Portfolios are a form of alternative and authentic assessment which can have a positive influence on adult learning. In this paper I will explore the the advantages, considerations, concerns, and possibilities of utilizing portfolio assessment with adult learners.
Portfolios are systematic, intentional, and significant collections generated and utilized by learners and educators alike. Portfolios provide a broad picture of the learning process. They can function as an ongoing assessment tool to examine effort, improvement, processes, and achievement (Tierney, Carter, & Desai, 1991; DeFina, 1992). This mode of formative evaluation is complementing summative evaluation which has dominated learning and assessment for years. Portfolios have incorporated assessment in the learning process. Evaluation is no longer seen by learners and educators as a mystery but as an integral feature of the learning process. In fact, this form of evaluation has many advantages for learners and educators.
Portfolios have suggested an innovative conceptual structure for assessment which relies on learners and what they are actually doing in the classroom. The assessment activities resemble actual classroom tasks and can be integrated into the continuous learning process (Valencia, 1990). There is an authentic connection between content, process, and achievement. Since portfolios reflect the ongoing efforts, progress, and achievements of learners, they give a view of learners' works across time, assignment, discipline, and style (DeFina, 1992). This wholistic style of evaluation removes the fragmentary nature of learning and evaluation and relies on the interrelatedness of the two.
Portfolios involve learners in self-evaluation which definitely enhances self-directedness. Learners become active participants in the portfolio process because they have to decide along with the instructor what will be the focus, who will be the audience, and what evidence will be included (Valeri-Gold, Olson, & Deming, 1992). Furthermore, they learn to develop criteria so that they can choose, collect, and organize their portfolios with value, judgement, and reflection. They are continually assessing what is good and what can be improved, and what is appropriate from their point of view. Assessment is seen as a process within the learners' control; it helps them to constructively evaluate how well they have learned and what more they need to learn. When learners are engaged in assessment they develop essential life skills which enable them to reflect on and understand their areas of strengths and improvements (Valencia, 1990). They have a voice and a vested interest in their evaluation. Furthermore, learners and educators form a partnership in this collaborative process which stimulates meaningful conversation about evaluation and process.
Educators have also benefitted form this form of authentic assessment. They have become re-energized since they have started to develop their own systems with portfolios. They have become empowered in a new professionalism which highlights their ability to make good decisions regarding effectiveness, instruction and assessment. They have found a renewed commitment to the learners in their classrooms (Calfee & Perfumo, 1993). The learner has taken center stage in the learning and assessing processes. This system has assisted educators to become more thoughtful about content, methodology, and learners' needs and interests. The relationship of the educator to the learner has become one of collaborator instead of overseer (DeFina, 1992). Portfolio assessment engages educators and learners in purposeful discussion that focuses on the unique learning style of the learner. It appears that this form of authentic assessment has authenticated their roles and goals as professionals.
According to Stratton (1991), learners are most successful with this alternate form of evaluation if they have an understanding of what is involved. They must be clear on the purpose and the teacher's and their expectations. The portfolio needs to contain materials that allow for instruction,discussion, and reflection of them. It should include reflective entries, different processes, a variety of products, and multi-leveled feedback. The learners must be aware of the timeframe and the different levels of evaluation needed to assess the portfolio. The learner must be open to self-assessment, peer evaluations, conferences, and outside evaluators. Furthermore, the learner must learn and decide on the standards that are needed to represent improvement, effort, reflection, quality, presentation, and goals. Finally, the learners and educators must come to some consensus on the eventual outcome of the portfolio. This process is quite complex because the learners are involved in the design right from the initial stage of setting goals through establishing criteria and deciding on final disposition. However, I feel that the very complexity of the process and the total immersion of the learner in it helps to create responsible learners who are interested in what they do and how they do it.
Many professionals have substantial concerns about the use of portfolio assessment. Calfee and Perfumo (1993) feel that since there is so little conceptual, analytic, and technical support, portfolios may be endangered because it takes different shape in different classrooms. This lack of consistency, reliability, and equity across classes, schools, and districts may be one of its greatest pitfalls. However, Valencia (1990) feels that portfolio assessment can be protected by building a common understanding of goals and expectations, collecting several indicators for each goal, and including required and supporting evidence. This form of protection can be very time consuming for educators and learners. Some educators are overwhelmed with the logistics as it is. The adding of additional layers of discussion, indicators, and evidence to make this form of assessment feasible would be overwhelming. Furthermore, learners need to understand the evaluation process if portfolios are to have meaning to them. This perspective requires learners to be astute in the evaluative process. This takes time, ability, and the capacity to be reflective. However, in order to avoid the trendiness of the moment, it would be wise for educators to temper this form of authentic assessment with standardized assessment. Administrators need to systematically look across students as well as within students. We may want to remove the competitive nature of learning and assessing but we probably cannot remove the comparative aspects. This information could become part of their portfolio if the learners were given the tools to interpret the results.
Portfolios can be a remarkable assessment tool for adult learners because it occurs in the learners' natural setting, instills ownership of the process, provides an opportunity for learners to explore and demonstrate their strengths and improvements, gives evidence to higher order thinking skills, exhibits all styles of learning, contributes to multiple opportunities for observation and assessment, invites learners to be reflective about their work and knowledge, encourages collaborative conferencing, informs instruction and curriculum, and advances the applicability of the learning. Adult learners are looking for educational opportunities which provide different methods of learning and evaluating from their formal educational years. They are at a cognitive threshold in their lives where they want to be actively involved in the process. Portfolio assessment can provide them with a tool which reflects their learning style, ability level, and expectations. Moreover, it provides the collaborative feature of the learning venture which could help them to become reflective. Finally, portfolio assessment provides the adult learner with a diverse means of evaluation which can be tailored to their changing needs.
