Last week’s issue study presentation allowed for a near-complete coverage of the topic and the learning resource.  The concern about filling up the class period, was quickly replaced by a fear of presenting an incomplete overview of portfolios and portfolio assessment.  The learning resource has been modified to include a more comprehensive bibliography and additional thoughts to address the distinct challenges faced by teachers and schools.

The following information is in response to some questions raised during the presentation.

English-Writing Portfolios:

The National Council of Teachers of English Council Chronicle published an article, in March of 2004, outlining writing portfolios and the transition from traditional to electronic portfolios.  The authors address the fact that the presentations may change, but the components remain the same…  “key components of portfolios are collection, selection, reflection, and projection, meaning a student is actively engaged in the process of picking, refining, explaining, juxtaposing, and proposing next steps in his or her writing.”

Considerations for Implementation:

Several class members stated the desire to implement student portfolios in the classroom.  A great starting point for anyone considering portfolios is the Arter and Spandel (1992) article.  Note the self-test near the end that poses questions about purpose, audience, curricular focus and other details for consideration.  The link to the online article is located in the bibliography section of this site.