2. Evaluation

2.6. Wishes

What would the respective respondents wish for when implementing the ePortfolio concept in their studies or lessons? The following codes were identified during the analysis:

  • Education, support, assistance
  • Education system
  • Tool- and technology-related
  • Self-determination
  • Standardisation
  • Appreciation

Students:

In order to be able to implement the ePortfolio concept profitably, the students would like to see changes in its use at the university. A clear order and structure as well as guidelines for the standardisation of ePortfolio work should be specified (S1, S3). S1 states that the structure and time-intensive nature of the teacher training programme does not tend to favour ePortfolio work. This means that it is currently rather difficult to establish links to the further phases of teacher training. 

In addition, the visibility and thus the accessibility for students should be increased; this could be ensured by organising more informal events and embedding ePortfolio work in different seminars (S2). One of the students also expressed wishes for improvements to the tool, such as the registration process, correction functions or layouts and template use (S3).

Teachers: 

L1, L2 and L4 express the wish for more acceptance of the ePortfolio tool Mahara and would like more colleagues to engage with the topic of ePortfolios and recognise the added value, as well as for there to be more coordination between them when using them. L1 is also open for the integration of other media such as ChatGPT. L3 would even like to be allowed to use ePortfolios as an examination format in eleventh grade.

Pupils:

Almost all groups express a desire for standardisation of use. SuS1 favours the use of ePortfolios only for larger tasks and group work, but not for homework or notes. Group 2 calls for a clearer design of the ePortfolios and suggests limiting their use to certain subjects. With regard to the technical aspects, they would also like to see a simplification of administration via the school portal (SuS1). They would also like to be able to find people more easily on Mahara and for some functions in Mahara to be simplified (SuS2)[1]. SuS3 emphasises the desire for appropriate appreciation for the extra work involved in using ePortfolios and calls for a better way to share content with the whole school. They would also like to harmonise the portfolio concept and its use with other teachers. SuS5 would like to have the freedom to decide for themselves which tasks they want to use ePortfolios for. For example, SuS4 suggests getting to know different methods, including analogue methods, at the beginning, and then being allowed to vote on whether they want to use ePortfolios.


[1]There was a technical problem here at the time of the internship.