Student Portfolios We don’t learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience.” – John Dewey

What is a Student Portfolio ? A student portfolio is a systematic collection of student work and related material that depicts a student's activities, accomplishments, and achievements in one or more school subjects.

Use of a Student’s Portfolio Teachers use portfolios to help students identify learning goals, document progress over time, and demonstrate learning mastery.

Broadly Portfolios can be divided into two types. Types of Portfolios Broadly Portfolios can be divided into two types. 1. Process Portfolio 2. Product Portfolio

1. Process Portfolio A Process Portfolio documents the stages of learning and provides a progressive record of student growth. In general, teachers prefer to use process portfolios because they are ideal for documenting the stages that students go through as they learn and progress.

2. Product Portfolio A Product Portfolio demonstrates mastery of a learning task or a set of learning objectives and contains only the best work.

The Portfolios can be further divided into different types based on the material & maintenance. Personal Portfolios Working Portfolios Record Keeping Portfolio Group Portfolios Thematic Portfolios Integrated Portfolios Showcase Portfolios Electronic Portfolios Multiyear Portfolios

Systematic compilation of students work samples periodically. Personal Portfolios It should contain pictures, awards and other memorable events, interests & hobbies etc. Working Portfolios Systematic compilation of students work samples periodically. Record Keeping Portfolio Usually kept by teachers, contains necessary assessment samples.

Integrated Portfolios Group Portfolios Samples of group work done by the students. Thematic Portfolios Based on a particular topic, concept or unit that may last up to 2-6 weeks. Integrated Portfolios Multi disciplinary in nature, integrated material of different subjects is maintained.

Record of students’ Progress over the years. Showcase Portfolios Students best work samples of scholastic and co-scholastic areas in a particular year are included. Electronic Portfolios Software database on information in the form of text, graphics, sounds, videos etc.. Multiyear Portfolios Record of students’ Progress over the years.

Steps in a Portfolio Assessment Process First, the teacher and the student need to clearly identify the portfolio contents, which are samples of student work, reflections, teacher observations, and conference records. Second, the teacher should develop evaluation procedures for keeping track of the portfolio contents and for grading the portfolio. Third, the teacher needs a plan for holding portfolio conferences, which are formal and informal meetings in which students review their work and discuss their progress. 

Advantages of Portfolio Assessment Promoting student self-evaluation, reflection, and critical thinking. Measuring performance based on genuine samples of student work. Providing flexibility in measuring how students accomplish their learning goals. Enabling teachers and students to share the responsibility for setting learning goals and for evaluating progress toward meeting those goals. Giving students the opportunity to have extensive input into the learning process.

Advantages of Portfolio Assessment Facilitating cooperative learning activities, including peer evaluation and tutoring, cooperative learning groups, and peer conferencing. Providing a process for structuring learning in stages. Providing opportunities for students and teachers to discuss learning goals and the progress toward those goals in structured and unstructured conferences. Enabling measurement of multiple dimensions of student progress by including different types of data and materials.

A suggested model of Student Portfolio Cover Page

Portfolio contents Personal biodata:- Contains Child’s name, date of birth, parents’ name, address, blood-group, parents’ occupation and contact number etc.. Their interests and hobbies:- Contain a record of their interest in singing, playing games, drawing and painting etc Best art and craft work:- Contains their best drawing clips and craft and collage works. Drawings of story they have heard:- Draw or sketch animal or characters in the story they heard.

Descriptive sentences :- Samples of hand written copies, description of events or festivals or story. Spelling checks:- Solving puzzles for spell check, sample of dictation tests. Health records:- Medical records two in every year can be recorded. Questions from story telling :- Answering questions for the story the child has heard in the class.

Maths lab activities:- Things prepared under maths lab activities in class can be stored. CCA samples:- Records and photo clips of CCA activities, participation in assembly programs. Worksheets ,Activity sheets and other records:- Worksheets, activity sheets, classtests,pen-paper tests can be recorded.

Portfolio Checklist ASPECT DETAILS REMARKS OUTER COVER Title Subject(s) Name of the student Name of the Teacher Any folder sufficiently strong to withstand the wear and tear of regular use for a year or more . A binder with rings is ideal for students to work easily INNER COVER Index- sl no/ date/ article/page numbers/ Teacher Remarks A wide column for the Teacher to write descriptive remarks is suggested SEPARATORS File separators with indexing codes Separators may used if the student maintains one portfolio for two or more scholastic areas.

Portfolio Checklist ASPECT DETAILS REMARKS PRODUCTS/ ARTICFACTS/ NOTES Multidimensional and many different types Each product to be accompanied by a reflection statement by the student assessment of the sample’s value or purpose, What the student has learned ASSESSMENT Criteria for the assessment of the portfolio -- Criteria for each product in the portfolio Criteria for selection of best work Grading periodicity Suggestions-continuity, organization, presentation Suggestions- Criteria for selection, date/title/lesson Relevance in terms of learning objectives Child centred/ original / demonstrating learning / achievement/ creative or critical thinking/ problem solving / interpretation/ analysis etc. ( process skills) Weekly / fortnightly/ monthly/ no bag day etc. The criteria and periodicity should be informed to the students. It may after completion or during the process of student work