AWEJ Special Issue on Translation No. (2) 2013 PP.96-106
Learning Portfolios in Translation Classrooms
Sakolkarn Insai
Dhurakij Pundit University, Thiland
Abstract
Learning portfolio is a beneficial alternative for classroom learning and assessment since it enriches students’ learning experiences, and it is a sound integration of teaching, learning, and assessment through socially constructed learning. Translation pedagogy can benefit a great deal from the use of portfolios. It develops the students’ translation competence, as well as other skills necessary for their translation learning, including decision making, problem solving, self-monitoring, and self-assessing. Using portfolios allows the students to fully participate in their own learning, and at the same time, practice social skills through sharing and collaborating with their peers. The teachers can also ascertain whether and how learning outcomes have been met and make adjustments as necessary. Any learning difficulties that might occur can be communicated to the teachers and can be handled in an appropriate time and manner. Additionally, portfolio use has proved to be an alternative assessment in different translation classroom settings since it is a performance-based evaluation and has quality of test usefulness. Therefore, portfolio use is believed to be an ideal tool in translation pedagogy.
Keywords: learning portfolios, translation pedagogy, alternative assessment, student engagement