Digitaalinen portfolio varhaiskasvatuksen pedagogisen toiminnan arvioinnissa

Authors

• Najat Ouakrim-Soivio Ministry of Education and Culture, Finland
• Kristiina Kumpulainen University of Helsinki, Finland

Keywords:

early childhood education, varhaiskasvatus, assessment, arviointi, pedagogical documentation, pedagoginen dokumentointi, digital portfolio, digitaalinen portfolio

Abstract

In this article, we investigate how digital portfolios are used as a form of assessment in Finnish Early Childhood Education (ECE). Our study is situated in a development program on the use of digital portfolios between three Finnish municipalities. In our study, we focus on the content and form of digital portfolios within and across ECE groups and children, with attention also to the ways in which children’s agency was made possible during the portfolio work. The empirical data consist of 71 children’s (aged 3–5 years old) digital portfolios from six ECE groups. The digital portfolios were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively using content analysis. The results show that digital portfolios are well suited for pedagogical documentation of children’s activities, learning and wellbeing as part of ECE practices in accordance to the national core curriculum framework and its goals. However, the ways in which children’s agency is made possible and recognized in this process appears more challenging. The results also reveal significant differences in the ways in which digital portfolios were used between and across children and ECE groups. The ECE practitioners’ activities were primarily focused on the actual use of the digital portfolio platform, creation of portfolios and uploading digital data into the children’s portfolios, instead of pedagogical assessment of children’s activities and learning processes. In sum, the results of the study demonstrate the importance of ECE practitioners’ pedagogical and technological expertise in the use of digital portfolios in their everyday work with children in ECE centers.