Co-Designing e-portfolios: an action research study with early childhood teachers

This study explores the design, redesign, and training processes of an e-portfolio platform for Early Childhood Education (ECE), using a two-phase, nine-cycle action plan. Twenty-three ECE teachers and three expert academics participated in the study, employing a participatory action research approach. The research facilitated collaboration between ECE teachers and researchers to create a user-friendly system that addresses the limitations of traditional paper-based portfolios. The findings highlight that collaborative approaches lead to the development of more effective and user-friendly e-portfolio platform, expanding the existing knowledge base on digital technologies in early childhood education. The study concludes that e-portfolios have the potential to transform ECE assessment by supporting systematic, inclusive, and performance-based approaches. These findings hold significant implications for educators, developers, and policymakers aiming to enhance assessment practices in early childhood education.