Abstract :
An electronic portfolio system, designed to serve as a resource-based learning
space, was tested in a fifth-grade science class. The control-group students
accessed a traditional folder-based information display in the system and the
experimental-group students accessed a concept map-based information
display to review a science portfolio. The student-constructed science portfolio
was a result of a collection of digital artefacts such as graphic images,
instructional videos and textual files on terms and definitions relevant to
the Earth’s atmosphere. In the information-processing performance test, the
experimental-group students scored significantly higher and spent much less
time in finding answers to the questions presented. Also, in the 3-day delayed
memory retention tests, the experimental-group students achieved significantly
higher scores. The multiple regression models confirm that the visualisation
variation is the most significant predictor for student performance (ie,
comprehension and access time). Also, the regression models suggest that
language-arts proficiencymay reduce overall system access time; while higher
math proficiency may predict retention scores