At Concordia College, we have an unique support system for conditionally admitted students called the Sponsored Student Program (SSP). It is a one year program which provides academic support in the form of close advisement and individualized learning sessions with a faculty member. Sponsored students sign a contract which outlines their responsibilities. This program requires a major commitment of time and effort on their part.
I thought that it would be advantageous if all sponsored students developed a portfolio of their academic activities for their sponsored year at Concordia. Therefore, I will outline a plan for possible implementation for the 96-97 school year.
Sponsored students come to Concordia with a fair amount of academic success at the high school level but are not equipped to deal with the academic adjustments needed to be successful at the college level. All sponsored students meet weekly to monitor progress and more importantly, to develop some sound learning strategies. At present, the students receive individual instruction in a number of study skills and life skills. The skills covered are unique to the student and the context. Therefore, there are no particular texts that are used to demonstrate and practice the skills. The faculty mentor usually explains and demonstrates various skills using authentic learning material from the student's classes. The student leaves his sponsored year with a hodge podge of excellent strategies but no resources for the future. THEREFORE, I suggest that all sponsored students in conjunction with their faculty mentors develop a portfolio for processing information, reflecting on the academic experience, and assessing strategies. The portfolio will become a self-assessment tool as the sponsored student progresses through their first year.
The portfolio will be a three-ring binder; a spiral notebook will be placed in one of the pockets for reflection. The portfolio will be divided into assessments, planner, strategies, and samples. The students will be required to bring this portfolio to each learning session.
The first section will have all the self-assessment tools so that students can refer back for learning information. All sponsored students take a number of informal assessments so that they become aware of their areas of strengths and improvements. These informal tools assess learning styles, goal setting, college skills, stress, metacognitive reading, and time management. The faculty mentor helps the students to develop some insights about the gaps that exist between their actual performance and their desired performance. The portfolio would not only have the self- assessments but also the discovery and intention statements that evolved from the assessment sessions.
The second section of the portfolio will include long term and short term goals and time management techniques. The writing of goals helps students to stay focused, make commitments, and to visualize the outcomes. First year college students need to be able to verbalize what they want and how they want to achieve. Goal setting encourages reflection as students revise and become realistic about what is attainable. It is an ongoing process throughout life. For many college students their freshmen year is the first time that they are truly in charge of their destiny. Time management is probably the key ingredient to college success. Students who excel in college are those who have become masters of time. They get a job done in less time and they set up workable routines. Sponsored students will include monthly, weekly, and daily schedules which will be continually assessed for commitments and workability. In this section students will prioritize daily tasks and justify what is being accomplished and what is not being accomplished.
The third section will be a personal compendium of effective learning strategies. After each learning session, sponsored students are given a strategy to employ in the up coming week. The portfolio would have the model that was given during the learning session. The student would be required to include an integration piece using course content. For example, if a student was having difficulty studying from her biology notes, the mentor would explain and demonstrate the use of concept maps using her biology notes. The student would then be required to develop some concept maps for her biology notes for the following week. On the next meeting, student and mentor would review the strategy, discuss adaptations, and explore alternatives. Students must see themselves as the instrumental core of all their learning; they create it all. Other techniques included in the portfolio would be metacognitive reading (SQ3R), processing (concept mapping, outlining, notecards), note taking, test taking, and research (thesis, summarizing, paraphrasing, drafting).
The sample section would include student selected papers and tests that would reflect progress throughout the year. These samples might be used for discussion of improvements or they might just be included to capture the first year experience.
The reflection notebook will be used by the student and the mentor to examine beliefs, values, and changes regarding the learning process. The students must address themselves as a scholar in a post secondary setting. This reflection should help them to see their role in an academic environment.
Portfolios can have a positive effect on the process of being a sponsored student and on the sponsored student. Portfolios will make students and mentors accountable to the support process. These one-on-one situations can at times become conversational black holes whereby students and mentors develop a friendly relationship but do not focus on the academic development needed to be successful in college. At times students have reported that the mentor was of great help but they could not give list specific strategies that they had incorporated into their learning. Portfolios will also help students to become actively involved in assessing their needs, progress, achievements, and effort. Assessment would be seen as an internal control and not only an external control. Students must learn to become self-directed in all areas of their learning from goal setting to strategies. They need to become astute in evaluating what they need, what works, and what changes must occur. The portfolio would be an instructional tool to help sponsored students to become independent learners who could judge their own learning. Finally, the portfolio can enhance the student/mentor relationship giving the mentor the opportunity for valuable individualized instruction and the intrapersonal and interpersonal dialogue that results from the learning sessions. Mentors can model their thinking on strategies and problems.
Portfolios can be a real asset to the Sponsored Student Program. However, one must be aware of the time involved in such a venture. The portfolio would become an integral part of the weekly sessions. Therefore, time would have to be spent on reviewing and discussing the input. Furthermore, one must remember that sponsored students are at different levels of commitment and cognition. Therefore, portfolios might be a natural extension of the learning process for some while it might be a roadblock for others. Students must also have a clear understanding of the purpose of the portfolio; otherwise, it might just become a meaningless collection. Moreover, mentors bring different learning expectations to these sessions and they should not be coerced into a process that they feel is too different for them.
Portfolios would enhance the support process of the Sponsored Student Program in the areas of accountability, student self- directedness, and academic support. I would encourage all mentors to adapt these ideas to match their mentoring styles and their students' learning styles.