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This case study was conducted at a private university in Baghdad, Iraq during the last semester of the 2021-2022 academic year.
INTRODUCTION
- The Purpose of the Study
- The Aim of the Study
- The Context and Delimitations of the Study
- E-portfolio Background
- Research Framework
- Summary of Chapters
One of the widely used tools is the electronic wallet or as it is known 'e-wallet'. The number of participants was twenty at the beginning of the study, but later it was minimized to ten which was more suitable for the result and purpose. There are other platforms like WordPress, PebblePad, Elgg, etc.; each of these self-hosted systems has a different type and license such as an open source platform or a commercial type with in-app purchases to unlock some features, etc., the following table is prepared by Himpsl and Baumgartner (2009 , p. 19) presentation of the most recommended products – referring to platforms – stating their different types, licenses and providers.
Perceived usability is the level at which one trusts that they can improve their performance by using a specific system; the term comes from the meaning of the word Useful.
LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction
- The Use of Technology in Iraq’s Higher Education
- What are E-portfolios?
- The Adoption of E-portfolios
- E-portfolios as Tools for Professional Preparedness
- METHODOLOGY
- Research Questions
- Sampling
- Selection Method
- Research Instruments
- Validity and Reliability
- Ethical Considerations
This was followed by 94% answers about a poor internet connection as another influencing factor as well as 90% for the high cost of the internet. Experiencing the use of the e-portfolio for the first time requires understanding the factors that contribute to its successful implementation, as well as the adoption limitations. After the implementation process of the e-portfolio, maintaining the continued use of e-portfolios contributes positively to the successful outcome of the integration.
The benefits of e-portfolios are not limited to the academic years of the students' lives, but extend to preparing them for what comes after graduation. Investigating students' attitudes when using an e-portfolio to improve their job opportunities was the core of the study conducted by Tubaishat (2015) at Zayed University. The results of the study showed that students expressed positive feedback about the use of e-portfolio as a tool to increase their readiness for employment; they believed that e-portfolios play a useful role in increasing their confidence to secure a job opportunity in the information technology (IT) field.
The current case was conducted at a private university in Baghdad, Iraq during the last semester of the 2021-2022 academic year. A description of the type of study was submitted to the university in the form of a PowerPoint presentation identifying key points about e-portfolios. Participants in this study were recruited with the help of the ICT department at the university.
After receiving the approval, informed consent forms prepared by the researcher were given to the participants to be signed by them. Triangulation is one of the techniques used to provide validity and reliability to qualitative research. A detailed description of the plan and procedures highlighting the nature of the qualitative approach was also discussed with the university in advance.
Some aspects were communicated to the participants prior to the interview phase, such as the purpose of the study, how long the interview would last and the basis for providing a summary of the study results.
- The Procedures
- Interview Data
- Interview Data Analysis
- Interview Data Findings
- Focus Group Data
- Focus Group Data Analysis
- The Perceived Potential Usefulness
- The Perceived Ease of Use
- The Perceived Attitude
- The Perceived Behavioral Intention
- The Potential Actual Use
- Focus Group Findings
- Summary of Analysis and Findings
After noticing a certain pattern of responses emerging from the on-stage interviews, she began to establish themes with the help of modified elements (TAM). This subsection presents the analysis of the data collected from the participants of this study who were interviewed after the workshop. One of the teachers in his response to the second interview question regarding the level of technology used in the teaching methods of the university stated that: “We use e-mail accounts and the university website.
This last answer can be linked to the first, second and third element of the modified (TAM). The storage function of the e-portfolio could help teachers upload and save the teaching material. The lack of ICT skills of some of the students and teaching staff requires continuous training and support.
Focus group discussions were used to answer RQ3 of this research which is to understand the students' level of acceptance of the new technology 'e-portfolio'. To determine the students' perceived ease of use of this new tool; they were asked about how easy or difficult using the e-portfolio might be for them. The only negative comment was a concern raised by one of the students regarding the need for training to use the e-portfolio and the fear of system usage failure.
