In recent years, instructors have had an increasing interest in integrating Internet based technologies into their classroom as part of the learning environment. Compared to studies on other information systems, student users' behaviour towards e-portfolios have not been assessed and thoroughly understood. This article analyses the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) in order to examine students' behavioural intention to use an electronic portfolio system, meaning how students use and appropriate it within the specific framework of a course. An E-Portfolio Usage Questionnaire was developed using existing scales from prior TAM instruments and modified where appropriate. Seventy-two undergraduate students enrolled in Bachelor of Education (BEd) Programmes at the Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIEd) completed the survey questionnaire measuring their responses to perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), attitudes towards usage (ATU) and behavioural intention to use (BIU) the e- portfolio system. The content of the e-portfolio for each of the four pilot courses focused on student reflections upon the artifacts uploaded to the Blackboard 9 learning management system. Students were required to upload their work which included posting video clips and assignments and capturing parts of their reflections or other evidences to justify their claims of 'improvement'. The results of the study indicated that students' perceived ease of use (PEOU) had a significant influence on attitude towards usage (ATU). Subsequently, perceived ease of use (PEOU) had the strongest significant influence on perceived usefulness (PU). The research further demonstrated that individual characteristics and technological factors may have a significant influence on instructors to adopt e-portfolios into their courses. Results suggest that TAM is a solid theoretical model where its validity can extend to an e-portfolio context.
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This study extends the ownership of learning model by using e-portfolios in a field experience placement to examine student-teachers' attitudes towards learning in relationship to personal value, feeling in control and taking responsibility. The field experience e-portfolio pilot commenced in spring 2011, involving a cohort of 77 year 3 field experience student-teachers enrolled in the Bachelor of Education English Language Programme at the Hong Kong Institute of Education, and approximately 20 supervisors. A research model is presented based on research into ownership of learning. The student e-portfolio ownership of learning questionnaire (SEOLQ) was developed. Seventy-seven participants completed the survey measuring their responses to ownership of learning components of attitudes towards learning (ATL), personal value (PV), feeling in control (FIC), and taking responsibility (TR). Data were used to test the hypotheses postulating the main effects of ATL using e-portfolio on the constructs PV, FIC, and TR. The results of the study indicated that ATL had a significant influence on PV, FIC and TR. The results suggest the student-teachers valued the integration of the e-portfolio into the field experience and developed a sense of control of their learning. Responsibility-related findings suggest that participants were sensitive to both the means of manipulating the e-portfolio and the results of their efforts doing so. By providing student-teachers with the opportunity to reflect critically upon their work as educators, e-portfolios can serve as an invaluable resource for promoting effective ownership of learning.
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