1. EDU 385 Education Assessment in the Classroom
Session 13
Portfolio Assessment

2. Bell Work
Sister Thorne will review the prior lesson

3. Content Objectives The learner will:
Understand the strengths and limitations of portfolio assessment
Understand the the differences between developmental and showcase portfolios
Understand the process on how to set up and judge a student portfolios

4. Language Objectives
1. Describe the advantages of using a portfolio as a means of assessment
2. Distinguish between a developmental portfolio and a showcase portfolio
3. LIst the types of portfolio entries that should be considered in your teaching are
4. Describe the factors to consider in planning a portfolio
5. Describe a procedure for getting started in the use of a portfolio in your teaching area
6. Prepare a rating scale for the structural evaluation of a portfolio in your teaching area
7. Prepare a rating scale for evaluating a student’s learning progress shown in a portfolio in your teaching area
8. Prepare a holistic scoring rubric for evaluating a student’s final level of performance shown in a portfolio in your teaching area

5. Academic Vocabulary Portfolio Developmental Portfolio
Showcase Portfolio
Rubric
Holistic Scoring Rubric
Structural Evaluation

6. Portfolios
Developmental Portfolio: selected student work that shows a student’s learning progress
Showcase Portfolio: samples that show a student’s best work
A common practice is to use the Developmental Portfolio through out the instructional process and a Showcase Portfolio to show a students final level performance
Portfolios typically include: various types of independent work (e.g., writing samples, drawings, research reports, computer workshops, projects) also assessment results, written comments, checklists, rating scales, test scores, and conference reports
May include student self assessment, peer and teacher assessments

7. Portfolios Students select the entries and maintain the portfolio
Students reflection on why the entry was chosen, how it illustrates what was learned, and what might be done to improve performance
Written reflections help students focus on the learning process, changes taking place, and what might be done to improve
Students selecting work helps them focus on successful performance, develop critical thinking skills, and deeper understanding
Also helps students be more aware of participating in the learning process (key to independent learners)

8. What a Student Portfolio Can Show
1. Learning progress over time
2. Student’s current best work
3. Comparison of best work to past work
4. Development of self-assessment skills
5. Development of reflective learning
6. Individuals level and pace of work
7. Clear evidence of learning to parents and others
8. The amount of teacher-student collaboration involved

9. Advantages of Using Classroom Portfolios
1. Learning progress over time can be clearly shown (e.g., changes in writing, thinking, or research skills
2. Focus on student’s best work provides a positive influence on learning (e.g., best writing samples, best examples of reasoning, and problem solving)
3. Comparing work to past work provides greater motivation than comparison to work of others (e.g., growth in knowledge and skills)
4. Self-assessment skills are increased due to the student selection of best samples of work (e.g., focus is on criteria of good performance)
5. Reflective learning is encouraged as students are asked to comment on each portfolio entry (e.g., why do you consider this your best work?)
6. Providing for adjustment to individual differences (e.g., students work at their own levels but work toward common goals)
7. Providing for clear communication of learning progress to students parents, and others (e.g., work samples obtained at different times can be shown and compared)
8. Increasing teacher-student collaboration in the teaching-learning-assessment process

10. Planning for the Use of Portfolios
Purpose of the portfolio
Types of entries to include
Guidelines for selecting and evaluating the entries
Maintaining and using the portfolio
Evaluating the portfolio

11. Purpose of the Portfolio
The main purposes are to improve student learning and help students be responsible for their own learning
Portfolios may be used for other purposes than assessment (e.g., showcase a students best work; may be limited to research skills only; development of a students progress and self-assessment skills)
The following questions should help clarify the purpose(s) a portfolio may provide
1. What understandings and skills should result from the use of the portfolio?
2. What types of performance tasks are best for providing the needed evidence?
3. Who are the users of the portfolio and how will they use them?

12. Types of Entries to Include
Selection of entries in portfolio is guided by the purpose, the learning outcomes, and the used to be made of the results
Portfolios may be limited to a specific area (e.g., writing skills, letters, poetry, essays, scientific writing, historical research)
Math entries might include samples of problem solving, written explanation of how to solve a math problem, mathematical graphs and charts and computer printouts of problem solving
Science entries may include: experimental studies, laboratory skills, evidence of conceptual understanding, student designed projects, and field studies
1. Entries selected by students (e.g., work samples, writing samples, drawings, performance tasks, projects, assessment results)
2. Student reflections on the entries:
2.1 Why was this entry selected?
2.2 What was done to accomplish it?
2.3 What was learned from it?
2.4 What changes would improve it?

