

h. Resource management skills 4 1.9

Developing positive

attitudes

a. Using library facilities 37 18.1

204 15.4

b. Searching 35 17.2

c. Keeping a portfolio 30 14.7

d. Self-assessments 28 13.7

e. Optional reading 25 12.2

f. Writing 20 9.8

g. Independent learning 16 7.8

h. Collecting optional materials 13 6.3


personal traits and values

a. Self-confidence 56 30.6

183 13.7b. Self-expression 55 30.0

c. Self-reliance 35 19.1

d. Self-esteem 20 24.0

e. Cooperation 17 20.4


motivation to learn

a. Keeping a well-constructed

portfolio

44 36.3

121 9.1b. Using the library 30 24.8

c. Searching for knowledge 27 22.3

d. Using various sources of

information

20 16.5


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relationships and own information source. The findings for each of these dimensions

are presented and discussed below.

Developing Library Skills

The analysis revealed that a good number of respondents consider keeping a

portfolio beneficial in terms of developing their library skills. The respondents’

reports ranged between viewing the portfolio as a catalyst for collecting information

and viewing it as a means to establish a positive relationship with the library. The

respondents reported that keeping a portfolio allowed them to use various sources of

information, as shown in the following excerpts:

Keeping a portfolio is highly valuable; it has given me an opportunity to use and discover

the huge library at our university containing thousands of books and references, Internet

halls, and materials.

This portfolio project has sent me to the library for the first time.

Keeping a portfolio was a good means to establish my positive relationship with the library.

These excerpts point to a consensus amongst the respondents that keeping a

portfolio fosters their library use and, for some, introduces them to the library for the

first time. The respondents’ high ranking of this category may reflect their

convictions about the positive effect of keeping a portfolio as a reflective learning

tool. Compiling a portfolio has sent them to the library once and again to accomplish

their tasks as best as they can.

The students’ engagement in the process of documenting their accumulative

accomplishments in terms of assignments, reports, and data collection done through

keeping a portfolio (Doolittle, 1994; Ellis Ormrod, 1995) has no doubt reinforced

No. Category Sub-categories

No. of

responses %* Total %**

Developing positive

Interpersonal relationships

a. Relationships with fellow

teachers

35 31.8

110 8.2b. Competition 30 27.2

c. Relationships with librarians 25 22.7

d. Relationships with educators 11 10.0

e. Relationships with parents 9 8.1

Developing students’ own

information source

a. Portfolio as an ever available

source of knowledge

30 75.0

40 3.0

b. Portfolio as a personal index 10 25.0

Notes: *calculated by dividing the number of responses in each subcategory by the number of responses in that

category; **calculated by dividing the number of responses in each category by the total number of responses in

all categories (n51327)

Table 1. Continued


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their library skills. In addition, the fact that keeping a portfolio requires students to

spend a considerable amount of time working at the library may further inform them

about various resources, databases and learning tools.

Developing Students’ Knowledge

The respondents hailed the portfolio as a means to develop multi-faceted knowledge.

The analysis shows 203 responses referring to various kinds of knowledge. For

example, 57 responses showed that a portfolio provides students with knowledge

about education (e.g., curricula, learning theories and teaching methods), as shown

in the excerpts below.

Since it was mine, the portfolio was very helpful; it helped me to extend my knowledge

about learning theories, teaching methods, and curriculum components. I learned it all

by myself.

Keeping a portfolio is vital, since it provides us with different sorts of knowledge.

The portfolio is viewed as a superb tool for helping pre-service teachers build up

and develop their knowledge in a certain subject area, for it constitutes a cumulative

body of evidence of their work in that area. Keeping a portfolio plays a key role in the

development of pre-service teachers’ knowledge of various professional and

academic aspects, which is consistent with previous research findings (see Barton

& Collins, 1993; Gupta, Ecclestone, & Greaves, 2001; Tanner, Longayroux,

Beijaard, & Verloop, 2000; Wilcox & Tomei, 1999).

Gupta et al. (2001) addressed what they term ‘‘practical knowledge’’ which refers

to the types of knowledge experienced throughout the process of compiling a

portfolio. Along the same lines, Barton and Collins (1993) dub it ‘‘professional

knowledge’’ since it is the cumulative product of the wide range of experiences

encountered in the portfolio development process which would contribute to the

growth of pre-service teachers as both learners and professionals.

To this effect, Geltner (1993) argued that:

… through the process of building a portfolio, the student operates as the active agent of

the process, not the receiver, as a participant in the process, rather than an object of such

a process. Lodging responsibility for the selection and evaluation of worth of such

evidence with the student places ownership of the development of professional judgment

and expertise with the learner.

