Self‑Made Digital Portfolios: Why Coding Is the Key?

In a Web Design and Development course, 176 university students turned ordinary slides into real digital portfolios—by coding them from scratch. The goal was to see if a hands‑on coding project could boost engagement and a sense of ownership over learning. After weekly coding tasks, students uploaded their portfolios and completed an online questionnaire. Results reveal that merely owning a device isn’t enough: internet connectivity and perceived academic performance have a stronger impact on enthusiasm and responsibility toward the work. Moreover, students with prior experience in digital portfolios were more motivated and involved. These findings suggest that, for technical fields, it’s more effective to let students build their own digital space rather than rely on pre‑made platforms. The “learning by doing” approach not only makes writing more interesting but also deepens understanding of web design. In the future, universities might adopt self‑coded portfolios more often to foster creativity, autonomy, and practical skills in upcoming digital professionals.

The study employs a post‑test single‑group design, a common methodological choice in educational research when the intervention has already been delivered to all participants. Internal validity is bolstered by using previously validated psychometric scales to measure learning effectiveness and ownership. Statistical analysis revealed weak correlations between mere device ownership (tablet or laptop) and student perceptions, suggesting that mere technological availability is not a decisive factor for engagement. In contrast, internet connection quality and self‑assessed academic performance showed higher correlation coefficients, indicating that smooth access to online resources and confidence in one's abilities significantly influence motivation. Another key finding is the positive effect of prior experience with digital portfolios: students who had previously used them displayed higher values of engagement, intrinsic motivation, and ownership, confirming self‑regulated learning theory, where past experience serves as scaffolding for new complex tasks. Pedagogically, the PBL approach based on self‑generated coding promotes situated knowledge construction, as students apply theoretical concepts (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) in a real‑world content production context. This experiential learning is linked to greater transferability of skills, since students learn not only code syntax but also professional web development practices such as design, testing, and iteration. Moreover, creating a self‑coded portfolio requires metacognitive reflection: students must assess their work quality, document design choices, and present results coherently. This process strengthens self‑assessment abilities, a crucial element for professional growth in the tech sector. In summary, the results support integrating self‑coded digital portfolios into STEM curricula, highlighting benefits in motivation, ownership, and development of transversal competencies, while providing an empirical basis for future comparative research between pre‑built platforms and self‑generated solutions.