13. Guidelines for Selecting & Evaluating the Entries
A portfolio should NOT be a repository for all the students work but samples of their best work. Suggested Guidelines:
1. Entries should be in harmony with the goals of instruction and the use to be made of the portfolio (e.g., to improve learning, for use in parent teachers conferences, as part of school wide assessment
2. Entries should provide a variety of types of evidence (e.g., written, oral, exhibits, projects
3. Entries should be selected in terms of the criteria to be used in judging them
4. Entries should be selected b students, or at least they should be involved in the process
5. Entries should be complex enough to allow for students’ self-evaluations and their reflections on the learning that resulted
6. Entries should be started early in the instructional program to better show growth in learning
7. Entires should be evaluated by using the criteria and standards established for the performance tasks
Criteria for evaluation should include the levels of performance a teacher is willing to accept as evidence of a quality product.
Should be shared with students prior to them beginning portfolio
Knowing criteria helps students prepare and evaluate samples to be placed in the portfolio bb

14. Maintaining and Using Portfolios
Arrange entries by sections with a table of contents
Students should help set up and maintain portfolios
Have regular student-teacher conferences to review portfolio and to monitor student progress
Use student portfolios at parent-teacher conferences
If portfolios are new to school a teacher may want to start simple with one area of focus - such as writing, drawing, problem solving, or laboratory work

15. Evaluating the Portfolio
Criteria for each performance task should be specified beforehand and shared with students
There is a need to evaluate the portfolio structure and C
Portfolio evaluation provide guidelines for developing a more content-relevant set of criteria

16. General Criteria for Evaluating the Portfolio Structure
1. Has the purpose of the portfolio been clearly stated?
2. Does the portfolio provide evidence of various types of student learning?
3. Does the portfolio include evidence of comples learning in realistic settings?
4. Does the portfolio include enough entries in each area to make valid judgements?
5. Does the portfolio include students’ self-evaluation and their reflections on what was learned?
6. Does the portfolio enable one to determine learning progress and current level of learning?
7. Does the portfolio provide clear evidence of learning to uses of the portfolio?
8. Does the portfolio provide for student participation and responsibility?
9. Does the portfolio provide guidelines for the student participation?
10. Does the portfolio present the entries in a well-organized and useful manner?
11. Does the portfolio include assessments based on clearly stated criteria of successful performance?
12. Does the portfolio provide for greater interaction between instruction and assessment?

17. Evaluating Students Overall Portfolio Performance
Rating scales are typically used to focus on each students strengths and weaknesses
Specific rating items may vary by instructional areas
Unique advantage of portfolio is in assessing changes in student performance (i.e., growth)
Teachers can compare their ratings with the students self- evaluation

18. Portfolio Rating of Student Improvement
Directions: Rate each of the following items by circling the appropriate number. The numbers represent the following values: 4--outstanding progress; 3--good progress; 2--satisfactory progress; 4--unsatisfactory progress
Understanding of concepts
Application of information
Reasoning ability
Writing skills
Speaking skills
Problem-solving skills
Performance skills
Computational skills
Self-evaluation skills
Reflection skills
Work-study skills
Independent learning

19. Evaluating Students Final Level of Performance
Preparing Scoring Rubrics are time consuming, the following outline of steps are helpful
1. Prepare a list of criteria for each scoring rubric to be prepared
-Identify most important criteria for judging quality of performance
2. Select the number of categories of performance to be used
-Start with 4 categories and expand to 6 or 8 if finer distinctions are needed
3. Adapt scoring rubrics from published sources
-Go to online sources of rubrics and adapt them for your course
4. Check your prepared scoring rubrics to see if they work as intended
-Once criteria is established use them to score a sample portfolio modify as necessary

20. Guide for Preparing Holistic Scoring Rubrics
Level Category Frequently Used Terms When
Number Labels Stating Criteria
4 Exemplary Sophisticated Thorough
Superior Extensive Deep
Distinguished Comprehensive Elegant
Excellent Unique Perceptive
Clear Efficient
3 Satisfactory Appropriate Mostly
Adequate Consistent Clear
Competent Relevant Accurate
Good Acceptable Broad
Detailed Variety
2 Minimal Paraphrases Inconsistent
Borderline Shallow Incomplete
Marginal Limited Basic
Fair Weak Minor
Minimal Conventional
1 Unsatisfactory Trivial Incoherent
Inadequate Unclear Lacks
Incomplete Vague Disorganized
Poor General Irrelevant
Inaccurate Superficial

21. Summary of Points
1. A portfolio is a collection of student work tht has been selected and organized to show learning progress (developmental portfolio) or to show the students best work (showcase portfolio)
2. Both types of portfolios are useful in the classroom--the developmental to show student growth during the school year and the showcase to indicate final level of learning
3. The assessment value of portfolios is found in the vast array of evidence in learning they provide, the actual use of students samples of work, the active participation of students in selecting entries and maintaining the portfolio, the variety of types of assessment data included
4. The specific advantages of using a portfolio in the classroom are that it shows actual samples of student work, provides for comparisons of work in different areas and growth over time, provides students with an opportunity to evaluate and reflect on their work, provides clear evidence of learning to all interested persons, and provides for increased participation of students in the teaching-learning process

22. Summary of Points
5. Planning for the use of portfolios involves determining the purpose, the types of entries to include, the guidelines for selecting and evaluating the entries, the procedures for maintaining and using the portfolio, and the criteria for an overall evaluation of the portfolio
6. Although the main purpose of using a portfolio is to improve student learning, a secondary purpose is to encourage students to participate more actively in the learning process and become more responsible for their own learning. This is an important step in becoming independent learners.
7. The structural evaluation of a portfolio can be accomplished by considering a series of questions concerning its makeup, organization, and content
8. The overall evaluation of student progress shown in the portfolio can be determined by a rating scale that focuses on the learning outcomes being assessed by the portfolio
9. The final level of student performance can best be determined by holistic scoring rubrics for each of the major areas of instruction included in the portfolio

23. Now Go Forth
and
Do Good Things