Portfolio assessment is an integral component of the current movement toward classroom-based performance assessments. A variety of descriptions have been presented in the literature, but little consensus exists regarding the goals or procedures for using portfolio assessment. An empirical basis for using portfolio assessment for a range of instructional decisions is virtually nonexistent. This article presents a conceptual model in which portfolio assessment is viewed as a process of collecting multiple forms of data to support inferences about student performance in a skill or content area that cannot be sampled directly by a single measure. In this respect, portfolio assessment is viewed as analogous to the process of construct validation. The suggested model of portfolio assessment serves as a framework for clarifying the goals of instruction and aligning these goals with classroom-based assessment procedures that support individual referenced decisions. The model also occasions an agenda for research and training.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
American Federation of Teachers, National Council on Measurement in Education, and National Education Association (1990). Standards for teacher competence in educational assessment of students. Washington, D.C.: Author
2.
Barba, M.P. (1985). Portfolio assessment: An alternative strategy for placement of the RN student in a baccalaureate program. Innovative Higher Education, 9 (2), 121–127.
3.
Blake Yancey, K.B. (1992). Teachers stories: Notes toward a portfolio pedagogy. In K. B. Yancey (Ed.) Portfolios in the writing classroom: An introduction (p. 10). Urbana IL: National Council of Teachers of English.
4.
Brown, J.S., Collins, A., & Duguid, P. (1989). Situated cognition and the culture of learning. Educational Researcher, 18 (1), 32–42.
5.
Campbell, D.T., & Fiske, D.W. (1959). Convergent and discriminant validation by the multitrait-multimethod matrix. Psychological Bulletin, 56, 81–105.
6.
Campbell, J. (1992). Laser disk portfolios: Total child assessment. Educational Leadership49 (8), 69–70.
7.
Cole, N. (1990). Conceptions of educational achievement. Educational Researcher, 19 (3), 2–7.
8.
Cook, T.D., & Campbell, D.T. (1979). Quasi-experimentation: Design and analysis for field settings. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.
Crooks, T. (1988). The impact of classroom evaluation practices on students. Review of Educational Research, 85, 438–481.
11.
D'Aoust, C. (1992). Portfolios: Process for students and teachers. In K.B. Yancey (Ed.) Portfolios in the writing classroom: An introduction (p. 8). Urbana IL: National Council of Teachers of English.
12.
Deno, S. (1985). Curriculum-based measurement: The emerging alternative. Exceptional Children, 52 (3), 219–232.
13.
Dagavarian, D.A. (1989). Portfolio assessment. Washington, D.C.: American Association of State Colleges and Universities. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 306 894).
14.
Farr, R. (1990). Setting directions for language arts portfolios. Educational Leadership,48 (3), 103.
15.
Farr, R., & Beck, M. (1991). Evaluating language development: Formal methods of evaluation. In J. Flood (Ed.) Handbook of research on teaching the english language arts, (pp. 489–501). New York: MacMillan.
Frederiksen, J.R., & Collins, A. (1989). A systems approach to educational testing. Educational Researcher18 (9), 27–32.
18.
Fuchs, L. (1986). Monitoring progress among mildly handicapped pupils: Review of current practice and research. Remedial and Special Education, 7 (5), 5–12.
19.
Gagne, R.M., Briggs, L.J., & Wager, W.W. (1988). Principles of instructional design. (Third Edition) New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston
20.
Gearhart, M., Herman, J.L., Baker, E.L., & Whittaker, A.K. (1992). Writing portfolios at the elementary level: A study of methods for writing assessment. (CSE Technical Report 337). Los Angeles: National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Testing
21.
Gentile, C. (1992). Exploring new methods for collecting students' school-based writing: NAEP's 1990 portfolio study. Washington, D.C.: National Center for Educational Statistics
22.
Germann, G., & Tindal, G. (1985). Applications of direct and repeated measurement using curriculum based assessment. Exceptional Children, 51 (2), 110–121.
23.
