IDENTIFIERS *Performance Based Evaluation

This paper presents a synthesis of research on teacher-constructed portfolios and a scan of the state of the art in using teacher-constructed portfolios in preservice teacher education and in inservice teacher development and assessment. It continues work begun in 1991 at the Far West Laboratory on the increased interest in using teacher portfolios to improve education. After consideration of some theoretical issues of portfolio use, the paper presents responses of college and university personnel to a questionnaire on the work they are doing or planning in the area of teacher portfolios. Fifteen programs or activities dealing with preservice and inservice teacher education programs are reported, and 12 responses from school districts detail their portfolio uses. An annotated bibliography of four studies describes some current research into portfolio use. A final analysis suggests that moving into the use of portfolios raises many questions that must be answered to ensure that the promise of portfolio assessment is fulfilled. (Contains 11 references.) (SLD) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * from the original document. U S. DEPARTMENT Of EDUCATIO