2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Engineering programs are always looking for innovative strategies to enhance student learning, promote reflective practice, and meet accreditation expectations such as those established by the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET). This study investigates the impact of integrating an E-portfolio into a Structural Analysis (SA) course on students’ learning outcomes, reflection, and overall success.
E-portfolios come in different forms, but they are essentially a digital collection of student work accompanied by reflective comments. They help students to connect theory and practice, strengthen metacognitive skills, and provide evidence of learning. While E-portfolios are well documented in first year and capstone design courses, limited research explores their use in foundational technical courses such as SA, a core component of the Civil Engineering curriculum. This study aims to address that gap through sharing the author’s experiences and results after implementing e-portfolio for SA in a large public university.
The goals of this research were: (1) to evaluate the influence of E-portfolios on students’ reflective learning and conceptual understanding of structural analysis principles; (2) to examine the relationship between E-portfolio use and student performance; and (3) to capture student perceptions of integrating reflection into a traditionally problem-solving– oriented course. The E-portfolio included KWL (Know, want to learn, learned) reflections for each learning unit, practice problems, assessments, reports, case-studies, and connections to prior and future coursework and professional practice. After each examination, students were provided with an opportunity to conduct a revision of their work, identifying mistakes, explaining misconceptions, and proposing strategies for improving their performance in future assessments.
Quantitative data, including mid-term exams and final grade comparisons with a previous semester taught by the same instructor (used as a baseline), were used to assess performance outcomes. Qualitative data, from student reflections and surveys are converted into qualitative data and used to measure attitudes toward learning and self-assessment. Preliminary findings indicate that students’ success increased, and they demonstrated improved conceptual reasoning, problem-solving accuracy, and deeper engagement with course material. Additionally, students reported favorable feedback for reflection, error analysis, and validation which are skills that align directly with ABET Student Outcomes related to problem-solving, communication, and lifelong learning.