STUDENT WORK THAT EXHIBITS THE STUDENT’S EFFORTS, PROGRESS,AND ACHIEVEMENTS IN ONE OR MORE AREAS. PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENTS
IS ONE OF THE SEVERAL AUTHENTIC
AND NON TRADITIONAL ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES IN EDUCATION. THE USE OF PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT THAT BECAME POPULAR IN THE EARLY TO LATE 1980’S IN RESPONSE TO THE GROWING CLAMOR FOR MORE REASONABLE AND AUTHENTIC MEANS OF ASSESSING STUDENT’S GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN SCHOOL. FEATURES AND PRINCIPLES OF PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT A PORTFOLIO IS A FORM OF ASSESSMENT THAT STUDENTS DO TOGETHER WITH THEIR TEACHERS.THE TEACHER GUIDES THE STUDENTS IN THE PLANNING, EXECUTION, AND EVALUATION OF THE CONTENTS OF THE PORTFOLIO. A PORTFOLIO REPRESENTS A SELECTION OF WHAT THE STUDENTS BELIEVE ARE BEST INCLUDED FROM AMONG THE POSSIBLE COLLECTION OF THINGS RELATED TO THE CONCEPT BEING STUDIED. A PORTFOLIO PROVIDES SAMPLES OF THE STUDENT’S WORK WHICH SHOW GROWTH OVERTIME. THE CRITERIA FOR SELECTNG ASSESSING THE PORTFOLIO CONTENTS MUST BE CLEAR TO THE TEACHER AND THE STUDENTS AT THE OUTSET OF THE PROCESS PURPOSES OF PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT 1.PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT MATCHES ASSESSMENT TO TEACHING. THE FINAL OUTPUT TO BE ASSESSED ARE PRODUCTS OF CLASSROOM DISCUSSIONS AND CLASSROOM WORK AND ARE NOT SIMPLE DIVERSIONS FROM THE TEDIUM OF CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES. 2. PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENTS HAS CLEAR GOALS. IN FACT, THEY ARE DECIDED ON AT THE BEGINNING OF INSTRUCTION AND ARE CLEAR TO TEACHER AND STUDENTS ALIKE. 3. PORFOLIO ASSESSMENT GIVES A PROFILE OF LEARNER’S ABILITIES IN TERMS OF DEPTH, BREADTH, AND GROWTH. 4.PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT IS A TOOL FOR ASSESSING A VARIETY OF SKILLS NOT NORMALLY TESTABLE IN A SINGLE SETTING FOR TRADITIONAL TESTING. 5. PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT DEVELOPS AWARENESS OF STUDENTS’ OWN LEARNING. 6. PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT CATERS TO INDIVIDUALS IN A HETEROGENOUS CLASS. 7.PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT DEVELOPS SOCIAL SKILLS. 8.PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT DEVELOPS INDEPENDENT AND ACTIVE LEARNERS. 9.PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT CAN IMPROVE MOTIVATION FOR LEARNING AND THUS ACHIEVEMENT. 10.PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT PROVIDES OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENT-TEACHER DIALOGUE. ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF THE PORTFOLIO 1.COVER LETTER >>>> ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND WHAT MY PORTFOLIO SHOWS ABOUT MY PROGRESS AS A LEARNER. 2.TABLE OF CONTENTS WITH NUMBERED PAGES. 3. ENTRIES >>>> BOTH CORE (ITEMS STUDENT’S HAVE TO INCLUDE) AND OPTIONAL (ITEMS OF STUDENT’S CHOICE). 4.DATES ON ALL ENTRIES, TO FACILITATE PROOF OF GROWTH OVERTIME. 5.DRAFTS OF AURAL/ORAL AND WRITTEN PRODUCTS AND REVISED VERSIONS. 6.REFLECTIONS CAN APPEAR AT DIFFERENT STAGES IN THE LEARNING PROCESS AND AT THE LOWER LEVELS CAN BE WRITTEN IN THE MOTHER TONGUE OR BY STUDENTS WHO FIND IT DIFFICULT TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES IN ENGLISH STAGES IN IMPLEMENTING PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT
STAGE 1. IDENTIFYING TEACHING GOALS TO
ASSESS THROUGH PORTFOLIO >>>> the usual first step of organizing portfolio assessment is to establish the teaching goals. STAGE2. INTRODUCING THE IDEA OF PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT TO YOUR CLASS >>>portfolio assessment is a new thing for many students who are used to traditional testing. Stage 3. SPECIFICATION OF PORTFOLIO CONTENT >>>> specify what and how much have to be included in the portfolio.(both core and options).specify for each entry how it will be assessed. Stage 4. GIVING CLEAR AND DETAILED GUIDELINES FOR PORTFOLIO PRESENTATION >>>> there is a tendency for students to present as many evidence of learning as they can when left on their own.The teacher must therefore set clear guidelines and detailed information on how the portfolios will be presented. Stage 5. INFORMING KEY SCHOOLS OFFICIALS,PARENTS, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS >>>> do not attempt to use the portfolio assessment method without notifying your department head, dean, or principal. Stage 6. DEVELOPMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO. >>>> both students and teacher need support and encouragement at this stage in the process of portfolio development. TYPES OF PORTFOLIOS DOCUMENTATION PORTFOLIO >>>> as the name implies, this approach involves a collection of work over time showing growth and improvement reflecting students’learning of identified outcomes. This portfolio is also called a “growth portfolio” in the literature. PROCESS PORTFOLIO >>>> the process portfolio in contrast demonstrates all facets or phases of the learning process. SHOWCASE PORTFOLIO >>>> the showcase portfolio only shows the best of the students’outputs and products, this type of portfolio is best used for summative evaluation of students’mastery of key curriculum outcomes.It should include students’very best work,determined through a combination of student and teacher selection. ASSESSING and EVALUATING the PORTFOLIOS >>>> according to PAULSON,PAULSON and MEYER, (1991,p.63) portfolios offer a way of assessing student learning that is different from the traditional methods. Detailed rating criteria may be evolved to evaluate the finished portfolio presented by students. In general,however, they should include the following. • Thoughtfulness (including evidence of students’monitoring of their own comprehension,metacognitive reflection, and productive habits of mind) • Growth and development in relationship to key curriculum expentancies and indicators. • Understanding and application of key processes. • Completeness,correctness,and appropriateness of products and processes presented in the portfolio • Diversity of entries (eg. Use of multiple formats to demonstrate achievement of designated performance standards). 7. STUDENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES >>>>the main philosophy embedded in portfolio assessment is “shared and active assessment”. To this end, the teacher should have short individual meetings with each student, in which progress is discussed and goals are set for future meeting.Throughout the process, the student and the teacher keep careful documentation of the meetings noting the significant agreements and findings in each individual session. Finally,student-teacher conferences can also be used for summative evaluation purposes when the student presents his final portfolio product and where final grades are determined together with the teacher. Even at this stage of the process, students can negotiate for the appropriate grade to be given using as evidence the minutes of the regular student-teacher conferences.It is for this reason that notes from these conferences have be included in the portfolio as they contain joint decisions about the individual’s strengths and weaknesses.These conferences can be prepared for in pairs, when students practice presenting their portfolios.