A sounding board for learning: online student experiences of learning portfolio practice

This paper reports on a qualitative case study set in Dublin City University which explored online student experiences of learning portfolio practice and its relationship with critical thinking development. Data was collected from participant generated learning portfolios and semi structured interviews. A data-led thematic analysis approach was adopted in which five themes were constructed. The findings from the study indicate that the learning experiences of online learners where enhanced by their engagement with learning portfolio practice, which created a personal place or sounding board to process and document their learning and lives in real and meaningful way. In addition, the findings suggest that learning portfolio practice may enhance the development of critical thinking skills within a disciplinary context.