UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MINDANAO

Portfolio Assessment
Prof Ed 311 ASL 2
 Topic Outline
• Classroom portfolio assessment: Working and showcase
portfolios
• ·Purposes of portfolio assessment
• ·The pros and cons of portfolio assessment
• ·Work-sample selection
• ·Appraising portfolios

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 Intended Learning Outcomes
• 1. Recall the types and purposes of portfolio assessment.
• 2. Classify portfolios according to purpose.
• 3. Identify appropriate practices in planning and executing
portfolio assessment.

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 What Are Portfolios?
•It constituted the primary method of evaluation in fields
such as art, architecture, modeling, photography, and
journalism. These professions have realized the value of
documenting proficiency, skill, style, and talent with
examples of actual work.
•In education, a portfolio can be defined as a purposeful,
systematic process of collecting and evaluating student
formative and/or summative assessments to document
progress toward the attainment of learning targets or
show evidence that learning targets have been achieved.
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 What Are Portfolios?
•Whether paper-based or digital, portfolios are
limited, meaningful collections of student work,
typically illustrated by presenting and reflecting on
different assessments.
•They usually include specific and predetermined
guidelines for the selection of contents, criteria for
scoring, and evidence of student self-reflection on
what has been accomplished.
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Planning for Portfolio Assessment

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Planning for Portfolio Assessment

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 1. Purpose
• Designing a portfolio begins with a clear idea about the purpose of
the assessment.
• This involves both the specific learning targets and the proposed use
of the portfolio contents (Seitz & Bartholomew, 2008).

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 1. Purpose- 1. Learning Targets and Standards
• Portfolios are ideal for assessing product, skill, and reasoning targets, and
for enhancing desired student dispositions.
• This is especially true for multidimensional skills such as writing, reading,
and problem solving.
• With extensive self-reflection, critical thinking is an important target.
• Students also develop metacognitive and decision-making skills.
• In our standards based education culture, it will probably be necessary to
align the portfolio to content-area standards. Because standards are
typically broader than learning targets, the alignment is made for the
contents of the portfolio as a whole. Both with respect to cognitive skills
required for completing work and for the level of proficiency
demonstrated, the contents need to be matched to the standards.
• Effective portfolios are usually easily matched with many 21st-century
skills and dispositions.

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 1. Purpose- 2. Uses
• The purpose of the portfolio will influence the contents and the
criteria used for evaluation.
• For example, if the primary purpose is to document typical student
work and progress, the portfolio will be highly individualized. It will
tend to be a relatively loosely organized collection of samples
selected by both the teacher and the student, accompanied by both
student and teacher evaluations. There are many entries,
representing different levels of performance, because the goal is to
show what is typical, not necessarily the student’s best work.
• If the portfolios are used primarily for demonstrating competence on
state standards, there will be greater standardization about what to
include and how the portfolios are reviewed, and most samples are
selected by the teacher.

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 1. Purpose- 2. Uses – Celebration Type
• Used if the primary purpose is to illustrate what students are capable
of doing
• Only the student’s best work is included.
• The emphasis is on student selection, self-reflection, and self-
assessment, rather than on standardization for evaluation.
• This approach uses the portfolio to showcase what each individual
has achieved.
• There may or may not be much indication of progress, but the
emphasis is clearly on what has been accomplished rather than on
improvement.
• This type of portfolio is ideal for project-based learning and
instruction.

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 1. Purpose- 2. Uses – Growth Portfolio
• Used to show improvement over time by comparing early artifacts
with later ones.
• A good example could be a persuasive letter to the editor. At the
beginning of the semester students write such a letter. Later in the
semester, after learning about what is needed to be persuasive,
another letter is written. Growth is demonstrated by comparing the
two products, using the same criteria.
• This type of portfolio is ideal for project-based learning and
instruction.

