Using the Portfolio for Assessment

1. Using the Portfolio for Assessment • Created during the Integrating Effective Assessment with Instructional Practices I, Fall 2008 • Popham, W. James (2008). Classroom Assessment: What Teachers Need to Know. Massachusetts: Allyn and Bacon.

2. Portfolio Assessment “Assessment should be a part of instruction, not apart from it”

3. What is a portfolio? • A portfolio is a systematic collection of one’s work. • It is the primary way professionals display their work. • Artists, models, architects, etc.

4. Classroom Portfolio Assessment vs Large-Scale Portfolio Assessment • Classroom: assessment strengthens instruction by making the portfolio process a central focus as opposed to peripheral activity • Large-Scale: may be used as part of the assessment criteria • Pitfalls: money, reliability (if in building)

5. Key ingredients to Classroom Portfolio Assessment • Make sure students “own” their portfolios • Decide what kind of work to collect • Collect and store work samples • Select criteria by which to evaluate work samples • Require students to continually evaluate their own products • Schedule and conduct portfolio conferences • Involve parents in the portfolio assessment process

6. Purpose of Portfolios • Documentation of student progress • Working portfolios • Showcasing student accomplishments • Celebration portfolios • Evaluation of student status Need to know what your goal is before you start collecting data

7. Pros Meets individual needs, interests and abilities of the student Great way to document and evaluate growth by creating authentic portraits of the student Self-evaluation and personal ownership for students Cons Difficult to evaluate It takes “loads of time” to be carried out properly Requires staff development to be done correctly Pros and Cons of Portfolio Assessment