What is an Educational Portfolio?

EDUCATIONAL PORTFOLIO

(Darvesh Karim, Faculty, PDCN Gilgit)

Definition

A portfolio is a collection of various information about a teacher’s and students’ work like reflective writing, lesson plans, student assignments, teachers’ written descriptions, and formal evaluations by supervisors. Essentially, a portfolio is a collection of information about a teacher’s practices. [It] should be more than a miscellaneous collection of artifacts or extended accomplishments attained over an extended period (Wolf as cited in Retallick, 1996)

A portfolio serves as a collection or record of our professional background and experience. Items often found in a portfolio include a statement about the philosophy of education, curriculum vitae, examples of materials, activities, or lesson plans, video clips of our classroom teaching, samples of student, peer, or administrative evaluations of our teaching, and so on. According to Dietz (1993), the professional development portfolio is an envelope of the mind, a collection of essential questions, artifacts, and evidences that represent growth, continuous learning, and the current level of performance and interests of the learner. A portfolio is a compilation of evidence, which demonstrate the acquisition, development, and exercise of knowledge and skills in relation to any work place (Retallick & Groundwater-Smith, 1996).

Proposed Components of Portfolio Expected Outcomes.

1. Reflective journal. • Reflective Professional Teachers.

• Identification of teacher’s weaknesses and strengths.

2. Students progress record

3. Formative assessment record. • Students progress (weaknesses and strengths)

• Pedagogical change/modification.

• Child centered teaching.

4. Lesson plans record. • Learning to Teach.

5. Parents’ interaction record. • Healthy relationship with parents.

• Solutions of Behavioral problems/emotional/academics/modification.

6. Co-curricular reports. • Future planning. Involvement of students

7. Trainings and Workshops record.

8. Practical application and challenges faces. • Reference

• Self Evaluation.



Purpose of Portfolio

The purpose of a portfolio is to encourage teachers to conduct on-going self-evaluation and reflection, and to provide them information about self-improvement and professional development in future. Portfolios also help teachers to conduct meaningful peer evaluation, and can help a school’s principal function as an education partner with teachers, not just as a judge or critic of their practice (Wolf, 1996). Furthermore the purpose of maintaining a professional portfolio is;

1. To allow teachers to document actions as strategic planners.

2. To allow participants to take a reflective stance and reset goals for their future professional development.

3. To enable participants to examine the impact of their professional growth on the overall institutional development and growth.

4. To generate collegial support and sharing attitude among teachers.

5. To help participants to see continuous professional growth and development.

6. To provide a sense of affiliation and a vehicle for collaborative work. (Xu, 2003)

7. To provide a sense of purpose and to energize teachers at different levels of their practices.

References

Elbaz, F. (1983). Teacher thinking: Study of practical knowledge. London: Croom Helm.

Shulman, L. S. Those who understand: Knowledge growth in teaching. Educational Researcher, 15(2), 4-14

Wolf, K. (1996). Developing an effective teaching portfolio, Educational Leadership, 53(6), 34-37.