The effect of portfolios on students' learning: student teachers' views

This study reports on student teachers' views of portfolios as a learning tool when they are combined with a weekly test conducted at the end of each lesson to help student teachers self‐evaluate. Student teachers' written reflections during the process provided data for the study. Analysis of the data showed that a majority of student teachers initially felt that compiling a portfolio would be time‐consuming and an extra burden added to their already busy schedule. However, later on they all found that the process was a useful learning experience. Moreover, the portfolio process – especially combining self‐reflection with weekly tests – encouraged students to study regularly, increased retention and made learning more enjoyable. Suggestions for the successful portfolio implementation include the following: guiding students both at the beginning of and during the process, providing continuous and prompt feedback during the process and making self‐reflection – especially guided by reflection prompts – an essential part of the process.     

Portfolios and assessment in teacher education in Norway: a theory‐based discussion of different models in two sites

Two teacher institutions in Norway involved in a new ICT‐supported portfolio project provide data for our study. In this paper we present a model of analysis for portfolio processes based on sociocultural perspectives of learning and assessment and describe and discuss differences and similarities of the portfolio models in these institutions in relation to our model of analysis. We also highlight areas for improvement; among them the importance of building reflection, self‐assessment and feedback into portfolio assignments and processes in such a way that it becomes part of what is documented. This will strengthen the formative assessment aspect of portfolios. The summative assessment practices are strongly influenced by exam traditions in both institutions. Digital portfolios provide new learning opportunities that are not yet fully utilized. By way of conclusion we explore some critical aspects of portfolios in teacher education in light of Wenger's social theory of learning, focusing on the concepts participation, reification and identity formation.     

Student-Directed Assessment of Knowledge Building Using Electronic Portfolios

Despite emphasis and progress in developing collaborative inquiry in computer-supported collaborative learning research, little attention has been given to examining how collective learning can be assessed in computer-supported collaborative learning classrooms, and how students can have agency in assessing their own collaborative process. We propose that assessments should capture both individual and collective aspects of learning and be designed in ways that foster collaboration. We describe the design of student-directed electronic portfolio assessments to characterize and “scaffold” collaborative inquiry using Knowledge Forum?. Our design involved asking students to identify exemplary notes in the computer discourse depicting knowledge building episodes using four knowledge building principles as criteria. We report three studies that examined the designs and roles of knowledge building portfolios with graduate and Grade 12 students in Hong Kong and Canada. The findings suggest that knowledge building portfolios help to characterize collective knowledge advances and foster domain understanding. We discuss lessons learned regarding how knowledge building may be fostered and provide principles for designing assessments that can be used to evaluate and foster deep inquiry in asynchronous online discussion environments.     

Through the looking glass … preservice professional portfolio's

Abstract

This article shares one institution's experiences using professional portfolios to assist future teachers in becoming effective practitioners and making the transition between school and work. It describes the portfolio development process and the exit presentations. Both give students a peer/faculty forum to showcase their competencies, growth, and promote reflection, self‐confidence, job search preparedness, and an increased awareness of professional standards. In order to ascertain students’ perceptions regarding the development of a professional portfolio, faculty administered a questionnaire. Student feedback highlighted the benefits of portfolio development and offered suggestions for future improvements. They overwhelmingly viewed the invested time as worthwhile, saw the process as an appropriate program exit assessment, and recommended its continuation with future students. In addition, their suggestions held implications for portfolio use in teacher training programs.     

The use of portfolios to foster professionalism: attributes,outcomes, and recommendations

The main objective of this research was to review the characteristics of portfolios and their outcomes for teaching professionalism to undergraduate medical students. A systematic review on the use of portfolios in teaching professionalism to medical students identified 1257 papers. Of these, 11 articles met all inclusion criteria. According to the papers, the use of portfolios for teaching professionalism shows versatility, supports learning strategies and has the potential to be used in different contexts, including for formative and summative purposes. The weaknesses were based on the artificiality of the reflections, deficient instructions, time-consuming processes and preference among students for other teaching methods. Students complained about feeling that the reflection was ‘forced’, and they tended to write based on social conventions rather than reveal their true thoughts. Reflection is a powerful component of the portfolio, but the method by which it is taught could easily ruin its potential to boost professionalism. Requiring reflection did not ensure its achievement; increased understanding by students regarding how and why they were doing it, the clarity of assessment methods and constructive feedback might strengthen the potential for success. A framework was designed to support faculty members in developing and applying portfolios with a clear and broad view of this teaching strategy.     