Developing Students’ Skills

The respondents were found to view keeping a portfolio as an effective means to

build up and develop various skills such as those of critical, reflective, and analytical


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thinking; reading and writing skills; search, organisation and documentation skills;

and interpersonal skills, as shown in the following excerpts.

Keeping a portfolio helped us to have multiple skills; for example, it enabled us to create,

search and think reflectively, in which we can learn well.

Keeping this portfolio helped me enhance my skills of how to use some databases and the

Internet.

Keeping a portfolio assists us to develop our thinking skills. When we read and collect

information, we have to know how to think and reflect critically on the documents and to

draw conclusions.

As shown above, the respondents perceive the portfolio as an especially effective

learning tool in terms of developing, among others, reading, analysis and reflection

skills. This result is consistent with previous research findings (see Barton & Collins,

1993; Cerbin, 1994; Rea, 2001; Wilcox & Tomei, 1999) which all point to the fact

that keeping a portfolio engages students in cognitive activities which support

learning.

The types of cognitive activities in which the students are regularly engaged may

be the reason for developing their skills. The respondents were spending a

substantial amount of time looking for, reading, organising, synthesising, interpret-

ing, thinking about and reflecting upon the materials they had collected, not to

mention thinking of ways to process these materials and apply them to their future

learning, which certainly requires a lot of cognitive activity.

Furthermore, developing pre-service teachers’ reflection abilities is seen as a key

concept in keeping a portfolio. These teachers engage in an extended process of

reflective writing in which they describe and analyse their experiences. A lot of

research points to the significance of developing the skill of reflection for learning.

Schon (1987a, b), for example, claims that learning can be made more effective by

reflecting on experience, which is inherent in the process of keeping a portfolio in

which learners are continuously engaged in reflection on their learning experiences.

This result is also consistent with those of Gupta et al., who claim that:

… the process of preparing a portfolio is one way to encourage learners to write down

reflection on their selected experiences. It is therefore assumed that this process, and

obtaining feedback on it with peers and seniors voluntarily, can work as an effective

technique for learning from experience for the individual professional. (Gupta et al.,

2001, p. 3)

Developing Students’ Attitudes

The respondents perceived the portfolio as a means to develop their attitudes

towards teaching and learning, as shown in the following excerpts.


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Keeping a portfolio made me like my studying and searching. It gave me excellent

experiences in carrying out many tasks and accessing different resources of information.

To me, doing assignments was so hard that I detested and tried to avoid it, but now I feel

that this portfolio made me want to do more assignments and do whatever my instructor

asks for (sometimes more) in order to achieve better.

I found myself fascinated by the library and willing to do more optional reading.

It seems that keeping a portfolio develops students’ attitudes since these students

develop their own work. The respondents perceived keeping a portfolio as a valuable

tool for fostering more learning and serious efforts toward more effective learning

and teaching. Moreover, the respondents reported that the experience of keeping a

portfolio and the effort involved in documenting their abilities, expertise, and

creativity were invaluable for supporting and encouraging learning.

Developing Students’ Personal Traits and Values

The respondents reported that keeping a portfolio has contributed positively to their

personal traits and values, as shown in the excerpts below.

Keeping a portfolio affected my thinking of myself. It made me respect my own opinions;

I always feel that there are good things I can do in this work. I believe in that. I liked to

perform a good job; keeping a portfolio gave us various valuable experiences.

Keeping a portfolio made me more cooperative with others both at home and at the

university.

The portfolio gave me an invaluable opportunity to express myself; I think this portfolio

reflects me and uses my words; it helped me develop a sense of self-confidence and self-

expression.

The analysis revealed that the respondents viewed compiling a portfolio as a means

to foster their appreciation not only of their accomplishments but also of themselves

as self-assessors and reflective thinkers. To them, the portfolio is a self-presentation of

their abilities, which is consistent with Vonk’s (1999) view of the portfolio as a tool for

self-understanding which reflects who pre-service teachers are as learners.

Keeping a portfolio helps pre-service teachers understand and appreciate their

own learning. Their engagement in keeping a portfolio would help them make sense

of themselves as self-confident and well-informed producers, assessors, and reflective

thinkers. Furthermore, in view of the fact that learning is dependent on self-

assessment and individual reflection, the respondents perceived keeping a portfolio

as a vital tool for self-development and self-understanding, which is consistent with

Cavanaugh and Linek’s (1995) view of the portfolio as a means to encourage self-

assessment and a source of knowledge about learning.


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Developing Students’ Motivation to Learn

Several respondents reported enthusiasm for constructing a well-rounded portfolio.