This shows that the item "perceived potential usefulness" which represents the first item of the modified (TAM) proposed in this study; directly affects. Most of the students' answers were positive, which indicates their positive intention to use e-portfolios. The P and N labels refer to positive and negative, respectively, referring to the nature of the responses received.
The researcher found that the factors that contribute to the success and adoption of the new e-portfolio technology are similar to the understanding of the benefits of the e-portfolio and its use.
RESULTS AND FINDINGS 4 Discussion
Introduction
Answers to the Research Questions
- Factors of Acceptance
- Challenges of Implementation
After analyzing the data to provide concrete answers to RQ1, RQ2 and RQ3; it became clear that the responses received from the management team, teachers and students reflect the acceptance of e-portfolio technology and can be considered as factors that help in the desired change in teaching methods. The present study presents a good example to explain the theory, the participants' perceived intentions in displaying a certain behavior was a function of their attitude towards the use of the e-wallet; their attitudes predicted their intentions and this would give an image of the acceptance of the technology and later the actual use of the system. Realizing the usefulness of the e-portfolio: the e-portfolio storage feature can help teachers upload and save their teaching material and provide space for students to upload their work and track their academic progress.
By realizing the utility of these features, the adoption of the software would be guaranteed and the institute would be closer to implementation. Determining the ease of use of the e-portfolio: four students gave positive answers when asked about how easy or difficult it might be to use an e-portfolio. for them they have highlighted some determinants that are easy to reflect on their thoughts, these are:. instant feedback and accessibility - the Wix platform offered was easily accessible via a mobile device, students expressed that sending and receiving instant feedback would help with their studies and that being able to access the e-portfolio when and wherever they are, is considered a plus. The factor of forming an attitude towards the use of an e-portfolio was highly influenced by the first factor which is the realization of the usefulness of the e-portfolio.
The positive feelings shared by the students revolved around the benefits the e-portfolio could bring them; some have compared it to social media platforms, while others have focused on its technical features. The only negative comment was a concern from one of the students about the need for training to facilitate the use of the e-portfolio and the fear of system failures. The time-wasting factor describing the e-portfolio was also found in similar studies in the literature; but suggestions have been made in other studies to solve this seemingly solvable problem.
The action research must be carried out by an employee or members of the university to understand the use of technological tools in teaching methods, they can gradually focus on studying the e-portfolio or any other system they find useful. It is true that the majority of students during the focus group interview expressed that they are well aware of the users' IT skills, except for one student who did not; Yet this cannot be generalized to the university as a whole.
5 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Limitations and Recommendations
Although this case study did not take that much time to complete, the researcher enjoyed writing it under pressure. For future research, studies based on the nature of culture transformation or skill development should be conducted by institutional staff members. Reducing the number to ten did not affect the result, as the findings of the case study cannot be generalized.
For future research, ten participants from each department would seem reasonable if the study is considered to encompass all departments and sections of an educational institution. For future studies, Nvivo and other related software are designed to facilitate data transcription when the number of participants was high; the choice to use the software can therefore be useful in large-scale investigations. All of the above limitations were applied in accordance with what was found in the literature on such cases.
Extension of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to investigate the use of Learning Management Systems (LMSs) by the faculty. Measurement instructors continued to plan to use Google Classroom again in Iraq: a mixed-method study during COVID-19. The Iraqi Children rank first in mental arithmetic. September 5, p1. https://iraqpalm.com/en/news/The-Iraqi-Children-are-in-the-first-places-in-mental-arithmetic.
Applying a modified technology acceptance model to qualitatively analyze the factors influencing e-portfolio implementation for student teachers' in-field experience placements. Social isolation and adoption of the Learning Management System (LMS) in the time of COVID-19 pandemic: An extension of the UTAUT model.
Appendices Appendix 1 - Consent Form
Interview Protocol Interview Protocol Interview Protocol
- Do you encourage using technology in education? Why?
- To what level does the university use technology in the teaching methods?
- How do you perceive the idea of using a new technology tool such as the e-portfolio within teaching?
- How applicable do you think the implementation of an e-portfolio system should be?
- What would the university require to start including e-portfolios within teaching methods?
Appendix C - Semi-Structured Interview Questions and Focus Group Interview Questions
Interview Questions
