Portfolios
Portfolios are an excellent way for students to show who they are, what they are
able to do and how they are able to do it. A portfolio should be a collection of the
student's best work. However, a portfolio’s most effective purpose is in self-
evaluation.
Without the student evaluating his or her own work, a major piece in learning is lost.
- Students should be able to select their best work samples for their portfolio
(although some peer group assistance is helpful at first).
- They should understand why they chose it and be clear about why it is their
best writing so far. This will allow them to identify their errors by themselves
in the future.
- They should comment on what they did to complete the samples to help them
identify their learning process. Explaining how these 'best' pieces are different
from their other or earlier pieces, allows them to see for themselves the skills
they have learned and the improvements they are making.
- From the comparison and analysis they set their own goals for future learning.
It is clear that students must think carefully about their work as they complete
their portfolios. This self-assessment becomes part of the program's assessment
as well.
