Student Portfolios

We don’t learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience.” –

John Dewey

What is a Student Portfolio ?

A student portfolio is a systematic collection of student work and related material that depicts a student's activities, accomplishments, and achievements in one or more school subjects.

Use of a Student’s Portfolio

Teachers use portfolios to help students identify learning goals, document progress over time, and demonstrate learning mastery.

Types of Portfolios

Broadly Portfolios can be divided into two types.1. Process Portfolio2. Product Portfolio

1. Process Portfolio

A Process Portfolio documents the stages of learning and provides a progressive record of student growth.

In general, teachers prefer to use process portfolios because they are ideal for documenting the stages that students go through as they learn and progress.

2. Product Portfolio

A Product Portfolio demonstrates mastery of a learning task or a set of learning objectives and contains only the best work.

The Portfolios can be further divided into different types based on the material & maintenance.

Personal PortfoliosWorking PortfoliosRecord Keeping PortfolioGroup PortfoliosThematic PortfoliosIntegrated PortfoliosShowcase PortfoliosElectronic PortfoliosMultiyear Portfolios

Personal PortfoliosIt should contain pictures, awards and other

memorable events, interests & hobbies etc.Working Portfolios

Systematic compilation of students work samples periodically.

Record Keeping PortfolioUsually kept by teachers, contains

necessary assessment samples.

Group PortfoliosSamples of group work done by the students.Thematic Portfolios

Based on a particular topic, concept or unit that may last up to 2-6 weeks.

Integrated PortfoliosMulti disciplinary in nature, integrated

material of different subjects is maintained.

Showcase PortfoliosStudents best work samples of scholastic and

co-scholastic areas in a particular year are included.

Electronic Portfolios

Software database on information in the form of text, graphics, sounds, videos etc..

Multiyear PortfoliosRecord of students’ Progress over the years.

Steps in a Portfolio Assessment Process

First, the teacher and the student need to clearly identify the portfolio contents, which are samples of student work, reflections, teacher observations, and conference records.

Second, the teacher should develop evaluation procedures for keeping track of the portfolio contents and for grading the portfolio.

Third, the teacher needs a plan for holding portfolio conferences, which are formal and informal meetings in which students review their work and discuss their progress. 

Advantages of Portfolio AssessmentPromoting student self-evaluation, reflection, and

critical thinking.Measuring performance based on genuine

samples of student work.Providing flexibility in measuring how students

accomplish their learning goals.Enabling teachers and students to share the

responsibility for setting learning goals and for evaluating progress toward meeting those goals.

Giving students the opportunity to have extensive input into the learning process.

Advantages of Portfolio AssessmentFacilitating cooperative learning activities,

including peer evaluation and tutoring, cooperative learning groups, and peer conferencing.

Providing a process for structuring learning in stages.

Providing opportunities for students and teachers to discuss learning goals and the progress toward those goals in structured and unstructured conferences.

Enabling measurement of multiple dimensions of student progress by including different types of data and materials.

A suggested model of Student Portfolio Cover Page

Portfolio contents

Personal biodata:- Contains Child’s name, date of birth, parents’ name,

address, blood-group, parents’ occupation and contact number etc..

Their interests and hobbies:- Contain a record of their interest in singing, playing

games, drawing and painting etcBest art and craft work:- Contains their best drawing clips and craft and collage

works.Drawings of story they have heard:- Draw or sketch animal or characters in the story they

heard.

Descriptive sentences :- Samples of hand written copies, description

of events or festivals or story. Spelling checks:- Solving puzzles for spell check, sample of

dictation tests. Health records:- Medical records two in every year can be

recorded.Questions from story telling :- Answering questions for the story the child

has heard in the class.

Maths lab activities:- Things prepared under maths lab activities in

class can be stored. CCA samples:- Records and photo clips of CCA activities,

participation in assembly programs.Worksheets ,Activity sheets and other

records:- Worksheets, activity sheets, classtests,pen-

paper tests can be recorded.

Portfolio ChecklistASPECT DETAILS REMARKS

OUTER COVER Title

Subject(s)

Name of the student

Name of the Teacher

Any folder sufficiently strong to withstand the wear and tear of regular use for a year or more .

A binder with rings is ideal for students to work easily

INNER COVER Index- sl no/ date/ article/page numbers/ Teacher Remarks

A wide column for the Teacher to write descriptive remarks is suggested

SEPARATORS File separators with indexing codes

Separators may used if the student maintains one portfolio for two or more scholastic areas.

Portfolio ChecklistASPECT DETAILS REMARKSPRODUCTS/

ARTICFACTS/

NOTES

Multidimensional and many different types

Each product to be accompanied by a reflection statement by the student assessment of the sample’s value or purpose, What the student has learned

ASSESSMENT Criteria for the assessment of

the portfolio

-- Criteria for each product in the portfolio

Criteria for selection of best work

Grading periodicity

Suggestions-continuity, organization, presentation

Suggestions- Criteria for selection, date/title/lesson

Relevance in terms of learning objectives

Child centred/ original / demonstrating learning / achievement/ creative or critical thinking/ problem solving / interpretation/ analysis etc.

( process skills)

Weekly / fortnightly/ monthly/ no bag day etc. The criteria and periodicity should be informed to the students. It may after completion or during the process of student work