VietTESOL International Convention 2025

This study investigates the effectiveness of electronic portfolios (ePortfolios) in enhancing university students’ writing skills, learner autonomy, and writing-related anxiety in the context of Vietnamese EFL higher education. A total of 187 undergraduate students participated in the study and were engaged in electronic portfolio-based writing instruction using a Learning Management System (LMS) over the course of an 11-week academic program. A mixed-methods design was adopted, with quantitative data collected through writing assessments, a writing anxiety scale, and learner autonomy questionnaires, while qualitative insights were obtained from reflection journals and semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal that the integration of ePortfolios promoted a more reflective, process-oriented approach to writing, enabling students to track their progress, receive timely feedback, and engage in goal-setting and self-evaluation. Notably, participants reported a significant reduction in writing anxiety, attributing it to the personalized and low-pressure environment provided by the digital platform. Furthermore, the use of ePortfolios was found to foster greater learner autonomy, enhance feedback literacy, and develop metacognitive awareness. The study concludes that ePortfolios, when implemented through an LMS, can serve as an effective pedagogical tool to support academic writing, reduce writing-related anxiety, and strengthen learner agency in EFL tertiary education.