Voices from generation Z : affordances of a digital portfolio for supporting the IB education outcome in a secondary science classroom in Hong Kong

Abstract

While there have been studies investigating the affordances of popular Web 2.0 features such as social media sites and blogs, there is little research pertaining to the affordances of digital portfolios, let alone their benefits in reputable K-12 programmes such as the International Baccalaureate (IB) that focuses on skills relevant to the 21st century through its Approaches to Learning (ATL) strategy and intercultural understanding and respect through its mission International Mindedness (IM). This pretest-posttest qualitative study examined how eight Secondary 4 students during a bridging year in preparation for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) approached the self-generated digital portfolios from the storage level (Level 1), which focused on the contents and digital conversion, to the process level (Level 2), which focused on the process and documentation of learning as well as immediate reflection of the digital artefacts. Multiple data sources included semi-structured interviews and digital artefacts from student-generated digital portfolios. It was found that the two affordances emerged from the digital portfolios were “endorsing student thinking and self-management” and “encouraging student socialization and communication”. These affordances, in turn, supported the IB educational outcome in equipping students with skills (skills categorized by ATL) relevant to the 21st century. Factors contributing to the digital portfolio affordances and 21st century skills development included mixing information and online learning resources, enforcing transparency for reflective thinking, enhancing accountability for self-management, collaborating with students of different experience or expertise, widening context of learning through personal interests, and enacting peer support for online communication. Implications for long-term interschool digital portfolio development to further enhance IB’s International Mindedness (IM) in the secondary classroom are discussed.