Gold, S. (1992). Increasing student autonomy through portfolios. In K.B. Yancey (Ed.) Portfolios in the writing classroom: An introduction (p. 21). Urbana IL: National Council of Teachers of English.
24.
Gomez, M.L., Graue, M.E., & Block, M.N. (1991). Reassessing portfolio assessment: Rhetoric and reality. Language Arts, 68, 620–628.
25.
Goodman, Y.M. (1991). Evaluating language development: Informal methods of evaluation. In J. Flood (Ed.) Handbook of research on teaching the english language arts, (pp. 502–509). New York: MacMillan.
26.
Hansen, J. (1992). Literacy portfolios: Helping students know themselves. Educational Leadership, 49 (8), 66–68.
27.
Hebert, E.A. (1992). Portfolios invite reflection from students and staff. Educational Leadership, 49 (8), 58–61.
28.
Herman, J.L. (1992). What research tells us about good research. Educational Leadership, 49 (8), 74–78.
29.
Hetterscheidt, J., Pott, L., Russell, K. & Tchang, J. (1992). Using the computer as a reading portfolio. Educational Leadership49 (8), 3–74.
30.
Hiebert, E.H. (1991), Teacher-based assessment of literacy learning. In J. Flood (Ed.) Handbook of research on teaching the english language arts (pp. 510–520). New York: MacMillan.
31.
Hoge, R.D., Coladarci, T. (1989). Teacher-based judgments of academic achievement: A review of literature. Review of Educational Research, 59, 297–313.
32.
Jongsma, K. (1989). Questions and answers: Portfolio assessment. The Reading Teacher, 43, 263–264.
33.
Kameenui, E.J., & Simmons, D.C. (1990). Designing instructional strategies: The prevention of academic learning problems. Columbus OH: Merrill
34.
Kneeshaw, D. (1992). Writing portfolios in secondary schools. In K.B. Yancey (Ed.) Portfolios in the writing classroom: An introduction (pp. 80–88). Urbana IL: National Council of teachers of English.
35.
Knight, P. (1992). How I use portfolios in mathematics. Educational Leadership49 (8), 71–72.
36.
Lamme, L.L., & Hysmith, C. (1991). One school's adventure into portfolio assessment. Language Arts, 68, 629–640.
37.
Linn, R.L., Baker, E.L., & Dunbar, S.B. (1991). Complex, performance-based assessment: Expectations and validation criteria. Educational Researcher, 20 (8), 15–21.
38.
Lipson, M. & Wixson, K. (1991). Assessment and instruction of reading disability: An interactive approach. New York: Harper Collins
39.
Lucas, C.K. (1988). Toward ecological evaluation, part two: Recontextualizing literacy assessment. The Quarterly, 10 (2), 4–10.
40.
Lucas, C.K. (1992). Introduction: Writing portfolios—changes and challenges. In K.B. Yancey (Ed.). Portfolios in the writing classroom: An introduction (pp. 1–11). Urbana IL: National Council of Teachers of English.
41.
Madaus, G.F., & Kellaghan, T. (1992). Curriculum evaluation and assessment. In P.W. Jackson (Ed.) Handbook of Research on Curriculum (pp. 119–154). New York: MacMillan.
42.
Maeroff, G.I. (1991). Assessing alternative assessment. Phi Delta Kappa73,(4), 273–280.
43.
Marquand, E. (1981). How to prepare your portfolio: A Guide for students and professionals. New York: Art Direction Book Company
Mathews, J.K. (1990). From computer management to portfolio assessment. The Reading Teacher, 43, 420–421.
46.
Messick, S. (1989). Validity. In R. Linn (Ed.), Educational Measurement (3rd ed., pp. 13–104). New York: Macmillan.
47.
Metzdorf, M. (1991). The ultimate portfolio. Cincinnati, OH: North Light Books
48.
Meyer, C.A. (1992). What's the difference between authentic and performance assessment?. Educational Leadership49 (8), 39.
49.
