Journal Article

Portfolio assessment for developing higher order thinking skills in Bangladeshi undergraduate EFL writing classes

Hasan, Md. Kamrul, Rabbi, Md. Fozle, Mahmud, Tashfique, Hossain, Muhammad Tofazzel, Talukder, Ali Azgor

2025

Overview

Teaching and learning at the university level pays special attention to developing higher order thinking skills (HOTS), where portfolio assessment can play an important role. However, research on portfolio assessment mainly focuses on writing skills development. They hardly focus on portfolio assessment for developing higher order thinking skills in writing. Adopting a qualitative case study, this research explores the effectiveness of portfolio assessment in developing HOTS among Bangladeshi undergraduate students in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) writing classes. Data were collected through portfolio folders, classroom observations, and semi-structured interviews of eight first-year undergraduate students who participated in a 3-day-long workshop on argumentative writing at a private university in Bangladesh. The data revealed that portfolio assessment enhanced students’ analysis, synthesis, and evaluation skills as they progressed through successive drafts. These skills were seen to be developed simultaneously in the same draft. Portfolio assessment created a socially rich and cognitively demanding learning environment, where students engaged in continuous feedback, reflection, self-assessment, and negotiation. Thus, by facilitating scaffolded support, encouraging active participation, and promoting self-regulated learning, portfolio assessment brought Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory into practical application in the EFL writing classroom. The study recommends wider adoption of portfolio assessment in EFL writing curricula, alongside targeted teacher training, to promote critical, reflective, and skill-oriented learning in higher education.

• Publisher: Springer International Publishing,Springer Nature B.V,SpringerOpen
• Subject: Assessment / Attitudes / Bangladesh / Blooms taxonomy / Case studies / Classes / Classroom Communication / Classroom observation / Classrooms / Cognition / Cognitive ability / Cognitive Development / College students / Critical thinking / Curricula / Drafts / Education / Educational Assessment / Educational Facilities Improvement / Educational objectives / Effectiveness / English / English (Second Language) / English as a second language / English as a second language instruction / English language / English Learners / Evaluation / Evaluative Thinking / Feedback / Foreign language learning / Foreign languages / Formative evaluation / Higher education / Higher order thinking skills / Higher order thinking skills (HOTS) / Interpersonal Relationship / Knowledge Level / Language Education / Language Skills / Learner Engagement / Learning / Learning environment / Learning Processes / Literature Reviews / Measurement Techniques / Multiple Intelligences / Outcome Based Education / Outcomes of Education / Portfolio Assessment / Portfolios / Prewriting / Problem solving / Scholarship / Second language writing / Second language writing instruction / Self evaluation / Self regulation / Skill development / Skills / Socio-cultural theory / Sociocultural factors / Sociocultural theory / Student writing / Teacher education / Teachers / Teaching / Testing and Evaluation / Thinking skills / Undergraduate students / Vygotskian perspective / Writing / Writing class / Writing instruction