College students' intentions to use e‐portfolios: From the perspectives of career‐commitment status and weblog‐publication behaviours

The growing popularity of a school‐wide e‐portfolio system in colleges and universities has raised concerns regarding whether students will use it or consider it important to have an e‐portfolio system, especially when its use is not required by their curriculum. This study investigated college students' intentions to use and the students' attitudes towards using an e‐portfolio system, and did so from the perspectives of career‐commitment status and weblog‐publication behaviours. The results indicate that career‐commitment status substantially influences college students' intentions and attitudes relative to using an e‐portfolio system. Also, overlap in the functions of weblogs and e‐portfolios (which allow people to use them interchangeably) does not directly result in higher or lower levels of intention to use an e‐portfolio system. A composite system providing career services, goal‐oriented self‐presentation and personality‐driven self‐expression is recommended.     

Self‐assessment and the disadvantaged student: potential for encouraging self‐regulated learning?

The Science Foundation Programme (SFP) at the University of KwaZulu Natal, Pietermaritzburg attempts to address past educational inequalities by providing disadvantaged matriculants with the skills, resources and self‐confidence needed to embark on their tertiary studies. Students entering the Programme typically adopt a surface approach to learning with emphasis being placed on high score achievement which results in a mark‐driven attitude towards assessment. Students also lack the metacognitive skills associated with a deep approach to learning. Within this mark‐driven culture, it is important to attempt to move students away from such a superficial approach to learning and assessment. Worldwide, self‐assessment practice has been gaining recognition, and it has been linked to the adoption of a deep approach to learning; self‐regulated learning and the development of metacognitive skills. In the biology module of the Programme, students are given two essay assignments, tasks that are routinely performed very poorly. In attempt to improve SFP students’ essay writing abilities, a self‐assessment scheme to accompany the essay tasks was instituted, hoping that this would get the students to engage with the assessment criteria. It was intended that students would not only fulfil the requirements of the task better, but also achieve the valuable skill of self‐assessment. The results provide overwhelming evidence that SFP students cannot accurately self‐assess. Their naivety and inexperience in fulfilling assessment criteria was also revealed. Overall, marks awarded by staff were significantly lower than those awarded by students, and there was no evidence to suggest that any one category of students based on academic ability were better able to self‐assess than another. Marker inconsistencies were revealed, but this was shown to have no effect on findings. In spite of these results, a case for pursuing self‐assessment is made and proposals for improving student self‐assessment practice in the SFP are suggested.     

Digital video for fostering self‐reflection in an ePortfolio environment

The ability to self‐reflect is widely recognized as a desirable learner attribute that can induce deep learning. Advances in computer‐mediated communication technologies have led to intense interest in higher education in exploring the potential of digital tools, particularly digital video, for fostering self‐reflection. While there are reports pointing to the salutary effects of digital video on learners’ reflective ability, a systematic inquiry into how digital video can be utilized to promote self‐reflection in an ePortfolio context remains under‐reported. In this paper, we pose two questions: (1) Do students have the confidence to create their own digital videos for reflection and do they find this activity relevant to their learning needs?; and (2) To what extent does digital video affect the level of self‐reflection and the nature of peer feedback? Results from this small‐scale exploratory case study provide evidence in support of video use as a reflective tool in an ePortfolio context and highlight the need for considering pedagogical and technological issues that are of significance for teachers, educators and ePortfolio developers.     

Personal theory and reflection in a professional practice portfolio

Portfolios are widely used in the assessment of professional learning. Although claims are made that portfolios promote reflection, the nature of such reflection and the mechanisms that promote it in the portfolio process are not well understood. A four‐year action research project investigated a professional practice portfolio for high stakes assessment in a post‐graduate programme for special education resource teachers (RTs) that was preparing them for a paradigmatically different role. This paper focuses on the requirement to submit a personal theory (PT) statement in the portfolio. Although tension between the summative and formative purposes of the portfolio was evident for some RTs, a more comprehensive understanding of reflection was evident and many RTs reported that articulating their PT (often for the first time in their career) impacted positively on their ability to reflect on practice.     

Promoting higher levels of reflective writing in student journals

This paper traces the development over several years of an initiative involving student journals that was introduced into a tertiary science education course for pre‐service teachers to promote enhanced learning of how to teach science. Very soon after introducing the journals into course work the lecturer began engaging in ‘unplanned’ informal reflection (reflection‐in‐action and reflection‐on‐action) when she witnessed the shallow, often trivial nature of her students’ reflective writing and the lack of pedagogical insights they were gaining from the exercise. Motivated by her own ongoing scholarship the lecturer introduced purposeful coaching of reflective skills into her pedagogy to scaffold students’ learning and promote more useful reflection. The impact of these interventions on students’ reflective capabilities and learning were investigated using a formal action research cycle. Findings indicate that student teachers’ reflective skills improved and resulted in deeper and more focused thinking about how to teach science for learning.     

