Portfolio Assessment Jennifer Goodman

Azzam, A. M. (2007). Left Behind--By Design. Educational Leadership, 65(4), Focuses on No Child Left Behind and how it is not working for low and high performers in large metropolitan areas Suggests portfolio assessment is unreliable and too costly Portfolio assessments are difficult to evaluate Do not yield reliable comparative data due to: – Differences in implementation – Student revision opportunities – Levels of difficulty Can be effective in some situations with small populations

Goodson, F. (2007). The Electronic Portfolio: Shaping an Emerging Genre. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 50(6), Electronic portfolio makes it relatively easy and efficient to include artifacts that go beyond printed text E-portfolios are more efficient and potentially more reflective Students have choices in what they include but must follow a detailed protocol Authentic assessment in education is moving to more electronic forms New teachers have been required to keep a portfolio and are asking that their students do the same Electronic portfolios can be created for school systems to evaluate students, teachers, and /or administrators

Lombardi, J. (2008). To Portfolio or not to Portfolio: Helpful or Hyped?. College Teaching, 56(1), Early roots of portfolios can be traced back to the mid-1980’s Divided into two categories – Process portfolio – Demonstrates growth of learner over time – Product portfolio – Focus on the best work of student Multiple purposes – Learning – Assessment – Employment There are both benefits and dangers of using portfolio assessment

Stockall, N., Dennis, L. R., & Rueter, J. A. (2014). Developing a Progress Monitoring Portfolio for Children in Early Childhood Special Education Programs. Teaching Exceptional Children, 46(3), A means to document children’s growth and development Contributes to the RTI model by: – guiding the collection of precise data – organizing data – Visually communicating progress Confidentiality must be a priority and E-portfolios must be password protected so only the team has access Store files digitally or use mobile devices to photograph products and the child in multiple settings Use to show progress at IEP and transition meetings

Portfolio Assessment Synthesis Portfolio assessment can be a good way to assess a students growth and academic progress if artifacts are selected carefully Pros of portfolio assessment – Can track longer episodes of effective teaching – Encourage important connections between process and product – Institutionalize norms of collaboration, reflection, and discussion – Shift the responsibility for demonstration of learning back to the student Cons of portfolio assessment – Portfolios can become an exhibition or a means to show off – Is the hard work of putting a portfolio worth the effort – Material that does not merit documentation may be included – Portfolio scoring systems can result in the loss of ability to evaluate accurately – Emphasis on best work may not paint of true picture of the learners abilities Demonstrates what the student can do not what they now

Portfolio Assessment Synthesis Portfolio assessment can be set up electronically which reduces the need for storage of traditional portfolios Attitudes toward portfolios depend on attitude, past experiences, and perceived value Using mobile devices such as tablets, smart phones, and laptops can make data collection easier. Photograph artifacts for students if possible or use video of student from multiple settings Portfolio assessment seems to be better suited for smaller student populations Electronic portfolio systems can be set up for school systems and then be used to evaluate students, faculty, staff, and even administration Electronic forms of assessment, including portfolio assessment, is becoming the norm Confidentiality is key! All electronic portfolio’s need to be password protected

Application in the Classroom Can be used to monitor progress of a student toward their IEP goals A means of communication between the student, teacher, and home Measures teacher effectiveness by assisting with demonstrating that students have met standards or goals Aids in the development of cognitive skills because students design a product with specific goals in mind – Can improve planning skills – Benefits realistic self evaluation – Attempts to put an end to all or nothing thinking – Lessens negative thinking and perfectionism Portfolios can be used as an alternative assessment for students with special needs Fosters communication between the student and the teacher and helps to build a positive relationship