P ORTFOLIOS What are portfolios? Types and Structures Developing Portfolios Strengths/Weaknesses

W HAT ARE PORTFOLIOS ?  Purposeful, organized collection of evidence/artifacts that demonstrate a person’s knowledge, skills, abilities, or dispositions  Provides teachers with collections of work/evidence with which to make decisions  Comprehensive view of student knowledge  Decisions made more reliable and more valid  Can provide students with the opportunity to take part in self-assessment/self- reflection Musial, Nieminen, Thomas, & Burke (2009)

W HAT ARE PORTFOLIOS ? Can be professional in nature or educational Can form an assessment collaboration between teacher and student Musial, Nieminen, Thomas, & Burke (2009)

W HAT ARE PORTFOLIOS ? Educational Portfolio Characteristics: predefined, clear purpose specific evidence/artifacts selected based on the purpose self-reflection process (if students are active participants) scoring criteria with which to judge quality communication of strengths and learning needs to students/parents/fellow teachers/ administrators Musial, Nieminen, Thomas, & Burke (2009); Arter & Spandel (1992)

T YPES AND S TRUCTURES  Types and Structures are directly determined by the purpose/use of the portfolio Stiggins (2005); Burke, Fogerty, Belgard (2004); McMillan (2004)

T YPES AND S TRUCTURES  Growth Portfolios  Purpose: To display changes and accomplishments related to academic performance over time  A collection of work exhibiting accomplishment concerning a specific proficiency across a span of time  Emphasizes the process of learning  Collection exhibiting specific skill can be analyzed and evaluated to determine the growth(or lack there of) of the specific skill over time  Appropriateness: K & up - teacher collecting, 3 rd grade & up students can participate in the process. Mueller (2011); Stiggins (2005); Burke, Fogerty, Belgard (2004); McMillan (2004)

T YPES AND S TRUCTURES : G ROWTH P ORTFOLIO  Project/Product Portfolios  Purpose: To show the steps &/or result of a completed project or task  Collection of the work that the students do along the way in an effort to complete the final product  Includes multiple parts that, in collection, equal one final project/product  Appropriateness: K - 2 nd grade with teacher collecting parts for final product, 3 rd grade and up with students responsible for collecting

T YPES AND S TRUCTURES : G ROWTH P ORTFOLIO  Journal Portfolios  Purpose: To provide a structure for students to collect and reflect on their work continuously  Students continually enter work, typically dealing with one skills or set of skills.  Work is continuously analyzed and evaluated by students (2nd grade & up) and teachers (K & up) as a reflection of progress  Appropriateness: K & up - good for all, evaluation increasingly focused on students rather than just teachers as children get older. Stiggins (2005); Burke, Fogerty, Belgard (2004); McMillan (2004)

T YPES AND S TRUCTURES Evaluation/Standards-Based Portfolios Purpose: To collect evidence that links student achievement to particular learning standards A collection of work exhibiting accomplishment concerning a specific set of learning standards that are predetermined by teacher/administrator/government agency a the beginning of the year Single or Multiple artifacts would be gathered in support of the level of mastery of an individual or group of standards. All artifacts would be collected and submitted for evaluation at specific point(s) during the year. Appropriateness: K & up - due to high stakes implications, teacher collection w/ increasing, but limited student participation as children get older. Mueller (2011); Stiggins (2005); Burke, Fogerty, Belgard (2004); McMillan (2004)

T YPES AND S TRUCTURES  Showcase/Celebration Portfolios  Purpose: To collect and display students’ favorite works or accomplishments  Emphasizes the products of learning  Based on students’ personal criteria rather than the criteria of others  requires a great deal of self-reflection on the part of the student  Collection exhibiting personal favorites can be displayed for parents/visitors & can be analyzed for areas of instruction that should be emphasized more in the classroom  Appropriateness: K & up - with focus solely on students participating in and completing the vast majority of the process. Mueller (2011); Stiggins (2005); Burke, Fogerty, Belgard (2004); McMillan (2004)

P ORTFOLIO A portfolio may tell more than one story, including more than one category What is critical is that the purpose(s) is clear throughout the process to student, teacher and any other pertinent audience. Will work through portfolio development in lab this week.

R EFLECTION Reflection component – the most critical element of a good portfolio. "The portfolio is something that is done by the student, not to the student." (Paulson, Paulson and Meyer, 1991) Direct Student Involvement Ongoing throughout the portfolio development. Multiple reflective activities. Mueller (2011)

R EFLECTION In the reflection phase students are typically asked to comment on why specific samples were selected comment on what they liked and did not like in the samples comment on or identify the processes involved in developing specific products or performances describe and point to examples of how specific skills or knowledge improved (or did not) identify strengths and weaknesses in samples of work set goals for themselves corresponding to the strengths and weaknesses identify strategies for reaching those goals assess their past and current self-efficacy for a task or skill complete a checklist or survey about their work

D EVELOPING P ORTFOLIOS  Clarify the overall purpose of the portfolio and the type of portfolio  Relate the purpose to your ALCOS and Behavioral objectives  Determine what evidence/artifacts needs to be included in the portfolio  How do these artifacts relate to valued learning  Identify the physical structure of the portfolio  Determine the level of student involvement  Amount of and type of support you would need to provide to the students in order for their participation to be a success Musial, Nieminen, Thomas, & Burke (2009)

D EVELOPING P ORTFOLIOS  Determine student self-reflection/self assessment opportunities, if any  Identify scoring criteria for the portfolio  Develop a full rubric for this process or Use the rubric provided to you by administrators/state dept.  Share the scoring criteria with all who will view portfolio feedback and results  Students/Parents/other Teachers/Administrators/State Dept.  Clarify communication method for providing results of evaluation and feedback Musial, Nieminen, Thomas, & Burke (2009)

S TRENGTHS AND W EAKNESSES Strengths Self-reflection and self assessment Visually representation of growth in skills and knowledge Aids in motivation Decisions made about knowledge/skills/ abilities/dispositions are more reliable and valid Directly linked to instruction and a formative approach to summative assessment assessment is continual and ongoing throughout the learning process Musial, Nieminen, Thomas, & Burke (2009); Hughey Surman (2008); Arter (2006)

S TRENGTHS AND W EAKNESSES Weaknesses Like PA’s, portfolios are time consuming to develop and evaluate Evaluation is very subjective in nature can be made less so with well developed rubrics for grading/analyzing Extensive organization & management of materials, in addition to the space to store can be expensive Requires extensive feedback for meaningful growth Musial, Nieminen, Thomas, & Burke (2009); Hughey Surman (2008); Arter (2006)