Day 11 Readings: Portfolios and Assessment

An assessment portfolio is designed to show a student’s progress toward and achievement of certain objectives. They are collaborative in that students self-assess and reflect on the pieces they choose to include. It is a true teaching tool in that it engages the student’s metacognitive processes. They begin to understand what they know. However, until the culture of assessment changes, the use of portfolios as an alternative assessment will be hard to implement. The desire for objective, standardized, numerical scores still guides many parents, administrators, universities, and employers.