The respondents reported that keeping a portfolio has not only increased their

motivation to learn but also given them the satisfaction of a job well done. Consider

the following excerpts.

Keeping a portfolio is highly satisfying and motivating; it made me feel more motivated.

I really love it [the portfolio]. It is my own work, so I wanted to organise a good portfolio;

it should be clear and well-structured. Keeping a portfolio is highly supportive; it gave me

valuable support for the development of my own work; it made me realise the value of

doing a good job; it made me want to achieve better.

Keeping a portfolio motivated me to collect good materials to be added to my portfolio.

Motivation has been addressed as one of the benefits of keeping a portfolio, a

process believed to foster pre-service teachers’ motivation to reflect on their

experience while engaging in the portfolio development process. It is evident that the

portfolio is a tool for fostering ongoing learning throughout teacher training, for

compiling a portfolio gives students a great deal of responsibility for how to structure

and accomplish their own work, not to mention requiring them to gather, generate,

and reproduce appropriate materials, which all contributes to the creation of self-

motivated achievers.

Developing Positive Interpersonal Relationships

The respondents reported that keeping a portfolio has helped them establish good

relationships with others around them, as shown in the excerpts below.

Keeping a portfolio gave me an opportunity to discover our home library. My father

helped me to compile a good portfolio. He liked my work. This was the first time my

father got involved in my study. We were a good team at home.

Keeping a portfolio gave me an opportunity to make more friends in the library, and it

was a subject to talk about with my colleagues. I think our relationship has become much

better.

In addition, several respondents reported that their parents had been very enthu-

siastic to get involved in their offspring’s assignments as assistants or consul-

tants. This kind of participation is a valuable opportunity for establishing social

relationships. As for participation with fellow teachers, different types of learning,

such as cooperative, collaborative and competitive learning, may be manifested,

which contributes to the individual’s growth, social life, and current and future

relationships.


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Establishing Students’ Own Information Source

The respondents reported that keeping a portfolio had helped them establish their

own information source, as shown in the excerpts below.

When I finished the portfolio at the end of the term, I found a personal source of

knowledge and information that is entirely my own.

The portfolio helped me start thinking of having my own source of knowledge. I think it

is possible to build up my own library.

As the end of the course of study approaches, pre-service teachers come closer to

finalising their efforts to reflect on what they have accomplished through summative

reflection and intensive work, which would, in turn, serve as a rich and readily

accessible personal resource of meaningful information. This is consistent with the

findings of Fish and Coles (1998) who found that a professional’s expertise lies in

having a body of knowledge and accessing that knowledge in relation to a particular

case. This is also consistent with the literature (see Placier, Fitzgerald, & Hall, 2001)

which points to the fact that the portfolio should not be seen as a final product but

rather as an ongoing source of information and tool for learning.

Limitations

Although the respondents have been able to reflect satisfactorily on the effect of

portfolios on their teaching practice, most of these reflections were somewhat general

and lacking in depth. The lack of detailed reflections on the value of portfolios in

their growth as teachers may be the result of various factors, foremost amongst which

is their lack of experience. The fact that pre-service teachers do not come to their

teacher training programs with a large repertoire of teaching experiences (Abell,

Bryan, & Anderson, 1998) coupled with the fact that their prior knowledge of

reflection is virtually nonexistent beyond the training they received during the course

of the study may have affected their ability to reflect on their growth and practice.

To the best of these researchers’ knowledge, the program offers no opportunities

to help pre-service teachers develop as reflective teachers. A systematic practice of

reflection in the various courses of the program would familiarise these teachers with

the process and, thus, help them reflect on their practice and develop more detailed

reflections during their student teaching experience.

Conclusions, Implications and Recommendations for Further Research

This study supports previous conclusions that portfolios are valuable learning tools

and further supports observations and assertions of other researchers that portfolios

have much to contribute to teacher training programs in particular and higher

education in general. The literature suggests that portfolios have much to offer


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teacher training programs, which is evidenced by the plethora of online resources on

the subject, documented Government initiatives, an extensive body of academic

literature, and several conferences worldwide. However, much of the literature today

is concerned with electronic (as opposed to paper-based) portfolios. Following her

annotated bibliography (2004) of empirical electronic portfolio literature, Carney

(2005, p. 4) concluded that although portfolios show promise for enhancing

learning, a critical evaluation of the uses of the device is needed or else they may

become another educational fad: ‘‘an innovation poorly understood and often

implemented in ways contrary to its theoretical underpinnings’’.

This research has revealed various advantages for keeping a portfolio that the

students at the teacher preparation program at Yarmouk University, Jordan,

perceived to contribute to their professional growth. The findings of this research are

positive, which may point to the need for further research about portfolios as vital

tools for learning and reflection in the Jordanian educational context.

