The Effect of Portfolio Assessment on Goal-orientation of Iranian Male and Female EFL Learners

Abstract

This study examined the effect of portfolio assessment on goal-orientation of Iranian male and female EFL learners. Twenty-nine upper-intermediate EFL learners learning English at Chitsazan Language Institute, in Tabriz, were selected for the purpose of study. The participants were from a male intact class (N=16) and a female intact class (N=13). Both groups were tested based on TOEFL test to ensure the homogeneity in terms of general language proficiency. Besides, Midgley and Colleagues’ (1998) goal-orientation questionnaire was administered as the pre-test to estimate prior goal-orientation level of both groups. To match this questionnaire to the needs and context of this study, the researchers adopted the 18 item questionnaire to writing assignment. Later on, during 8 sessions, the researcher carried out portfolio assessment with a focus on writing assignments. The seven steps of portfolio assessment proposed by Delett’s et al (2001) were opted for as a framework for portfolio evaluation. After the finalizing the assessment sessions, the participants performed the same questionnaire as the post-test. The data were analyzed using a One-way ANCOVA test. The findings of the study revealed that there was a significant difference in mean goal-orientation F(27)=6.40, p=0.018 between the two groups. Moreover, comparing the estimated marginal means showed that the most progress in goal-orientation was for females (mean=76.124) compared to male participants (mean=65.274). The research findings have several implications for language learners and teachers.