AN INVESTIGATION OF E-PORTFOLIO IMPLEMENTATION IN THE MALAYSIAN SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAMME (MSTP)

The Malaysian Skills Training Programme (MSTP) is a sub-division of Malaysian Vocational and Training Education (VET) under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Human Resource, Malaysia. The programme was developed to prepare skilled workers for employment in the ‘blue collar’ sector. The Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education and the UNESCO-UNEVOC believe that the VET should be upgraded to offer a more professional service in which ICT (Information and Communication Technology) applications such as electronic learning need to be explored and harnessed (Kafka & Dale, 2013). This thesis investigates the implementation of an electronic portfolio (E-portfolio) in one accredited Skills Training Institution in Malaysia. The research aim was to deploy an E-portfolio which was developed using MAHARA software with several skills training courses in one training semester. The idea of a ‘threshold concept’ was adopted to provide guidelines to direct the E-portfolio development and implementation. Kolb’s Experiential Learning (KEL) and Competency Based Training (CBT) were the main reference theories informing the design of the E-portfolio process of use. Based on quasi-experimental design, the system’s implementation included groups of students in 2013 and 2014 cohorts. Upon completion, the use of the E-portfolio was evaluated to determine the system’s impact and its effectiveness in the teaching and learning process. A mixed methods research approach was used, consisting of assessment rubrics, survey questionnaires, e-mail interviews, online communication and document reviews. A respondent’s validation based approach called a ‘report-and-respond enquiry’ was executed at the end of data analysis to validate the findings. Qualitative and quantitative data showed that the E-portfolio could contribute to the improvement of several aspects of teaching and training such as communication, reflection on practical work, motivation of learning, progress based learning, and the construction of new knowledge. In addition, senior staff believed that the use of an E-portfolio would benefit the institution by saving printing costs and enhancing the institution’s image to the public and to the awarding body. The findings suggested that, when blended with the current traditional training pedagogy, the E-portfolio system has the potential to be implemented as a showcase E-portfolio, used for online assessment or can be used as a teaching approach. The email interviews and Facebook communication revealed that user attitudes and the support required for the use of the E-portfolio are the biggest challenges. Based on these findings, a scaffolded approach to the implementation of E-portfolios in MSTP is recommended. The key outcomes of this research are the E-portfolio scaffolding strategies in the MSTP that could be deployed at other Skills Training institutions or organizations which intend to explore the use of E-portfolios in the future