EPORTFOLIO IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS. USING MAHARA TO ENHANCE REFLECTIVE LEARNING AND MOTIVATION

This paper aims to highlight how the use of a specific ePortfolio tool, Mahara, within a primary school has led students to a different perception of the subjects and the content of the lessons studied. Writings produced by 18 students during the last year of primary school will be investigated in order to show how the use of ePortfolios could support reflection and construction of a personal learning path in 11 years old students. In addition, this research will highlights how the use of ePortfolios could produce an improvement of learning through the stimulation of students’ motivation. The analysis of the activities and comments shows how, starting from a partial reflective attitude, and from the perception of the single lesson as an isolated event, students learn to reflect on their learning pathways, generating views that try to grasp the meaning of the whole learning path and the relationship between their learning and the future development of their student career. Starting from a limited reflecting attitude through which students could only discuss their present time, the improvement of their reflective skills could support them to plan their future. Some features of the tool used, such as its friendly “look and feel” and its structure, similar to that of many social software, have acted as a powerful motivational factor in overcoming difficulties often associated with the use of ePortfolios.