Portfolio in the writing classroom: Teachers' agenda versus students' agenda

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Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Uludağ Üniversitesi, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2006

Tezin Dili: İngilizce

Öğrenci: MİNE YALÇIN

Danışman: İSMET ÖZTÜRK

Açık Arşiv Koleksiyonu: AVESİS Açık Erişim Koleksiyonu

Özet:

The rationale of this study comes from a writing approach that highlights the importance of portfolio use to decrease the mismatch problem between the students’ and teachers’ agendas. To decrease the mismatch between the students’ and teachers’ agendas, a portfolio study was conducted to university preparatory school beginner level students. Since the study has twofold application to include students’ and teachers’ data, either part’s involvement is crucially necessary. The design of this study is one group pre-test and post-test design. In order to explore the study questions in relevant perspectives ten materials were conducted. To begin with, with the intention of establishing the mismatch between the students’ and teachers’ agendas both students and teachers were given attitude and expectation questionnaires as pre-test. As portfolio was assumed to diminish the gap between the agendas, students’ awareness was raised about the ongoing portfolio use to make them better evaluate the learning process and their progress within the writing class. By the end of the year, both students and teachers were given attitude and expectation questionnaires as post-test. The underlying assumption was to compare the pre and post questionnaires to observe the targeted changes. According to the data gathered, only one mismatch was found between the students’ and teachers’ agendas. This one and only, but crucial mismatch was to be able to write “a coherent text”. Unlike students, the teachers expected their students to be able produce a coherent text at the beginning of the year. Although the portfolio application which was considered to diminish the mismatch between the agendas helped the study reasonably well, it is difficult to say that whether it filled in the gap or not. Apart from this, portfolio was appreciated by teachers due to providing students to gain awareness and autonomy as well as self-assessment skill. Since changes in attitudes and expectations of both students and teachers are crucial, the study concludes by underlining the importance of attitudes and expectations as well as the effect of portfolio use on the changes of these attitudes and expectations in a writing class.