Student, direct thyself! Facilitating self-directed learning skills and motivation with an electronic development portfolio

Abstract

This quasi-experimental study investigates the effects of using an electronic development portfolio (PERFLECT) with teacher-guided student self-coaching on the development of students' self-directed learning skills and motivation. In a 12-week program in senior vocational education, students in the PERFLECT group used the portfolio to help self-direct their learning, while the REGULAR group followed the regular educational program. Students in the PERFLECT group reported higher levels of self-direction, intrinsic goal orientation, and self-efficacy than students in the REGULAR group. Using an electronic development portfolio with a student self-coaching protocol constitutes a promising approach to support students' self-directed learning skills and motivation.

Keywords:

• Self-directed learning
• electronic development portfolios
• second-order scaffolding
• self-coaching protocol
• teacher-guided self-coaching
• quasi-experimental study

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, JB, upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by Kennisnet under grant V/OZK/51909/60079.

Notes on contributors

Jorrick Beckers

Jorrick Beckers is an assistant professor at the Open University of the Netherlands. His research interests include self-directed learning and electronic development portfolios.

Diana Dolmans

Diana Dolmans is a full professor of Innovative Learning Arrangements at Maastricht University. She is the scientific director of the Dutch Interuniversity Center for Educational Sciences (ICO). Her research focuses on the key success factors of innovative curricula in higher education.

Jeroen van Merriënboer

Jeroen van Merriënboer is a full professor of Learning and Instruction at Maastricht University. He is the research program director of the Graduate School of Health Professions Education of Maastricht University. He developed the acclaimed 4C/ID instructional model.