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 2. Identify Physical and/or Digital Structure
• After determining the purpose, figure out the aspects of the portfolio whether it
will be paper-based or digital
• Paper-based portfolio content is printed and put in envelopes or folders.
Consider if it will be done chronologically, by subject area, or by type of
document
• Digital structure is varied, depending on whether you use an established
platform or program, or if you design your own. Typically, the structure is either
contained in an app or software program, with links to various artifacts, and
often will be stored in a cloud or online with the company that provides the
format. Larger data dashboards can be integrated electronically and allow you
link the portfolio to grade reporting and other forms of assessment. Blogs, easily
designed by teachers, can also be used for digital portfolios. Digital formats will
continue to evolve, with increasingly sophisticated and adaptable structures that
will better align portfolio assessment with standards, other assessments, and
reports to parents.

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 3. Determine Nature of the Content
• The content of a portfolio consists of work samples and student and
teacher evaluations.
• Work samples are usually derived directly from instructional activities.
• The range of work samples is often extensive, determined to some extent
by the subject.
• For example, in language arts you could use entries from student journals,
book reports, audiotapes of oral presentations, workbook assignments,
and poetry.
• In science, you might include lab reports, questions posed by students for
further investigation, drawings, solutions to problems, videos, and
pictures of projects.

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 4. Determine Student Self-Reflective Guidelines
and Scoring Criteria
• establish guidelines for student self-reflection and the scoring criteria
to be used when evaluating student performance
• This should be done so that both the guidelines and criteria can be
explained to students before they begin their work.

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Implementing Portfolio Assessment

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Examples
Examples
 1. Review with Students
• Because many students will not be familiar with
portfolios, you will need to explain carefully what is
involved and what they will be doing.
• Begin with your learning targets, show examples, and
give students opportunities to ask questions.
• Try to provide just enough structure so students can get
started without telling them exactly what to do.
• Put yourself in the student’s place—if you had to do this
new thing, what would be your response and what
would you like to know?
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 2. Supplying Portfolio Content
• Regardless of who makes the selections, however, there need to
be clear guidelines for what is included, when it should be
submitted, and how it should be labeled (Green & Johnson, 2010)
• A general rule of thumb for a documentation portfolio is to add
one artifact every week or two, for a total of 10 to 15 different
items for the year.
• For showcase portfolios, as few as three samples may be
sufficient (a final project may be represented with one). Some
teachers differentiate between a working portfolio, in which
students keep most of their work, and a display or final portfolio,
in which selections are made from the working portfolio.

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 2. Supplying Portfolio Content
• Haertel (1990) suggests a value-added approach, in which students include
only those samples that contribute to understanding how the student has
improved or progressed. That is, the student or teacher might ask, “What
value is added by each piece of evidence?” If a piece doesn’t contribute
something new, it’s not included.
• To organize the portfolio, it is best to include a table of contents that can
be expanded with each new entry. The table, which should be located at
the beginning, should include a brief description, date produced, date
submitted, and date evaluated.
• A sample table can be provided, but ownership is enhanced if students
have some flexibility to develop their own table or overview.
• Directions to students could be something like, “What do you need to tell
your parents so they can understand what is in your portfolio and what it
means?”
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 3. Student Self-Reflection
• One of the most challenging yet rewarding aspects of using
portfolios is getting students to the point where they are
comfortable, confident, and accurate in analyzing and
criticizing their own work.
• These reflective or self-evaluation activities need to be
taught. Most students have had little experience with
reflection, so one of the first steps in using a portfolio is
getting students comfortable with simple and
nonthreatening forms of self-reflection.

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 3. Student Self-Reflection
• One useful strategy to accomplish this is to begin with teacher
modeling and critiques. Once students understand what is involved
by seeing examples (e.g., using an overhead of work from previous,
unnamed students), they can begin to engage in their own
reflections orally with each other.
• After they have engaged in these elementary forms of reflection, are
they prepared to proceed to more complex self-evaluations? This can
take several weeks.
• A good way to introduce students to self-reflection is to have them
label various pieces as “Best Work,” “Most Creative,” “Most
Difficult,” “Most Effort,” “Most Fun,” “Most Improved,” and so on.
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 3. Student Self-Reflection
• The next step could be the use of specific items to structure student
evaluations. For example:
This piece shows that I’ve met the standard because _____
This piece shows that I really understand the process because
If I could show this piece to anyone, I would pick _____ because
The piece that was my biggest challenge was _____ because
One thing that I have learned from doing this piece is that I ___

