The effect of electronic portfolio applications on 6th graders' research skills

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of electronic portfolio applications on 6th graders' research skills. Exploratory design, one of the mixed methods in which qualitative and quantitative techniques are both used, was employed in the study. Whilepretest-posttest paired control group design, one of the the quasi-experimental designs, was used for the study's quantitative dimension; case study, one of the qualitative research designs, were used for the study's qualitative dimension. The study group was made up of 64 6th graders attending two different public middle schools during the second semester of 2014-1015 academic year. Participants numbered 34 in the experimental group and 30 in the control group. During the process, Research Skills Teaching Program (RSTP), developed by the researcher, was administered to experimental and control groups to develop research skills. While electronic portfolio applications were carried out with the students in the experimental group, no other application was carried out with the students in the control group. The application was carried out for 10 weeks and a total of 21 periods for both of the groups. Used for the research, the electronic portfolio portal was developed by web design specialists after the researcher defined the process. While the study's quantitative data were collected by Research Skills Test qualitative data were collected by Semi-Structured Interview Form. The data obtained from the study's quantitative dimension were analyzed with Independent Samples T-Test and Paired Samples T-Test. For the qualitative dimension of the study, the data obtained through interviews were analyzed using content analysis method. The quantitative findings obtained at the end of the study reveal that RSTP increased the research skills of students in the control group. In addition, research findings reveal that research skills education based on electronic portfolio applications increased the experimental group students' level of using research skills significantly compared to control group students. Qualitative findings obtained at the end of the study support the quantitative findings. Qualitative findings showed that electronic portfolio applications were effective on development of students' research skills and students' attitudes and interests towards research.