Folio Thinking

Jaylyn Thrower

Texas A&M University- Commerce

Robert Wolfe- ETEC 424

 Portfolios carry and showcase numerous examples of one’s work. They highlight some of

the best accomplishments and areas of competency which offer a more in-depth display of the

material that people create. ePortfolios provide the same benefits as traditional ones, but possess

a more advanced digital peek into the collection of media content. While ePortfolios are

compelling in that they hold a wide variety of momentous documents, one of the biggest benefits

of this learning technology is that it can function as an assessment tool.

As a teacher, it is our role to help our students pave their paths in a healthy direction, and

fill their arsenals with what they need to build strong foundations for tall buildings of knowledge

and skills. Consistently we sow multiple seeds of content and hope that in such nourishment and

sharpening, information is retained. We check for mastery throughout and at the closing of each

new unit via assessment. Assessment of learning takes place at the concluded period of a unit as

a means to evaluate and/or compare a student’s achievement and academic capabilities with

others (Bennet, 2017). Examples of these kinds of evaluations would be benchmarks.

Assessments for learning are evaluations that help the teacher monitor how a student is

understanding a specific skill as it is being taught and acquired by the child. This type of gauging

(ie. Progress monitoring) helps the teacher catch, address and monitor any at-risk students

accordingly (Bennet, 2017).

With assessing comes grading! In most cases an assignment, test or quiz is given and the

teacher looks over it, inputs a letter grade into the system, and every nine weeks an average is

taken of all graded assignments that determines a child’s overall academic success rate in that

class. This strategy has been ongoing for years. The downside that comes with it, is that for any

child, one grade letter can be the straw that breaks the camels back, meaning one inadequate
grade can misrepresent a child’s true academic potential. Children learn in unique ways, and

maximizing their cognitive potential to set them up for a successful future is imperative, yet

takes time. Merged with such uniqueness academically, is a child’s personal life. What if a

student that completed an assignment just had an off day, was tired, hungry, etc.? Where

ePortfolios have an upper hand, is that it provides evidence behind the grade (Batson, 2011).

Instead of the testing of knowledge being based on one particular activity or test, ePortfolios

display multiple forms of work that have been generated throughout the school year. Evaluating

a students ePortfolio is based on documented proof of one’s learning gathered with assistance

provided by the teacher, versus evaluating a student and what they remember was taught and said

by their teacher (Grush, 2012). As students continue to develop in their learning, a multitude of

works collect as well.

Grading isn’t the only benefit that ePortfolios provide. The dimensions of learning

demonstrated are wide! For both teachers and students, there’s all types of information that can

be shared; ePortfolio access is extremely simple, and you avoid losing materials as they are

transferred to different reviewers (Milman, 2005, p. xx). These reviewers can go beyond a

teacher or professor as well. Because this collection of work improves learning and is an

evidence-based type of evaluation that allows for students themselves to take pride in their craft,

reflect and improve, employers can examine student’s selections as well (Batson, 2011). Overall,

ePortfolios provide students the opportunity to evaluate, reflect on, shape/mold, and share their

work as a record of growth is displayed over time.

 References

Batson, T. (2011, June 8). Grades without evidence are (Almost) meaningless; evidence-based
evaluation is better -- Campus technology. Retrieved from
https://campustechnology.com/articles/2011/06/08/evidence-based-evaluation-with-
eportfolios-is-better-than-grades.aspx

Bennett, J. (2017, December 8). Assessment FOR learning vs. assessment OF learning.
Retrieved from https://www.pearsonassessments.com/professional-assessments/blog-
webinars/blog/2017/12/assessment-for-learning-vs--assessment-of-learning.html

Grush, M. (2012, February 15). AAEEBL: It's all about evidence-based learning--supported
by ePortfolios -- Campus technology. Retrieved from
https://campustechnology.com/articles/2012/02/15/evidence-based-learning-supported-
by-eportfolios.aspx

Milman, N. (2005). Web-based digital teaching portfolios: Fostering reflection and

technology competence in preservice teacher education students. Journal of
Technology and Teacher Education, 13(3), 373-396.