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 3. Student Self-Reflection
• Finally, questions can be asked to give students less structure in how to respond:
What did you learn from writing this piece?
What would you have done differently if you had had more time?
What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses in this sample?
What would you do differently if you did this over?
What problems or obstacles did you experience when doing this? How
would you overcome these problems or obstacles next time?
Is this your best work? Why or why not?
What will you do for your next work?
If you could work more on this piece of writing, what would you do?
Which sample would you say is most unsatisfying? Give specific reasons for your
evaluation.
How would you revise it so that it would be more satisfying?
How did your selection change from rough draft to final copy?

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 4. Teacher Evaluation and Feedback
• Teachers evaluate the contents of a portfolio with checklists of
contents, evaluations of the overall quality of how well the portfolio
has been put together, evaluations of individual entries, and overall
evaluations of learning targets and standards.

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 1. Checklists of Contents
• A summary to ensure that the contents of the portfolio are complete
is often provided in the form of a simple checklist.
• The checklist can vary according to the level of specificity desired and
by the audience.
• Some checklists are relatively brief, and others are long and detailed.
Others can be designed for teachers, administrators, or parents.
• Student checklists tend to be brief, but those for teachers and
schools are typically more comprehensive.

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 2. Portfolio Structure Evaluation
• Portfolios can be evaluated according to how well students have
demonstrated skill in completing the structural requirements, such as the
selection of samples, thoroughness, appearance, self-reflection, and
organization.
• These aspects can be evaluated by assigning points to each aspect
according to a scale (e.g., 5 = excellent, 1 = poor), by making written
comments, or both.
• When evaluating selections, consider the diversity of the samples, the
time periods represented, and overall appropriateness.
• The quality of student reflection can be judged by the clarity and depth of
thought, the level of analysis, and the clarity of communication.
• Organization can be evaluated by using a checklist to indicate whether
required components are included, properly sequenced, and clearly
labeled.

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 3. Evaluations of Individual Entries
• The evaluation of each individual entry in the portfolio can be
accomplished with the scoring criteria and rubrics but with much less
standardization.
• Many teachers find that more individualized, informal feedback on
work samples is effective and efficient, particularly when many items
are included in the portfolio.
• Furthermore, it is likely that not every entry will be evaluated in the
same way.
• However, it is important to provide sufficient feedback so that
students know what has been done well and what needs to be
improved

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 4. Evaluation of Entire Contents
• The learning targets and standards for the portfolio as a whole are
not the same as those for individual entries.
• The language of the evaluation reflects the more general nature of
the target or standard.
• The words used may emphasize the developmental nature of
learning when the purpose is to focus on student improvement and
progress.
• Thus, phrases such as “students demonstrate the ability to
understand increasingly complex software programs,” “a greater
number of self-evaluative criteria applied,” “increased understanding
of,” or “increased ability to” are used.

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 4. Evaluation of Entire Contents
• You will also want to be sure to include individualized written
comments for each student. This descriptive summary of
performance and progress should highlight changes that have
occurred, strengths, and areas that need improvement.
• It’s usually best to point out the strengths and improvements first
and then use language to address weaknesses about what needs
improvement. Words such as improving, developing, partial, and
even novice are better than unacceptable or inadequate.

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 5. Student–Teacher Conferences
• The final step in implementing portfolios is conducting a conference with
each student to review the contents, student reflections, and your
evaluations of individual items and all of the work together as related to
learning targets.
• It is best if students are given some guidelines to prepare for each
conference. During the conference, allow the student to do most of the
talking. Have students compare their reflections with your evaluations and
make plans for subsequent work.
• Although weaknesses and areas for improvement need to be covered,
show students what is possible and their progress, rather than dwelling on
• what is wrong. Make sure that at the end of the conference there is a plan
of action for the future.
• Limit the conference to no more than 10 or 15 minutes.