The present findings are consistent with those of Barab, Barnett, and Squire

(2002) who argued that their students’ portfolios served five critical functions:

evidence to faculty that the student was ready to teach; evidence to prospective

employers of the student’s potential as a teacher; a model for the student of best-

assessment practices; an opportunity for the student to reflect on his/her areas of

strength and weakness; and a means of personal and professional growth.

This study extends the knowledge base regarding pre-service teachers’ use of

portfolios as a reflective learning tool. Although the study was confined to three

intact classes of pre-service teachers at Yarmouk University (Irbid, Jordan), these

researchers believe that it is representative of other four-year teacher training

programs in other Jordanian universities.

The findings of this study imply that the respondents recognise the potential value

of portfolios as a reflective learning tool which contributes to their overall growth as

teachers and development in areas related to their library use, knowledge, skills,

attitudes, personal traits, motivation to learn, interpersonal relationships and information

source. Most respondents demonstrated mastery of portfolio construction skills as put

forth by their instructors/researchers and reported positive effects in both academic

and personal performance. These researchers believe that as students gain

experience in portfolio construction and use, their teaching practices may improve

and gain more solid grounds.

Although each teacher-training program has its own unique mission, the ultimate

goal of most of these programs is to train potential graduates who are equipped with

the knowledge and skills needed to teach effectively. The implications of this study

further include the ongoing support of pre-service teachers in their development of

knowledge about teaching and learning. Additionally, the use of more reflective

activities throughout their coursework would also provide them with a deeper

understanding of reflection and what it means to be a reflective practitioner.

The majority of respondents turned in portfolios which ranged between

satisfactory and outstanding and reported considerable positive effects for portfolios


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on their growth as teachers. Nevertheless, none of the teacher training programs at

Jordanian universities have had any experience with or official policies regarding the

use of portfolios by their student populations. Further research on other populations

is needed. Additional research should be conducted to determine the success of

teacher portfolio use in actual teaching practice.

A longitudinal study which tracks pre-service teachers through their actual

teaching practice to collect data about the academic success of a group of teachers

may prove invaluable in drawing definitive conclusions and help in the development

of future policies or procedures for teacher training programs. A study of this nature

could provide important insights into the value of portfolios in teacher training and

practice.

Notes on Contributors

Ruba F. Bataineh is currently an associate professor at the Department of

Curriculum and Instruction at Yarmouk University in Irbid, Jordan. Email:

[email protected]. She has a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction (second

language acquisition and teacher education) from University of Illinois at

Urbana-Champaign. Her research interests include socio-linguistics, pragmatics,

and reading and writing instruction, CALL and teacher education. Dr Bataineh

has published articles in both local and international journals.

Samih Mahmoud Al-Karasneh is an associate professor at the Department of

Elementary Education at Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan. Email: nhsamih@

yahoo.com. His research interests include teacher preparation, reflective thinking,

civic education, approaches to learning and computer applications in social studies.

Ali Ahmad Al-Barakat is currently an associate professor at the Department of

Elementary Education at Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan. Email: alia-

[email protected]. His research interests include children’s teaching and

learning, use of technology in education and instructional illustrations.

Rula F. Bataineh is an assistant professor at the Department of English for Applied

Studies at Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan. Email:

[email protected]. She has a Ph.D. in rhetoric and linguistics from Indiana

University of Pennsylvania. Her research interests include politeness, speech acts

and translation studies. Dr Bataineh has published articles in local as well as

international journals.

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Appendix. Portfolio Construction Guidelines

N Determine the best method for organising the material you plan to include in your

portfolio using binders, cardboard boxes, and plastic containers as appropriate for

each set of materials.

N Label each object to make it easy to find when it is time to assemble your

portfolio.

N Create a table of contents for your portfolio.

N Include all the assignments related to the content of the course in your

portfolio.

N Include summaries of your performance prior to and after class, for these

summaries may give insights into your experience of self-assessment/reflection.

N Include any pieces of work which are not required by the instructor in your

portfolio.

N Include evidence of any reflective learning such as reports about the topics

covered or those you have prepared for class.

N Include any other learning activities.


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N Include brief comparisons between the content of the class and the content of

what you had prepared for that class (on, say, a weekly basis).

N Label pieces of work or evidence with headings to explain how each connects to

your learning to teach. Also, reflect on your student teaching in light of the

professional teaching standards taught in your various courses.

N Include a brief piece of writing about your perceptions of the points of strength

and weakness in your own learning in the course.


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jordanian pre‐service teachers' perceptions of the portfolio as a reflective learning tool

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