Studying the Effect of Using E-portfolio on Critical Thinking Skills: Case of University Students Download PDF

Human needs are given more attention in the present era as the result of fast progresses made in the field of information and communication technology. Critical thinking is one of those fundamental needs playing influential role in development of individual and human culture. Although effects of a vast number of variables on the critical thinking have been investigated so far, those of e-portfolio on university students’ skills have been neglected. It motivated us to conduct a quasi-experimental study including pre-post tests given to two groups; experimental and control. First the critical thinking skills of both groups (experimental and control) had been assessed then the experimental group received independent variable (treatment). At the end of semester two groups were given post-test on the critical thinking skills. Finally their scores have analyzed through analysis of covariance. Results of the research showed positive effect of e-portfolio on the critical thinking skills and their subsets. Generally it was revealed that the application of e-portfolio to teaching and evaluating will promise developing the university students’ skill of critical thinking. Therefore professors are recommended to take further advantages of this method of teaching and evaluating.