Student Portfolios

What are student growth portfolios/portfolios for student growth? 

Assessment goes beyond test data. It would be the recommendation of this educator to consider focusing on student growth through other means besides testing. Student portfolios are a collection of artifacts that showcase learning. Student portfolios, student self-assessments of learning outcomes, reflections on growth over the year as well as how students thrived in the learning environment created by the teacher should all be considerations of teacher performance.

What are the benefits and shortcomings of using them?

The process of a learner collecting information about himself to reflect on learning is called self-assessment (Shatri & Zabeli, 2018). Student portfolios allow for this process of self-assessment of students, including reflective activities in which students are encouraged to consider the strengths and weaknesses of their work (Shatri & Zabeli, 2018). As long as teachers set clear expectations around what is involved in self-reflection and students are engaged in the process, the use of student portfolios along with reflective practices can become powerful artifacts for learning. The emphasis on growth and goal setting can also spur a growth mindset. The comparisons should be kept to comparing with one’s own growth and comparisons across students should never happen as this can negatively affect student morale and confidence. 

References 

Shatri, Z. G., & Zabeli, N. (2018). Perceptions of students and teachers about the forms and student self-assessment activities in the classroom during the formative assessment. Journal of Social Studies Education Research, 9(2), 28–46.