Portfolio Assessment
A. The Nature of Portfolio Assessment
The concept of portfolio assessment is not new. Portfolios originated with artists’
collections of their works and have long been used to demonstrate competencies. In
response to the need for alternative and more authentic assessment practices, portfolios
have become a common alternative to the traditional assessment methods (Mayers and
Tusin, 1999). Portfolios assessment is a term with many meanings, and it is a process that
can serve a variety of purposes. A portfolio is a collection of student work that can exhibit
a student’s efforts, progress and achievement in various areas of the curriculum. A
portfolios assessment can be an examination of student-selected samples of work
experiences and documents related to outcomes being assessed and it can address and
support progress toward achieving academic goals, including student efficacy. Portfolio
assessments have been used for large-scale assessment and accountability purposes (e.g.,
the Vermont ad Kentucky statewide assessment system), for purposes of school-to-work
transitions, and for purposes of certification. For example, portfolio assessments are used
as part of the National Boards for Professional Teaching Standards assessment of expert
teachers.
Moreover, based on the constructivist theories, which advocate that learning has to
be constructed by the learners themselves, rather that being impacted by the teachers,
portfolio assessment requires student to provide selected evidence to show that learning
relevant to the course objectives has taken place. They also have to justify the selected
portfolio items with reference to the course objectives (Steffe and Gale, 1995). Biggs
(1996) holds that the preparation of an assessment portfolio s an active process involving
collecting, synthesizing and organizing possible relevant items to provide the best evidence
of achievement of the learning objectives; a process that demands ongoing assessment,
reflection and justification. There is also the assumption that during the process of
preparing an assessment portfolio, learning is enhanced as students are encouraged to
reflect on their experience, identify learning needs and initiate further learning (Harris,
Dolan & Fairbairn, 2001). Such an assumption, however, should be supported with
empirical evidence if the full potential of portfolio assessment s to be realized
Genesse and Upshur (1996) define portfolio as follows: A portfolio is purposeful
collection of students’ works that demonstrates to the students and others their efforts,
progress and achievements in given areas. Students should have their own portfolios,
which can be a conventional file folder, a small cardboard box, a section of a file drawer
ow some other such receptacle (p.99). they maintain that the value of portfolios is in the
assessment of student’s achievement. They are particularly useful in this respect because
they provide a continuous record of students’ development that can be shared with others.
Genesee and Upshur clearly state that reviewing portfolio can increase the students’
involvement in and ownership of their own learning. The positive effects of portfolios on
student learning arise from the opportunities they afford students to become actively
involved in assessment and learning.
B. Theoretical Background of Portfolio Assessment
The underlying philosophy of this alternative approach to evaluation is that student
is encourage to become more autonomous and to take more responsibility for their work,
including the evaluation of it. Belanoff (1944) believes that portfolio assessment promotes
participation and autonomy by allowing students to select the work on which they will be
evaluated to reflect on tier work to take control of revision and have the opportunity to
produce substantive revision to be granted the time to grow as writers; to take risks with
their writing and to seek advice from peers. The result is that evaluation becomes a positive
force to encourage growth, maturity and independence rather than a means of pointing out
deficiencies.
C. Stages in Implementing Portfolio Assessment
It is very essential discussing the stages in implementing the portfolios assessment.
Because portfolio takes a very long time and needs much energy, the teacher should e
focused and careful in implementing and assessing it. Therefore, it will be helpful by
following these stages for saving the time and energy.
1. The first stage is identifying teaching goals to assess through portfolio. It is very
important at this stage to be very clear about what the teacher hopes to achieve in
teaching. These goals will guide the selection and assessment of students’ work for
the portfolio.
2. The second stage is introducing the idea of portfolio. Portfolio assessment is a new
thing for many students who are used to traditional setting. For this reason, it is
important for the teacher to introduce the concept to the class.
3. The third stage is specification of portfolio content. Specify what and how much
have to be included in portfolio – both core and options (it is important to include
options as these enable self-expression and independence). Specify for each entry
how it will be assessed.
4. The fourth stage is giving clear and detailed guidelines for portfolio presentation.
There is tendency for students to present as many evidences 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.
5. The fifth stage is informing key school officials, parents, and other stakeholders.
Do not attempt to use the portfolio assessment method without notifying your
department head, dean or principals. This will serve as a precaution in case students
will later complain about your new assessment procedure.
6. The sixth stage is development of the portfolio. Support and encouragement are
required by both teacher and students at this stage. Devote class-time to studentteacher conferences, to practicing reflection and self-assessment and to portfolio
preparation. Then ensuring that the portfolio represents the students’ own works
and giving guiding feedback to them.
