Résumé:
The need for successful intercultural communication that characterizes the 21st century calls for modern teaching methods that incorporate critical reflective thinking and technology literacy. E-portfolios are getting increased recognition in universities around the world because they serve as a vehicle for both these literacies. However, oral expression (or speaking class) is still being taught in isolation of technology and reflective thinking in Algerian universities. Consequently, this study investigates the impact of integrating e-portfolios in oral expression classes on the development of Algerian students’ intercultural awareness, where a sample of 78 first year students of English for the year 2022-2023 at the University of Djelfa are selected as a case study. A quasi-experimental design was adopted, where these students were divided into one control group and one experimental group. Both groups studied the same course; however, the experimental group used the e-portfolio to critically reflect on their learning throughout the school year. The study used a pretest and posttest, a semi-structured post-treatment questionnaire, and participants’ e-portfolio entries in an attempt to triangulate quantitative and qualitative methods. Participants in the experimental group showed significant improvement in Intercultural Awareness (ICA) posttest scores compared to participants in the control group who did not use the e-portfolio. The largest percentage of participants in the experimental group believed that the e-portfolios helped them develop their intercultural awareness, but the extent to which this development happened varied; moreover, participants showed positive attitudes towards this experience. However, a few participants reported some challenges. Thematic analysis of participants’ e-portfolio entries revealed that the effective use of the e-portfolio helped them develop their ICA across all twelve features of Baker’s model. These findings highlight the potential of the e-portfolio in developing intercultural awareness. This research contributes to the limited
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literature on the relationship between e-portfolios and the development of ICA, especially in the context of EFL in the Algerian university
