Improving academic writing CAF through e-portfolios: the case of EFL students at Batna 2 university

Abstract EN

Educational technology created numerous assessment tools to assist both teachers and learners in improving learning outcomes.

one of the tools that gained attention is the electronic portfolio (e-portfolio) which is exclusively used for pre-service teachers.

however, the present study investigates using e-portfolios to improve students' academic writing; namely, lexical complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF).

the study featured 60 EFL students at Batna 2 university who were equally divided into an experimental group and a control group, following three phases that lasted a semester: pre-test, treatment, and delayed post-test.

during the three phases, students produced essays that were thematically categorized and course-related, producing total of 420 essays which were collected and analyzed using a reliable rubric.

results showed that e-portfolios explicitly affect and enhance writing CAF, yet they were inconclusive regarding the long-term effect.

pedagogical implications of implementing e-portfolios in EFL educational settings and recommendations for further investigation are discussed.