The Evolvement of Portfolios 1 The Evolution Of Portfolios In Teacher Education

Portfolios have been used in many fields of study to highlight the best work of individuals. In teacher education, portfolios serve as an authentic assessment, in that they contain artifacts representative of the preservice teacher’s performance in the classroom. As teachers are accountable for an in-depth understanding and implementation of teaching standards, portfolios can become the avenue for documenting how these standards are being met. The teacher preparation program at Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana has utilized portfolios since 1994. Over the years, these portfolios have evolved from their inception to a performance-based evidence that indicates the attainment of knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to be a teacher. The Evolution of Portfolios in Teacher Education There is a growing literacy about the teaching profession among preservice teachers at Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana. From the early stages of professional preparation throughout the student teaching experience, students reflect, write, and dialogue about their experiences in classrooms. They become decision-makers about curriculum, instruction, and the teaching/learning environment. They integrate theoretical perspectives with classroom application to become more skillful, thoughtful practitioners. The avenue for this metamorphosis is the teaching portfolio. This article will describe the process undertaken in the Education Department at this Midwestern, liberal arts college for women to develop use of the teaching portfolio. The definition, rationale, and practices used at this college will be shared, following an overview of the state of portfolio use at a variety of educational levels. Portfolio Background The use of portfolios for assessment purposes is not a new endeavor. They have long been used by artists working in various mediums who want to showcase their work. The portfolios are often reviewed by other professionals who value certain qualities. The reviews do not necessarily use quantifiable evaluative indicators nor do they evaluate using criteria that is the same as other reviewers (Brandt, 1987). Portfolios used in this context allow observers “to make up their own minds about the uniqueness and value of their talents ” (Rhodes & Shankline, 1993, p. 416)