Moss, P.A., Beck, J.S., Ebbs, C., Matson, B., Muchmore, J., Steele, D., Taylor, C., & Herter, R. (1992). Portfolios, accountability, and an interpretive approach to validity. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice.11 (3), 12–21.
50.
Myton, D.V., Nagel, N., & Osterman, D. (1991). Worksamples: A focus on pupil learning. The Oregon Conference Monograph 1991. Eugene, OR: University of Oregon.
51.
Nitko, A. (1980). Distinguishing among the many varieties of criterion-referenced tests. Review of Educational Research, 50 (3), 461–485.
52.
Nuttall, D.L. (1992). Performance assessment: The message from England. Educational Leadership49 (8), 54–57.
53.
O'Neil, J. (1992). Putting performance assessment to the test. What research tells us about good research. Educational Leadership49 (8), 14–19.
Palmer Wolf, D., LeMahieu, P. G., & Eresh, J. (1992). Good measure: Assessment as a tool for educational reform. Educational Leadership49 (8), 8–13.
56.
Paris, S.G. (1991). Portfolio assessment for young readers. The Reading Teacher, 44680–682.
57.
Paulson, F.L., Paulson, P.R., & Meyer, C.A. (1991). What makes a portfolio a portfolio?. Educational Leadership, 48 (5), 61–63.
58.
Pils, L.J. (1991). Soon anofe you tout me: Evaluation in a first-grade whole language classroom. The Reading Teacher, 45, 46–50.
59.
Plake, B.S., & Impara, J.C. (1992, April). Teacher competencies in the educational assessment of students: Current status. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Council on Measurement in Education, San Francisco.
60.
Rief, L. (1990). Finding the value in evaluation: Self-assessment in a middle school classroom. Educational Leadership, 47 (6), 24–29.
61.
Salmon-Cox, L. (1981). Teachers and standardized achievement tests: What's really happening?. Phi Delta Kappan, 62, 631–634.
62.
Shavelson, R.J., Baxter, G.P., & Pine, J. (1992). Performance assessments: Political rhetoric and measurement reality. Educational Researcher, 21 (4), 23–27.
63.
Shepard, L.A. (1989). Why we need better assessments. Educational Leadership, 46 (7), 4–9.
64.
Simmons, J. (1990). Portfolios as large-scale assessment. Language Arts, 67, 262–268.
65.
Snow, R.E. (1989). Toward assessment of cognitive and cognitive structures in learning. Educational Researcher, 18 (9), 8–15.
66.
Sprent, P. (1989). Applied nonparametric statistical methods. London, U.K.: Chapman and Hall
67.
Stiggins, R.J., & Bridgeford, N.J. (1985). The ecology of classroom assessment. Journal of Educational Measurement, 22, 271–286.
68.
Stiggins, R.J., Miller Griswold, M., & Wikelund, K.R. (1989). Measuring thinking skills through classroom assessment. Journal of Educational Measurement, 26 (3), 233–246.
69.
Tindal, G.R., & Marston, D. (1990). Classroom-based assessment: Evaluating instructional outcomes. Columbus, OH: Charles Merrill
70.
Valencia, S.W., Pearson, D.P., Peters, C.W., & Wixson K.K. (1989). Theory and practice in statewide assessment: Closing the gap. Educational Leadership, 46 (7), 57–63.
71.
Valencia, S. (1990). A portfolio approach to classroom reading assessment: The whys, whats, and hows. The Reading Teacher, 43, 338–340.
72.
Wiggins, G. (1989a). Teaching to the (authentic) test. Educational Leadership46 (7), 41–47.
73.
Wiggins, G. (1989b). A true test: Toward more authentic and equitable assessment. Phi Delta Kappan, 70, 703–704.
74.
Winograd, P., Paris, S. & Bridge, C. (1991). Improving the assessment of literacy. The Reading Teacher, 45, 108–116.
75.
Wolf, K. (1991). The school teacher's portfolio: Issues in design, implementation, and evaluation. Phi Delta Kappan, 73 (2), 130–136.
