Synthesizing Engagement, Study and Activation (ESA) with Portfolio Assessment in EFL Classes: Focus on Cognitive Dimensions in the Process of Writing Skills (مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)

چکیده

Applying an appropriate and a dynamic method of teaching in EFL instruction is a critical mechanism for engaging, attracting and accompanying students. Hypothesized as a dynamic platform, synthesizing Engagement, Study, and Activation (ESA) with portfolio assessment was addressed in this study mixed-method-based research to see its effectiveness with regard to the target students’ cognitive dimensions of developing writing skills. To this end, 177 Iranian female students from a public high school attended an experimental study and attempted three data collection instruments including think-aloud protocol, a questionnaire as well as an interview. MANOVA of the quantitative data and NVivo-based qualitative data analyses revealed significantly compatible results. MANOVA showed that the synthesizing ESA with portfolio assessment had the highest means as to writing skill-oriented cognitive dimensions, which were followed by pure ESA application, and the control group achievement. Moreover, the pure ESA application had a significantly higher means compared to the conventional instructional mainstream on overall cognitive dimension. However, the synthetic mechanism proved to be much more effective than the pure ESA as to the overall cognitive dimensions. In line with the quantitative analyses, NVivo-based think-aloud and interview data revealed the nature and process of the effectiveness of the applied synthetic mechanisms in the areas of attention, practicing, thinking, self-correction, and problem solving dimensions each with certain degree.