Self-Assessment of Oral Communication Presentations in Food Science and Nutrition

ABSTRACT:  Self-assessment allows learners to observe, analyze, and evaluate their own performances. Self-reflection allows the student to assess his or her communication skill level and progress against a standard. Additionally, the implementation of self-assessment through carefully prepared classroom experiences enables learners to manage their own learning and encourages the habit of lifelong learning. The objective of this study was to compare self-evaluation formats for assessment of an oral communication activity. Senior students in 2 sections of a 1-credit seminar course were videotaped while presenting 30-min oral presentations to the class. Students viewed their presentations and assessed their work using either a scoring rubric or a reflection assignment. Peer and instructor evaluations were also completed. Average scores by students and instructor were similar for rubric and reflection assessment methods. Oral evaluation scores by peer assessment were higher than by self- and instructor-assessment. Students were able to accurately describe the strengths and weaknesses of their presentations; however, comments from the reflection format were more thoughtful and provided more personal information in comparison to the scoring rubric. This study demonstrated the importance of reflective material such as student thoughts and feelings. Skills in reflective self-evaluation and documentation of their progress in oral communication will help students position themselves to develop their own academic and professional goals, provide feedback to instructors, and compile a record for future employers.     

Student perceptions of ePortfolio integration in online courses

This study explored students’ perceptions regarding the integration of electronic portfolios (ePortfolios) in two online graduate‐level courses at a small research university in the western United States. Researchers investigated student perceptions of communication, connectedness, value, and perceived student learning through ePortfolio integration and formative peer review to support a sustained community of learning. Data was collected from 40 students with a Web‐based questionnaire and a threaded discussion forum. Results indicate ePortfolios positively impacted some students’ perception of communication, connectedness, and learning. Most participants also valued ePortfolios. Prior ePortfolio experience and gender were responsible for minor differences in student perceptions, whereas lack of prior reflective experience impacted student perceptions significantly. Researchers conclude that ePortfolios can foster learning communities in online graduate programs.     

The self‐assessed portfolio: a case study

This paper reports on a successful attempt to use the portfolio as a sole assessment tool for an upper level language arts course at an English‐medium university in Lebanon. Over four consecutive years in the spring semester, the teacher/researcher devised a special syllabus based on the teaching/learning of text discourses and other language tasks emphasizing skills to improve the English language of the learners. Only students’ portfolios were used to evaluate students’ work. The learners, majoring in Education or English, worked on various language tasks. They presented and assessed their work according to rubrics. Learners had to self‐reflect on each task, have a one‐to‐one conference with the class teacher, and assign a letter grade to their work. Results indicated that though using only portfolios for assessment purposes was a rather difficult task, it was still more effective than traditional assessment. Working on self‐assessed portfolios actively engaged learners in the learning process.     

Preparation for lifelong learning using ePortfolios

Rapid technological change, increasing globalization and a changing world of employment with multiple roles during one's professional life are necessitating a change from knowledge to learning societies. Full participation requires lifelong learning skills, meaning the ability to solve problems, work both independently and in a team, communicate effectively in all formats and on all levels, and self-direct one's learning and professional development needs. Universities need to take responsibility in preparing students for lifelong learning. While engineering and science degrees traditionally do not emphasize the importance of lifelong learning skills new programmes of study are now being introduced, often using electronic portfolios to support engagement with learning objectives and reflection. This article describes an electronic portfolio initiative that is targeted at engineering and computer science students. The initiative aims to create awareness among students on the nature and importance of lifelong learning skills, to facilitate the development of such skills and to assist students in showcasing their competence regarding these skills. Interviews with industry representatives regarding the characteristics of a lifelong learner and the values of constructing and presenting portfolios were conducted and have resulted in strong support for the electronic portfolio initiative. The article provides background on lifelong learning and electronic portfolios, outlines the design of the initiative and then focuses on feedback from industry representatives.     

