University Students’ Emotions When Using E-Portfolios in Virtual Education Environments

Abstract

This paper is based on a study that aims to understand the emotions students feel when they use the e-portfolio to manage their learning and assessment. The sample was composed of 358 students, and the instrument used was an ad hoc questionnaire. The students were asked to indicate the degree to which they experienced a set of emotions when using the e-portfolio. From the results obtained, it can be concluded that positive emotions are foremost and above average, ranked as follows from strongest to weakest: freedom, motivation, curiosity, and inquiry. The students evaluated negative emotions (disorientation and waste of time) as experienced less strongly. The results point out that younger students feel more comfortable with the use of technologies and specifically with the e-portfolio. In addition, men experienced the emotion “freedom” more than women. On the other hand, students in the third year of their respective degree programs experienced “freedom”, “curiosity”, and “inquiry” when using the e-portfolio to manage their learning. A clear relationship thus exists between emotions, motivation, and e-portfolio use, which appears to confirm that work in virtual contexts with this strategy stimulates student motivation.