The document discusses alternative forms of assessment such as portfolios and authentic assessments. Portfolios can be either process-oriented to show student growth over time or product-oriented to showcase a student's best work. The document also discusses the advantages of alternative assessments, such as allowing students to apply concepts to real-life and engage in self-assessment. While these alternative assessments better prepare students for career growth, some disadvantages are that students may feel uncomfortable with new forms of evaluation.

2. Traditional assessments are typically standardized
assessments or teacher -made tests.
Alternative assessments are generally forms that give
the learner the opportunity to regulate the assessment
in some way.
A good example is the multiple choice test which gives
a grade and an explanation why a certain answer is
correct or not, vs. a rubric (alternative) which apprises
the learner as s/he goes through the process, of the
criterion for each grade.
The latter is real world preparation for career growth,
where professionals self- assess using specific criteria,
which should be considered an added value in using
this approach.

3. Consider this:
“Backward Design” is a curricular development
model proposed by Wiggins and McTighe
(1999) that is an alternative to coverage and
activity-oriented curricular models. The model
suggests working backwards in three stages,
beginning with identifying deep learning
goals and then identifying assessment
strategies prior to creating the course
curriculum.
Source: Transformation Theme: Assessment Summary of Significant Findings
by Elizabeth F. Barkley,
http://gallery.carnegiefoundation.org/collections/castl_he/ebarkley/themes/themesmenu.h
tml

10. Authentic assessment is a component of
performance assessment that calls for
application of concepts to real life expectations.
Work by Wiggins (1989) provides these basic
characteristics of authentic assessment:
Designed to represent performance in the field
The criteria for meeting the course objectives
are given greater attention during the teaching
and learning process than the criteria applied
to the traditional assessment approach.

11. Students’ self assessment is a critical difference
in the two approaches.
Students are expected to present and defend
their work to demonstrate mastery.
Formats for project based and authentic
learning opportunities include CDs and DVDs,
audio tapes, debates, constructed models (for
design classes, science classes, other), articles
contributed to the school or local paper, oral,
visual or virtual presentation to a group,
investigations and science projects, and artistic
renderings.

12. What disciplines are very likely to use this kind
of assessment? Let’s make some associations of
selected methods with selected disciplines or
courses, as a means for comprehending these
concepts.
Do you believe that students will feel
comfortable being evaluated in this way?
Why /Why not?

13. Portfolio Assessment
The early roots of today’s portfolios can be
traced to the mid-1980s, with the work of Peter
Elbow and Pat Belanoff (1986). They served as
administrators in a writing program and were
dissatisfied with the scoring. They shifted
emphasis to the process, rather than simply the
product. Purdue University, Miami University
of Ohio, and the University of Michigan were
some of the first universities to apply this
model of assessment, using process and or
product type portfolios.

14. To demonstrate the growth of the learner, over
a period of time, you are best using a process
oriented portfolio. This could be the many
iterations of a paper or a project, that show
development and growth.
Product oriented portfolios focus on the best
work of the student in a particular unit or
discipline or concept.

15. Types of Portfolios
1) Product Portfolio
Used to document or provide evidence of
completion
Used to demonstrate competence or mastery
(showcase portfolios)
2) Process Portfolio
Used to illustrate steps in a process
Used to share experiences

17. Product Portfolios
• Documentation
• Showcase

18. Since about 1992, students have been able to do
portfolios using the internet. These are referred to
as electronic portfolios, webfolios or digital
portfolios. The work may be posted to a website, a
course management system such as Blackboard, or
The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher
Education (NCATE) 2000 requires universities to
utilize assessment systems that are aligned with
program, institutional, state, and national
standards. Portfolios provide clear evidences of
student growth as it relates to a given standard or
set of indicators. These are learner-centered
products.

19. Another kind of assessment is that which must
be conducted on the university as a whole, or a
department or program. For this we use
Assessment Management Systems such as Task
Stream, Weave, and Folio Live, which are
designed around the standards for each state.
These tools allow the organization to collect
and aggregate data in an effort to see where
they are in their address of leadership or
teaching goals. These are teacher- centered
products.

20. E-portfolios can be highly provocative and can further
knowledge by rallying people around a set of personal
experiences that are shared for others’ interests.
(Greenberg 2004).
Universities including Penn State, Minnesota State and
Elon University (right here in our area), who are
affiliated with the Carnegie Foundation have
developed great portfolio practices. Students are given
passwords and can give permission to selected persons
for viewing their work.

21. Planning for effective use of portfolios as assessment
tools
Source: Paul S. George, (1995). What Is Portfolio Assessment Really and How Can I Use It in
My Classroom? Gainesville, FL: Teacher Education Resources.
What observable behaviors or learning experiences
might provide evidence of learning and meeting
identified goals?
How will I ensure that students understand the
portfolio expectation, the process, and the expected
content and quality?
Will I use rubrics, rules, scoring keys, and/or checklists
to guide the process?
How might I integrate oral communication skills and
virtual learning into the portfolio assessment process?

22. Portfolio assessment is a multi-faceted process
characterized by the following recurrent
qualities:
It is continuous and ongoing, providing both
formative (i.e., ongoing) and summative (i.e.,
culminating) opportunities for monitoring
students' progress toward achieving essential
outcomes.
It is multidimensional, i.e., reflecting a wide
variety of artifacts and processes reflecting
various aspects of students' learning
process(es).

23. It provides for collaborative reflection,
including ways for students to reflect about
their own thinking processes and
metacognitions as they monitor their own
comprehension, reflect upon their approaches
to problem-solving and decision-making, and
observe their emerging understanding of
subjects and skills.
They clearly reflect stated learner outcomes
identified in the core or essential curriculum
that students are expected to study.

24. They focus upon students' performance-based
learning experiences as well as their acquisition
of key knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
They contain samples of work that stretch over
an entire marking period, rather than single
points in time.
They contain works that represent a variety of
different assessment tools.
They contain a variety of work samples and
evaluations of that work by the student, peers,
and teachers, possible even parents' reactions.

25. Do you like the portfolio method for student
assessment? Discuss.
Which type would work well for you? Discuss.
Which would be best for students? Discuss.
What do you believe to be the advantages of these
alternative methods of assessment?
What are the disadvantages?
Source: Paul S. George, (1995). What Is Portfolio Assessment Really and How Can I Use It
in My Classroom? Gainesville, FL: Teacher Education Resources.

26. Do you like the portfolio method for student
assessment? Discuss.
Which type would work well for you? Discuss.
Which would be best for students? Discuss.
What do you believe to be the advantages of
these alternative methods of assessment?
What are the disadvantages?

27. References
Elbow, P., and P. Belanoff. 1986. Portfolios as a substitute for
proficiency examination. College Composition and Communication 37:
336–39.
Greenberg, G. 2004. The digital convergence: Extending the portfolio
model. Educause Review 39 (4): 28.
George, P. (1995). What Is Portfolio Assessment Really and How Can
I Use It in My Classroom? Gainesville, FL: Teacher Education
Resources.
Stewart, S., Choate, J., & Poteet, J. (1995) The revolution in assessment
within and across educational settings. Preventing School Failure,
39,3(20-24.
http://www.pgcps.pg.k12.md.us/~elc/portfolio2.html, Prince
George’s County Schools, Department of Staff Development, in
collaboration with the Division of Instruction.