Investigating the Implementation and Benefits of the Academic Portfolio From the Perspective of High School Students by Using the Theory of Planned Behavior

Vol.&No.：Vol. 69, No. 3
Date：September 2024
Pages：31-71
DOI：https://doi.org/10.6209/JORIES.202409_69(3).0002

Abstract：
Research motivation and purpose
The Academic Portfolio, a pivotal component of the Master Framework for the Curriculum Guidelines of 12-Year Basic Education, is designed to promote literacy education and support high school students in career planning. Determining the effectiveness of the Academic Portfolio and understanding students’ perspectives and participation is necessary. A nationwide survey, in conjunction with empirical data, is required to validate the effectiveness of the Academic Portfolio and its influence on higher education choices. This study used the framework of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to examine high school students’ beliefs, attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, intention, and behavior toward the Academic Portfolio and the influence of behavior on core competencies, career planning, and higher education choices.
Literature
The Academic Portfolio refers to a method of assessment that documents students’ learning processes, growth, and changes by collecting various processes and outputs, thereby authentically reflecting students’ learning performance. The Portfolio is accessible not only to students but also to peers, parents, and teachers, who can observe the students’ learning outcomes and related achievements. Additionally, observers can understand students’ strengths and weaknesses, intrinsic motivations, learning feedback, and self-actualization throughout the learning process. The 12-Year Basic Education program requires that students complete an Academic Portfolio in high school. The K-12 Education Administration of the Ministry of Education has established a student Academic Portfolio database for the senior secondary education stage that hosts relevant data uploaded by Taiwanese school students within a specified time frame. Subsequently, when students apply to universities, their files in the database, with their consent, can be provided to the applying schools as a reference for admissions. The greatest benefit of this system is that it allows universities to understand the students’ interests and aspirations without requiring high school seniors to create additional résumé files. The database contains information on students’ basic information, course records, course learning outcomes, diverse performances, student statements, and other materials (Lin, 2021; Ministry of Education, 2019; Shih et al., 2023). Following the implementation of the 108 Curriculum Guidelines, promoting the Academic Portfolio system has become a key policy initiative. Core competencies and practical learning activities within schools are imperative. However, the promotion of the Academic Portfolio system has encountered numerous misunderstandings and difficulties, not only from students and parents but also from school teachers and the general public (Lin, 2021; Liu, 2019). Therefore, this study examined the current implementation status of this initiative from the perspective of students by using a large-scale survey.
The TPB posits that the likelihood of an individual engaging in a particular action is primarily determined by the individual’s intention to perform that action, which is influenced by three main factors: attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control (Ajzen, 1991; Fishbein & Ajzen, 1977). Within the TPB model, an individual’s engagement in a behavior is determined by their specific behavioral intention, which is influenced by their attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control (Wang et al., 2020; Chang et al., 2021). These factors can be traced back to behavioral beliefs, normative beliefs, and control beliefs, respectively. Behavioral beliefs refer to an individual’s favorable thoughts about the outcomes of completing a specific behavior. Normative beliefs involve the perceived behavioral expectations of significant others, such as relatives, friends, and teachers. Control beliefs refer to an individual’s perception of the resources and opportunities available to them or the barriers they may encounter when undertaking a specific behavior (Ajzen, 1991; Davis et al., 2002). Intention, in this context, represents the strength of an individual’s willingness to perform a specific behavior. Attitude refers to an individual’s positive or negative feelings toward the behavior. Subjective norms refers to the perceived social pressure to perform or not perform the behavior. Perceived behavioral control refers to an individual’s perception of the extent to which they can autonomously control the behavior (Ajzen, 1991; Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975). The definitions of all these TPB-related variables in the context of this study are as follows:
1. Behavioral beliefs: High school students’ beliefs that engaging in the preparation of the Academic Portfolio will lead to favorable outcomes, categorized into affective and instrumental beliefs.
2. Normative beliefs: Evaluations of the Academic Portfolio by high school students’ teachers, peers, relatives, and societal norms.
3. Control beliefs: High school students’ perceptions of the time, resources, and opportunities they have for preparing the Academic Portfolio.
4. Attitude: High school students’ positive or negative evaluations of the Academic Portfolio.
5. Subjective norms: The social pressure high school students perceive in relation to the Academic Portfolio, meaning the influence of significant others (teachers, peers, relatives, societal norms) on students’ attitudes and behaviors regarding the Portfolio.
6. Perceived behavioral control: High school students’ perception of their autonomy and confidence in preparing the Academic Portfolio.
7. Behavioral intention: The subjective probability that high school students will engage in preparing the Academic Portfolio, reflecting their willingness to do so.
8. Behavior: The degree to which high school students are actually involved in the preparation of the Academic Portfolio.
Methods
This study primarily analyzed feedback from high school students about the Academic Portfolio system. Data were collected through a paper-based questionnaire survey from second- and third-year high school students in Taiwan. A total of 120 high schools of various types were randomly selected, and 40 students were randomly chosen from each school, resulting in a total of 4,800 questionnaires being distributed, from which 3,638 valid responses were collected.
Results and conclusion
1. High school students still lack sufficient belief in the benefits of the Academic Portfolio.
2. Educational stakeholders express slight disagreement with the Academic Portfolio.
3. High school students generally have adequate resources and opportunities to prepare their Academic Portfolio.
4. High school students hold a somewhat negative attitude towards the Academic Portfolio.
5. Educational stakeholders believe that high school students should make efforts to enrich their Academic Portfolios.
6. High school students are still able to autonomously manage the preparation of their Academic Portfolios.
7. High school students exhibit a willingness to prepare their Academic Portfolios and engage in actual preparatory behavior.
8. Perceived behavioral control is the most crucial factor influencing high school students’ willingness and behavior towards preparing their Academic Portfolio.
9. Participation in the preparation of the Academic Portfolio is beneficial for cultivating core competencies and career planning among high school students.
10. High school students’ engagement in preparing their Academic Portfolio slightly increases their intention to pursue higher education and exerts a minor influence on their choice of admission pathways.

Keywords：career planning, theory of planned behavior, core competency, high school students, academic portfolio

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