Definition of Portfolio Assessment
Portfolio Assessment is a term used to describe a collection (or portfolio) of a student's work collected over time, so that teachers, school administrators, and parents can view a student's progression in a given content area (such as math or reading). Students usually have some hand in choosing the work that goes into their portfolio, often choosing work that is most representative of their abilities.
Significance
Portfolio Assessment grew out of the desire to find another way to measure academic success other than standardized, norm-referenced, multiple-choice style tests. While a standardized test can measure what a given student knows "at the moment", portfolio assessment can measure a student's cognitive process. Advocates of portfolio assessment often point to the disconcerting trend that, given the high stakes of standardized, and more recently, state testing, curriculum is often more geared to the test rather than providing opportunities for broad educational experiences. These advocates believe that portfolio assessment provides a more comprehensive adjunct to traditional forms of testing.
Purpose
Portfolio Assessment allows teachers to witness students' achievements in ways that standardized or state testing often cannot, such as the development of skills and strategies, and the cognitive process. Students are encouraged to journal about their work in their portfolios, to choose work that shows evidence of their progress, and to have periodic conferences with the teacher to discuss the contents of their portfolios. Therefore, portfolios also encourage students to become partners in their academic success.
Types
Some teachers have their students maintain a variety of portfolios. Some of these might include:
Unlike other measures of a student's abilities, a portfolio focuses more on performance than an overall isolated result. For example, a teacher can view a math worksheet where a student answered six out 10 questions correctly. With this very basic information, the teacher can glean only a limited amount of information. With portfolio assessment, however, a teacher can see how the student has progressed and mastered essential concepts, especially since much of the work included in a student's portfolio requires that a student show his or her work. Using the above example, a teacher may learn that those six incorrect answers were the result of a small error in calculation, rather than an overall weakness in the specific concept. The teacher is then able to give more effective, targeted instruction to the student.
Students
Portfolio Assessment is a way for students and teachers to work together toward specific outcomes. Much of the work in a portfolio isn't graded using a traditional grading system of A-F, but rather a rubric or scoring guide that assigns a given value to a particular characteristic of the work. For writing, the categories might include legibility, spelling, grammar, and sentence structure. For math, the categories might include demonstrating an understanding of the concept, neatness of work, the inclusion of all calculations in an organized, step-by-step manner, and an explanation of the problem-solving process. Students are aware of these rubrics and the standards against which their work will be judged. Educators believe that if students understand what is expected of them, they will be able to perform at a higher level.
Significance
Portfolio Assessment grew out of the desire to find another way to measure academic success other than standardized, norm-referenced, multiple-choice style tests. While a standardized test can measure what a given student knows "at the moment", portfolio assessment can measure a student's cognitive process. Advocates of portfolio assessment often point to the disconcerting trend that, given the high stakes of standardized, and more recently, state testing, curriculum is often more geared to the test rather than providing opportunities for broad educational experiences. These advocates believe that portfolio assessment provides a more comprehensive adjunct to traditional forms of testing.
Purpose
Portfolio Assessment allows teachers to witness students' achievements in ways that standardized or state testing often cannot, such as the development of skills and strategies, and the cognitive process. Students are encouraged to journal about their work in their portfolios, to choose work that shows evidence of their progress, and to have periodic conferences with the teacher to discuss the contents of their portfolios. Therefore, portfolios also encourage students to become partners in their academic success.
Types
Some teachers have their students maintain a variety of portfolios. Some of these might include:
- Progress portfolios A progress portfolio contains examples of a variety of a student's work and, as the name implies, is used to assess progress over time. A progress portfolio provides visual evidence of student's cognitive growth in a given content area.
- Showcase portfolios A showcase portfolio contains examples of what the student considers his or her best work, often including rough drafts and final products to show the student's process. The material included in a showcase portfolio is usually completed work taken from a progress portfolio.
Unlike other measures of a student's abilities, a portfolio focuses more on performance than an overall isolated result. For example, a teacher can view a math worksheet where a student answered six out 10 questions correctly. With this very basic information, the teacher can glean only a limited amount of information. With portfolio assessment, however, a teacher can see how the student has progressed and mastered essential concepts, especially since much of the work included in a student's portfolio requires that a student show his or her work. Using the above example, a teacher may learn that those six incorrect answers were the result of a small error in calculation, rather than an overall weakness in the specific concept. The teacher is then able to give more effective, targeted instruction to the student.
Students
Portfolio Assessment is a way for students and teachers to work together toward specific outcomes. Much of the work in a portfolio isn't graded using a traditional grading system of A-F, but rather a rubric or scoring guide that assigns a given value to a particular characteristic of the work. For writing, the categories might include legibility, spelling, grammar, and sentence structure. For math, the categories might include demonstrating an understanding of the concept, neatness of work, the inclusion of all calculations in an organized, step-by-step manner, and an explanation of the problem-solving process. Students are aware of these rubrics and the standards against which their work will be judged. Educators believe that if students understand what is expected of them, they will be able to perform at a higher level.
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