D. Types of Portfolios
While portfolios have broad potential and can be useful for the assessments of
students; performance for a variety of purposes core curriculum areas, the contents and
criteria used to assess portfolios must be signed to serve those purposes. For example,
showcase portfolios exhibit the best of student performance, while documentation
portfolios may contain draft that students and teacher use to reflect on process. Progress
portfolios contain multiple examples of the same type of work done over time and are used
to assess progress. If cognitive processes are intended for assessment content and rubrics
must be deigned to capture those processes.
Portfolio assessments can provide both formative and summative opportunities for
monitoring progress toward reaching identified outcomes. By setting criteria for content
and outcomes, portfolios can communicate concrete information about what is expected of
students in terms of the content and quality of performance in specific curriculum areas,
while also providing a way of assessing their progress along the way. Depending on content
and criteria, portfolios can provide teachers ad researchers with information relevant to the
cognitive prosses that students use to achieve academic outcomes.
E. Purposes of Portfolios
Much of the literature on portfolio assessment has focused on portfolios as a way
to integrate assessment and instruction and to promote meaningful classroom learning.
Many advocates of his function believe that a successful portfolio assessment program
requires the ongoing involvement of students in the creation and assessment process.
Portfolio design should provide students with the opportunities to become more reflective
about their own work, while demonstrating their abilities to learn and achieve in academics.
For example, some feel it is important for teachers and students to work together to
prioritize the criteria that will be used as a basis for assessing and evaluating student
progress. During the instructional process students and teachers work together to identify
significant pieces of work and the processes required for the portfolio. As students develop
their portfolio, they are able to receive feedback from peers and teachers about their work.
Because of the greater amount of time required for portfolio projects, there is a greater
opportunity for introspection and collaborative reflection. This allows students to reflect
and report about their own thinking processes as they monitor their own comprehension
and observe their emerging understanding of subjects and skill. The portfolio process is
dynamic and is affected by the interaction between students and teachers.
Portfolio assessments can also serve summative assessment purposes in the
classroom, serving as the basis for letter grades. Students conferences at key points during
the year can also be part of the summative process. Such conferences involve the students
and teacher (ad perhaps the parent) in joint review of the completion of the portfolio
components, in querying the cognitive processes related to artifact selection, and in dealing
with other relevant issues, such as students’ perceptions of individual progress in reaching
academic outcomes.
The use of portfolios for large-scale assessment and accountability purposes pose
vexing measurement challenges. Portfolios typically require complex production and
writing, task that can be costly to score and for which reliability problems have occurred.
Generalizability and comparability can also be an issue in portfolio assessment, as portfolio
tasks are unique and can vary in topic and difficulty from one classroom to the next. For
example, Maryl Gearhart and Joan Herman (1995) have raised the question of
comparability of scores because of differences in the help students may receive from their
teachers, parents and peers within and across classrooms. To the extent student’s choice is
involve, contents may even be different from one student to the next. Conditions of and
opportunities for, performance thus vary from one student to another.
These measurement issues take portfolio assessment outside of the domain of
conventional psychometrics. The qualities of the most useful portfolios for instructional
purposes-deeply embedded in instruction, involving students’ choices, and unique to each
classroom and student-seem to contradict the requirements of sound psychometrics.
However, this does not mean that psychometric methodology should be ignored, but rather
that new ways should be created to further develop measurement theory to address
reliability, validity and generalizability.
F. Pros and Cons of Portfolio Assessment
Pros:
1. Provides tangible evidence of the student's knowledge, abilities, and growth in
meeting selected objectives which can be shared with parents, administration and
others
2. Involves a considerable amount of student choice - student-centered
3. Involves an audience
4. Includes a student's explanation for the selection of products
5. Places responsibility on the students by involving them in monitoring and judging
their own work
6. Encourages a link between instructional goals, objectives, and class activities
7. Offers a holistic view of student learning
8. Provides a means for managing and evaluating multiple assessment for each student.
The portfolio provides the necessary mechanism for housing all the information
available about a student’s learning. It includes a variety of entries including test
scores, projects, audio tapes, video tapes, essays, rubrics, self-assessments, etc.
9. Allows students the opportunity to communicate, present, and discuss their work with
teachers and parents.
Cons:
1. Takes time
2. Present challenges for organization and management (Portfolio Assessment, 1999)
G. Self-Assessment and Peer Assessment
Portfolio assessment is the only methodology that responds directly to the goal of
training students to assess their own success. It incorporates collecting and reviewing
artifacts, understanding progress through record keeping, documenting interests and
preferences, conferencing with teacher and peers. It also combines instruction with
assessment that allows for self-reflection and self-evaluation. Students can become better
learner when they engage in deliberate thought about what they are learning and how they
engage in deliberate thought about what they are learning and how they are learning it, in
this kind of reflection students step back from the learning process to think about their
learning strategies and their progress as learners. Such self-assessment encourages students
to become independent learners and can increase their motivation (McMullan, 2006).
