Assessment: Student Portfolios

A student portfolio is a collection of products and processes selected and organized to highlight specific aspects of the portfolio creator and his or her work. What goes into the portfolio depends on its purpose and usually includes reflection on the materials included and the portfolio as a whole. Portfolios may be required for a course, a major, or a career goal. Electronic portfolios may contain photos, graphics, videos, written narratives and hypertext links to organize the material. The links below provide information on portfolio development and examples of student portfolios. The links in the section on electronic portfolios could prove useful to students as they develop their own portfolios.

An Introduction to Portfolios:
Authentic Assessment Toolbox: Portfolios, Jon Mueller (North Central College).
A comprehensive tutorial for instructors in the use of learning portfolios in the classroom. Answers questions such as "Why use portfolios?" "How do you create a portfolio assignment?" "What could be included in a learning portfolio?"
Link: http://jonathan.mueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/portfolios.htm

An Introduction to Electronic Portfolios:
"Researching Electronic Portfolios and Learner Engagement," Helen C. Barrett (University of Alaska Anchorage), Research Project Director, the REFLECT Initiative. PDF/Adobe Acrobat.
This article gives an overview of electronic portfolios, their research and purposes.
Link: http://electronicportfolios.com/reflect/whitepaper.pdf

Electronic Portfolios with Examples from Several Universities:
Using Technology to Support Alternative Assessment and Electronic Portfolios, Helen C. Barrett (University of Alaska Anchorage).
A comprehensive site on alternative assessment and electronic portfolios. Includes a handbook, a tutorial for creating an e-portfolio, and links to numerous resources using e-portfolios for many purposes. Also includes links to electronic portfolio projects at many higher education institutions.
Link: http://electronicportfolios.org/portfolios.html

My Learning and Class Portfolio, Gunter Krumme (University of Washington, Seattle).
Defines and describes a learning portfolio as an assessment method and a demonstration of accomplishments. Contains annotated links to numerous resources for electronic portfolio development.
Link: http://faculty.washington.edu/krumme/students/portfolio.html

The Digital Portfolio at Albion College
A guide for students at Albion College in preparing their ongoing, four-year, student portfolio; contains many examples of students' portfolios. This site with its examples could be useful for students anywhere who are in the process of developing a portfolio.
Link: http://www.albion.edu/digitalportfolio/

Web Portfolios: Enhancing the Coherence of Students' Careers (St. Olaf College, Center for Integrative Studies).
Contains information on how to develop a web portfolio and examples of student portfolios in their major.
Link: http://www.stolaf.edu/depts/cis/web_portfolios.htm

“An Overview of E-Portfolios,” George Lorenzo and John Ittleson, edited by Diana Oblinger (EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative, E11 paper 1: 2005). PDF.
This report describes 3 types of e-portfolios: student e-portfolios; teaching e-portfolios for faculty; and institutional e-portfolios for department, program, and institutional accreditation processes. Summarizes key issues in portfolio development; discusses material for inclusion; reviews e-portfolio technology; and provides links to examples of e-portfolio initiatives.
Link: http://educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI3001.pdf