This type of portfolio system is based on evidence of student learning measured by standards. Basically, the portfolio of student work is organized in a binder with dividers separating each standard. The following example is taken from a world language class but may be applied in any content area, whether it has state or national standards of student achievement.
How to implement this system:
1. Each student must have a binder with 5 dividers (or equal to the number of standards). For example, if the teacher wanted to keep track of students� progress toward meeting the National Standards for Foreign Language Learning, the binder would be divided into 5 sections: Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparison, and Communities.
2. Throughout the course, the teacher explicitly tells students the learning targets (standards) for each lesson and guides students to place lesson assignments and/or assessments in the correct section of their portfolios (binders). Students also check these off on their standards-based progress reports.
3. At midterm and again at the end of the semester, students turn in their standards-based progress reports, self-evaluations, and portfolios to the teacher.
4. The teacher does a quick check of each student�s portfolio and completes a teacher evaluation. This evaluation includes written comments about what the student can do to improve his/her work, and the teacher may choose to give points for the completed portfolio, progress report, and self-evaluation. Lastly, the teacher returns the portfolios to students, and the cycle begins again.
Strengths & Weaknesses:
Strengths:
�Provides time for students to self-assess and reflect on their learning
�Student work is contained in one place
�Tangible evidence of student progress
�Serves a good communication tools for student and parent conferences
�Requires teacher to align lessons/assignments with content standards
Weaknesses:
�Takes time to establish standards-based progress report and evaluation checklist
�Takes time to teach students how to use the portfolio and its purpose
�Lack of student organization slows evaluation process (for teacher & student)
�Teachers may have ~ 150 portfolios to evaluate at midterm and end of semester
Examples