Moreover, Crooks (2001) also maintain that self-assessment provides students with the
opportunity to understand the grading system. They can eliminate the controversy
regarding subjective grading and gain ownership in their learning process. When students
are involved with self-assessment, they are better able to work with other students,
exchange ideas, get assistance when needed, and be more involved in cooperative and
collaborative learning activities. As these students go about learning, they begin to
construct meaning revise their understanding, and share meanings with others, the benefits
of incorporation peer assessment into the regular assessment procedures have been
discussed in a number of studies. Peer assessment is believed to enable learners to develop
abilities and skills denied to them in a learning environment in which the teacher alone
assesses their work. In other words, it provides learners with the opportunity to take
responsibility for analyzing, monitoring, and evaluating aspects of both the learning
process and product of their peers. Research studies examining this mode of assessment
have revealed that it can work towards developing students’ higher order reasoning and
higher-level cognitive thought, helping to nurture student-centered earning among
undergraduate learners, encouraging active and flexible learning and facilitating a deep
approach to learning rather than a surface approach (Gibbs, 1992). Peer assessment can act
as a socializing force and enhances relevant skills and interpersonal relationships between
learner groups, in addition Gallagher (2001) also maintains that reflection is a major
component of portfolios as it helps students to learn from experience and practice, thereby
helping them to bridge the theory-practice gap. He says through the reflective process
students are able to identify gaps in knowledge and/or skills and competence, but also to
reconfirm and document strength, skills and knowledge.
H. Sample of Students Portfolios
1. Example of Portfolios for Different Subjects
a. English/Language Arts:
i. Reading log
ii. Different types of writing
1. Poems
2. Essay
3. Letters
iii. Test
iv. Book summaries/reports
v. Dramatizations
vi. Student reflections
b. Science:
i. Charts, graphs created
ii. Project, posters
iii. Lab reports
iv. Research reports
v. Test
vi. Students reflections
2. Rubrics
Points
90-100
Required Items
Concepts
Reflection/Critique
Overall Presentation
All required items are
Items clearly
Reflection illustrate the
Items are clearly
included, with a
demonstrate that the
ability to effectively
introduced, well
significant number of
desired learning
critique work and to
organized, and
additions.
outcomes for the term
suggest constructive
creatively displayed,
have been achieved. The
practical alternative.
showing connection
student has gained a
between items
significant
understanding of the
concepts and
applications.
75-89
All required items are
Items clearly
Reflections illustrate
Items are introduced and
included, with a few
demonstrate most of the
the ability to critique
well organized, showing
additions.
desired learning
work, and to suggest
connection between
outcomes for the term.
constructive practical
items.
The student has gained a alternatives.
general understanding of
the concepts and
applications.
60-75
All items required are
Items demonstrate some
Reflections illustrate an
Items are introduced and
include.
of the desired learning
attempt to critique
somewhat organized,
outcomes for the term.
work and to suggest
showing some
The student has gained
alternatives
connection between
some understanding of
items.
the concepts and
attempts to apply them.
40-59
A significant number of
Item do not demonstrate
Reflections illustrate a
Items are not introduced
required items are
basic learning outcomes
minimal ability to
and lack of organization.
missing.
for the term. The student critique work
has limited
understanding of the
concepts
0
No work submitted
References
Belaoff, P., & Dickson, M. (1991). Portfolios: Process and Product.
Biggs, J. B. (1996). The Teaching Context: The Assessment Portfolio as a Tool for Learning.
Crooks, T. (2001). The Validity of Formative Assessment. University of Leeds.
Gallagher, P. (2001). An Evaluation of Standard-Based Portfolio. Nurse Education Today, 409-416.
Gearhart, M., & Herman, J. L. (1995). Portfolio Assessment: Whose Work Is It? Issues in the Use of
Classroom Assignments for Accountability. Evaluation Comment.
Genesee, F., & Upshur, J. (1996). Classroom-based Evaluation in Second Language Education. Cambridge
University Press.
Gibbs, G. (1992). Down with Essay. The New Academic, 18-19.
Harris, S., Dolan, G., & Fairbarn, G. (2001). Reflecting on the Use of Student Portfolios. Nurse Education
Today, 278-286.
Mayer, D. K., & Tusin, L. F. (1999). Pre-service Teachers' Perception of Porfolios: Process versus Product.
Journal of Teacher Education, 131-139.
McMullan, M. (2006). Students' Perception on the Use of Portfolios in Pre-registration Nursing
Education: A Questionnaire Survey. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 333-343.
Portfolio Assessment. (1999). Assessment, Articulation and Accountability, 178-208.
Steffe, L., & Gale, J. (1995). Constructivism in Education. Erlbaum: Hillsdale, NJ.