At present, the strength and extent of the evidence base for the educational effects of portfolios in the undergraduate setting is limited. However, there is evidence of an improving trend in the quality of reported studies. 'Higher quality' papers identify improvements in knowledge and understanding, increased self-awareness and engagement in reflection and improved student-tutor relationships as the main benefits of portfolio use. However, they also suggest that whilst portfolios encourage students to engage in reflection, the quality of those reflections cannot be assumed and that the time commitment required for portfolio completion may detract from other learning or deter students from engaging with the process unless required to do so by the demands of assessment. Further work is needed to strengthen the evidence base for portfolio use, particularly comparative studies which observe changes in student knowledge and abilities directly, rather than reporting on their perceptions once a portfolio has been completed.
Although it is widely believed that attendance is directly and positively related to academic achievement, the literature presents mixed findings. Moreover, there is a paucity of research on the potential role of engagement, particularly student participation, in explaining this relation. The present study investigated whether in-class participation mediated the relation between attendance and academic achievement, particularly in the context of a small American liberal arts college. Students' final cumulative exam scores were used as an unconfounded outcome measure for students' learning success (i.e., academic achievement). Our results demonstrated a significant indirect effect of attendance on academic performance through participation, with a point estimate of .08 (SE ϭ .02, 95% CI [.06, .12]). Notably, the direct effect of attendance on academic performance became nonsignificant (B ϭ .03), t(.71), p ϭ .48, when controlling for participation, suggesting a strong mediation effect. These results suggest that students' in-class participation mediates the positive relation between attendance and academic achievement reported in the literature. Although caution should be taken when generalizing these results, as the data were collected in a particular educational context, our results offer potential implications for course instructors. The implications include designing courses and assessment schemes, as well as adopting active learning approaches, to encourage students' in-class participation.
There has been growing discourse related to the importance of the scholarship of educational development (SoED), but less discussion related to clearly defining principles for guiding engagement in SoED or contextualizing SoED within literature related to the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). Expanding upon Felten’s (2013) principles for SoTL, as well as evolving discourse related to principles of educational development (e.g., Gibbs, 2013; Taylor & Rege Colet, 2010; Timmermans, 2014), this paper presents seven principles for SoED. Two additional principles (transforming practice and reflective practice) are added to Felten’s principles to further contextualize SoED in relation to educational development and SoTL. Three cases are provided to illustrate educational development, SoTL, and SoED within the context of these principles. The interrelationships between educational development, SoTL, and SoED are complex. While SoED offers many opportunities for further legitimizing the individual and collective practices in educational development, it also presents many additional tensions and questions for further research.
On parle de plus en plus de l’importance de l’avancement des connaissances en pédagogie (ACP), mais on parle moins d’une définition claire des principes qui guident l’engagement en ACP ou de la contextualisation de l’ACP dans les publications de la recherche consacrée à l’avancement des connaissances en enseignement et en apprentissage (ACEA). Pour élargir la portée des principes pour l’ACEA présentés par Felten (2013), ainsi que celle du discours évolutif lié aux principes de la pédagogie (voir Gibbs, 2013; Taylor & Rege Colet, 2010; Timmermans, 2014), cet article présente sept principes pour l’ACP. Deux principes supplémentaires (transformation de la pratique et pratique réflective) sont ajoutés aux principes de Felten afin de contextualiser davantage l’ACP par rapport à la pédagogie et à l’ACEA. Trois cas sont présentés pour illustrer la pédagogie, l’ACEA et l’ACP dans le contexte de ces principes. Les relations entre la pédagogie, l’ACEA et l’ACP sont complexes. Alors que l’ACP offre de nombreuses possibilités pour rendre plus légitimes les pratiques individuelles et collectives en pédagogie, il présente également de nombreuses tensions et des questions supplémentaires qui pourront faire l’objet de davantage de recherche.
Mots-clés Portfolio ; cursus pré-gradué ; revue méthodique et systématique Les effets éducatifs des portfolios sur l'apprentissage des étudiants pendant le cursus prégradué : une revue systématique de la collaboration Best Evidence Medical Education (BEME). Guide BEME* N°11 The educational effects of portfolios on undergraduate student learning: A Best Evidence Medical Education (BEME) systematic review. BEME Guide No.
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