The Digital Portfolio as a Reflection and Self-Assessment Tool for Higher Education Teachers

Abstract

This article presents the results of the appropriation of the digital portfolio as an instrument for reflection and  self-evaluation of university teachers during their participation in an institutional qualification process.  From a qualitative approach, it was used the constant comparative method which was also part of the grounded theory, taking as analysis unit the reflections and interpretations made by the participants during the workshops, the digital portfolio, interviews and the focus group. As result, an appropriation of the digital portfolio was identified on the teachers at three levels: first, as a reflection for preparing for the task of being educators; second, as a way of self-reflection, assessment and ongoing professional improvement; and third, as a challenge for reflecting on their teaching task and for integrating new technologies as part of their continuous professional improvement. The digital portfolio can become an efficient strategy for integral teachers’ training in higher education if it takes part of institutional policies to guide teachers’ qualification processes.