The use of portfolio in assessing English writing ability of Thai undergraduate students

Abstract

This research study aimed to (1) develop the criteria of the portfolio assessment in assessing English writing ability, (2) document the progresses of the students’ English writing ability by using portfolio assessment, and (3) investigate the perceptions toward the use of portfolio assessment in assessing English writing ability in a classroom-based setting of Thai EFL undergraduate students. The 25 first-year students who had enrolled in an English foundation course offered at a public university were the participants. These participants completed two types of essays, which comprised eight drafts in total for compiling the portfolios. Reflective journals, a perception questionnaire, a semi-structured interview, and a portfolio self-assessment form were utilized to collect data so that the perceptions toward the use of portfolios could be examined. The quantitative data from the perception questionnaire were analyzed by descriptive statistics (mean scores and standard deviation). The qualitative data from the reflective journals, semi-structured interview, and portfolio self-assessment form were analyzed by means of content analysis. Moreover, the progress of the eight drafts of two types of essays was analyzed by repeated measure ANOVA. It was found that there were four criteria of portfolio assessment in assessing English writing ability. Also, the participants had positive perceptions toward the use of portfolio assessment, and they wrote significantly better essays. In sum, portfolio assessment can be an effective alternative choice in a classroom-based setting.