Experimenting with Visual Storytelling in Students' Portfolios: Narratives of Visual Pedagogy for Pre‐Service Teacher Education

This article interprets the repercussions of visual storytelling for art education and arts‐based narrative research and, particularly, it approaches visual storytelling as a critical tool for pre‐service teacher education. After reinterpreting storytelling from the perspective of visual critical pedagogy, I will narratively reconstruct the use of visual storytelling in three learning stories taking the form of students' portfolios. As a visual narrative researcher, I will examine the tactics for writing and reading that these students have developed in creating visual stories: the first narrative analyses the role of art during the reconstruction of the learning process by incorporating autobiography and reflexivity (Tanit's portfolio); the second narrative reflects on deconstruction and intertextuality in a multimedia portfolio, which mainly interrelates opera and cinema (Eulàlia's portfolio); and the third narrative introduces virtual storytelling and connects self‐awareness/meta‐awareness with multi‐literacy in narrative learning (Sonia's portfolios). This article also views improvisations, attempts, drafts and interactions in the process of writing and reading portfolios as part of visual experimentation to fabricate learning stories, in order to analyse the opportunities that visual storytelling offers for visual narrative pedagogy.     

Portfolio use in educational leadership preparation programs: From theory to practice

Alternative assessment measures, particularly the use of portfolios, which capture authentic student learning are gaining wider acceptance in K-12 school settings. Portfolios have a rich history in higher education, and recently they are becoming a more popular assessment device in colleges of education. Using educational leadership preparation programs as an example, this article examines the use of portfolio assessment by focusing on the relationship between a folio and a portfolio, the possible artifacts and attestations to include in a folio, the structural components of portfolios, and the different uses of portfolios. The implications of incorporating portfolios in leadership preparation programs also are discussed, including how to alleviate the ambiguities and uncertainties faculty and students experience when this form of authentic assessment is utilized.Bruce G. Barnett is an Associate Professor and Director of the Division of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Northern Colorado. His interests include the preservice and inservice preparation of educational administrators, with particular emphasis in the areas of reflective practice, instructional leadership, and staff development. He has published articles dealing with professional preparation, peer coaching, reflective practice, mentoring, portfolio development, and the moral dilemmas facing educational leaders.     

Student teachers’ patterns of reflection in the context of teaching practice

This study clarifies the basic structure of student teachers’ reflective thinking. It presents a constructivist account of teacher knowledge through a detailed analysis of various patterns of reflection in student teacher portfolios. We aim to gain a greater understanding of the process and outcomes of portfolio writing in the context of teaching practice. By closely analysing portfolio texts, we defined six main starting points for reflective episodes and several patterns under each of them. Also, the patterns of reflective episodes were analysed according to their deductive and inductive dimensions, together with their static and dynamic features. According to our results, it is possible that student teachers can reflect beyond solely practical issues on teaching, articulate multiple concerns about practice and elaborate them in an integrative manner as well as learn both from theory and from practice as a result of reflection for their future profession.     

Secondary-school students' motivation for portfolio reflection

Several studies concluded that deep reflection is infrequently reached in student portfolios. An explanation for these disappointing conclusions might be that motivation for portfolio reflection determines the quality of reflection. This study aimed to examine the relationship between motivation for using digital portfolios and reflection. Participants were 156 eleventh-grade students in secondary education, whose motivation for composing a digital portfolio was measured by the motivation part of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire. Portfolios of 37 of the 156 students were examined in terms of the amount and nature of reflection by means of a coding scheme based on Mezirow's model of transformative learning. On average, one-fifth (19.5%) of the paragraphs in a portfolio contained reflection, and paragraphs with deep reflection were hardly found (0.8%). It was concluded that motivation for composing a portfolio was fair, but not related to the amount and nature of reflection. This exploratory study gives rise to further research into factors that might influence the quality of portfolio reflection.     

Portfolios as ‘learning companions’ for children and a means to support and assess language learning in the primary school

This article explores the idea of portfolios as a way to collect evidence of pupils' learning and achievement in their language learning in the primary school. The emphasis is on portfolio work as an active and reflective process to underpin and support learning and to show evidence of achievement and progression. Pupil choice and reflexivity are essential in the process. The process can encourage learners to draw on their learning experiences across the curriculum. Whilst a means of providing evidence of learning, and for showcasing work pupils are proud of, portfolios are seen as central to and embedded in the day-to-day learning and underpinned by the principles of formative assessment. Designed to be used with other modes of assessment including the European Languages Portfolio, portfolios are in essence flexible, inclusive and a dynamic record of learning, achievement and potential for every learner. In this article, the use of portfolios from an early age as a means to promote development and learning and a way of assessing learning are inextricably linked. Teachers working to develop portfolio work, and some of their pupils, add their voices to the discussion of portfolio development towards an enhanced dialogic assessment culture.