Christine Romero EDU 215

Portfolio's as an Assessment ToolHot Topic Presentation

The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination. Don Williams Jr.

A portfolio is a purposeful collection of student work that exhibits the student's efforts, progress, and achievements in one or more areas of the curriculum.It should relate to outcomes being assessed, and documents according growth and development toward mastering identified outcomesPrince Georges Public County Schools (n.d)

Why are portfolio assessments so hot?

Portfolios as an assessments are considered hot topic because they deviate from the typical types of assessment such as standardized or formative assessment.

They take a lot more time to maintain

Requires student's reflection and involvement

Provides an overall picture of the students' abilities

Are utilized over a longer period of time (unit section, semester, or year).

A hot topic, but worth it!

Cons

Time intensive

Need for guidance/training

Difficulty to maintain objectivity when grading

May be too hot topic for admins to support

Requires clear rubric and teacher expectations

Potential for lost portfolio

Pros

Fosters sense of ownership over learning

Provides reflection opportunity of learning

Develops critical thinking skills

Provides students the opportunity to showcase his/her abilities in multiple avenues

Creates working relationship between teacher & student

Allows student, teacher, and parents to celebrate student's accomplishments

The big 3.... things I've learned

There are various types of portfolio assessments which is fantastic because teachers can use the type that best fits his/her needs- Documentation portfolio-Shows growth over a longer period of time. Specific pieces are chosen to demonstrate specific outcomes. - Process portfolio Documents all domains and phases of learning. Emphasizes the reflection process.-Showcase portfolio- The students best work is chosen to demonstrate mastery level. Written explanation of decision making process should be included.

Portfolio Assessments are somewhat new to the field of education- They were introduced in the 1990's as part of a alternative assessment movement.

Successful portfolio implementation requires support, training, and practice. - They are truly a process for both the student and the teacher.

Great, now what?
Some steps to get started

Portfolios are best organized by using binders, shoe boxes, or folders

Before you start with students, create a rubric and clear expectations of the outcomes or mastery domains you want students to work towards. Also decide how often you will be assessing the portfolios.

Share expectations with students so they understand portfolios, their responsibility, and the process of the portfolio. Make sure students are clear on how you wish to assess them.

Collect work pieces with your students and add them to the portfolio. You can collect paper work, take photos, and even use digital files.

Meet with students in group or 1:1 for reflection process

Assess portfolios according to your per-determined schedule and with pre-determined rubric.

How portfolios can be helpful

I find that my research of portfolio assessments has been helpful to me because now I know that there are a variety of types to choose from (not just the process portfolios that I currently use).Because I will continue to use portfolios and other forms of alternative assessments, it's imperative to be able to advocate for authentic learning and assessments tools to doubtful parents, colleagues, and the administrative system. Now I can tell the non-believers that students are still learning and being assessed even if I'm not using standardized tests.

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