One of the most compelling reasons for the use of the portfolio lies in its potential for developing cognitive and critical thinking skill (Lo, 2010). The present study did not explicitly include components of reflection and self-appraisal in the portfolio; however, a few students demonstrated signs of emergent higher-order thinking. Lo (2010) recommended that teachers design meaningful tasks to encourage higher-order thinking. For example, in this project, the teacher could require students to present portfolios to the class or explicitly include components that obliged students to reflect on the learning process and to rate their performances, as suggested by Ryan (1993). Due to time constraints, the project did not include a period of orientation that would have allowed student to acclimate to the unique demands and study techniques of SDL. This lack created confusion and ambiguity for students. Taylor and Burgess (1995) outlined four areas of orientation for SDL programs intended to inform students of teachers' expectations of sDL, the role of the facilitators, the goal of group learning, and the level of time management expected. According to Bown (2009), orientations could address a series of challenges learners are likely to face. In particular, such an orientation should pertain to the affective challenges resulting from the loneliness that can occur during the process of independent study