Analyzing the Effects of Portfolio-Based Assessment on EFL Students' Learning at Helmand University, Afghanistan

Abstract

Portfolio-based assessment (PBA) serves as a learner-centered alternative to conventional assessment; yet, empirical data from higher education in Afghanistan is still scarce. This research examined EFL students' perspectives of portfolio-based assessment and its influence on learning at Helmand University, Afghanistan. A quantitative descriptive survey approach was used, including 93 males undergraduate EFL students. Data were gathered using a researcher-created 25-item, five-point Likert-scale questionnaire exhibiting exceptional reliability (Cronbach’s α = .928). Data analysis used descriptive statistics, including frequencies, percentages, averages, and standard deviations. The results indicated that students mostly had favorable impressions of PBA, with mean scores between 3.86 and 4.18. Participants said that PBA improved their writing abilities, motivation, self-reflection, learner autonomy, and knowledge of the learning process. Nonetheless, they also recognized obstacles, such as the time necessary to assemble portfolios and the need for more teacher support and formative input. The research finds that portfolio-based assessment is an effective learner-centered method that fosters reflective learning when accompanied by explicit assessment criteria and ongoing instructional feedback. These results have practical implications for EFL educators, curriculum designers, and higher education officials in analogous circumstances.