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 5. Student–Teacher Conferences
• You may want to have students take notes about what was
discussed in the conference and make your own brief notes.
• Focus on one or two major topics or areas at each conference. This
helps ensure a full and thoughtful discussion, rather than a superficial
treatment of several areas.

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5. Student–Teacher Conferences

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 Digital Portfolios
• A digital portfolio (or eportfolio) is a dynamic, changing electronic
collection of evidence, typically stored and managed online or with
software apps and programs.
• This type of portfolio can have the same purposes as a hard-copy file, but
it allows for some additional features to further extend learning, and
encourages individualized, engaged, self-directed learning on more
authentic topics.
• Students and teachers are able to do more with the results and relate
what is stored to other learning activities and goals.
• Students are encouraged to analyze information, to connect information
in new ways, and to collaborate with others in ways that result in more
revision of initial work (Beckers, Dolmans, & van Merrienboer, 2016).

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Digital Portfolios

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 Summary
The essence of portfolios is to gather and evaluate student
work products that demonstrate progress toward specified learning
targets and attainment of learning standards. By combining
principles of performance assessment with student self-reflection,
portfolios and eportfolios can be powerful tools to improve student
learning. With the flexibility inherent in portfolios, it is possible to
individualize assessment so that you can maximize meaningful
feedback to each student. Other major points in the chapter include
the following:
• Portfolio assessment is systematic and purposeful.
• Portfolio assessment includes student selection of contents and
student self-reflection.

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 Summary
• Different types of portfolios include documentation
(celebration, competence, project) and growth.
• Portfolios integrate assessment with instruction by focusing
on improvement and progress.
• Portfolios are adaptable to individual students.
• Limitations include reliability/precision of scoring and time for
preparation and implementation.
• Portfolios may result in limited generalizability

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 Summary
• Planning for portfolio assessment includes the identification of
learning targets and uses, physical structures, content, guidelines
for student self-reflection, and scoring criteria.
• Implementing portfolio assessment includes reviewing with
students, supplying content, student self-evaluations, teacher
evaluations, and student–teacher conferences.
• Students should be meaningfully involved in the selection of work
samples.
• Just enough work samples need to be included to meet the
purpose of the portfolio.
• A table of contents should be included in the portfolio.
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 Summary
• Student self-evaluation needs to be taught. Students progress to
eventually become skilled at analyzing and critiquing their own
and others’ works.
• The teacher evaluates checklists of contents, the student’s ability
to put together the portfolio, individual items, and the content as
a whole with scores from rubrics and written comments.
• Student–teacher conferences should be held throughout the year
to review progress and establish plans.
• Digital portfolios offer extensive opportunities to extend and
showcase student learning
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 References
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Open University Press.
• [3] De Guzman-Santos, R. (2007). Advanced methods in educational assessment and evaluation (Assessment of learning 2). Quezon
City: Lorimar Publishing, Inc.
• [4] Department of Education (2015). Policy Guidelines on Classroom Assessment for the K to 12 Basic Education Program [DO 8
s2015]. Retrieved from https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/DO_s2015_08.pdf
• [5] McMillan, J.H. (2018). Classroom assessment: Principles and practice that enhance student learning and motivation. New York,
NY: Pearson Education, Inc.
• [6] Miller, M.D., Linn, R.L., & Gronlund, N.E. (2009). Measurement and assessment in teaching. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.
• [7] Popham, W.J. (2017). Classroom assessment: What teachers need to know. USA: Pearson Education, Inc.
• [8] Santrock, J.W. (2018). Educational psychology. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
• [9] Slavin, R.E. (2018). Educational psychology: Theory and Practice. New York, NY: Pearson Education, Inc.
• [10] Woolfolk, A. (2016). Educational psychology. Harlow, England: Pearson Education Limited.
• [11] Wragg, E. C. (2001). Assessment and learning in the secondary school. London, England: RoutledgeFalmer.

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