Development of the Reflection Stimulating ePortfolio System to Enhance Learners Competences
2014
Aleksandrs Gorbunovs

Defending
21.05.2014. 16:30, RTU Elektronikas un telekomunikāciju fakultāte, Tālmācības Studiju centrs; Rīga, Āzenes iela 16, telpa Nr.402

Supervisor
Atis Kapenieks

Reviewers
Artis Teilāns, Arnis Cīrulis, Danguole Rutkauskiene

The dissertation „Development of the Reflection Stimulating ePortfolio System to Enhance Learners Competences” is worked out and submitted by Aleksandrs Gorbunovs in fulfilment for the doctoral degree in engineering sciences in the doctoral program „e-Studies Technology and Management” as the trans-disciplinary research in the sub-sector of information technology at the Distance Education Study Centre, Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunications of Riga Technical University. This dissertation consists of 211 pages of the text and includes 36 figures, 12 tables, 36 appendixes, and 208 pages large bibliography. The purpose of the dissertation is to develop reflection stimulating ePortfolio system which would merge a scope of technological and educational aspects to facilitate system users’ better achievements. To accomplish research objectives, the actual research directions in the ePortfolio system area were investigated and available scholarly literature review and analysis was done, experimental ePortfolio system algorithmic model and two prototypes were developed and approbated, users’ system activities data were got, retrieved, systematized, collected and analysed against learners achieved results and learning outcomes. The answers on actualized research objectives and tasks were found, and the approvals of activated thesis were acquired. Thus, developed algorithmic model ensures the formation and functioning of the reflection stimulating ePortfolio system which has direct positive impact on students’ competence development, achievements and learning outcomes. Expectations regarding efficiency of developed experimental ePortfolio system were confirmed. It was proved that this system, i.e. activities within it, has direct impact also on enhancement of learners’ critical thinking and reflection skills. Activities within the system have also the impact on their results outside this system which are much better than in the cases when students do not use it. Besides, the research has facilitated accomplishing the purpose which was not set as the research objective – it was found that the implementation of this system released time resources for course tutors to devote them for consultancy, more problematical course issues, and realization of extra supportive activities within the course. Corresponding recommendations regarding possible further implementation of developed experimental ePortfolio system in other educational organisations are supplied as well.


Keywords
Assessment; Competence development; Data model; ePortfolio; Information system; Living Lab; Scaffoldings; Validation; Verification

Gorbunovs, Aleksandrs. Development of the Reflection Stimulating ePortfolio System to Enhance Learners Competences. PhD Thesis. Rīga: [RTU], 2014. 211 p.

Publication language
Latvian (lv)
The Scientific Library of the Riga Technical University.
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