The use of portfolios to inform classroom practice

The Use of Portfolios to Inform Classroom Practice is a case study examining the effects of a portfolio assessment system introduced into a second grade classroom. The research was based on the philosophical analysis of Duschl and Gitomer (1991) who describe the concept of a portfolio culture : as a result of using literacy portfolios in the classroom, what changes, if any, occur in students\u27 metacognition, attitudes, behaviors, empowerment and engagement? The Elementary Reading Attitude Survey as well as two teacher-constructed semantic differential instruments were used to collect quantitative measures on the effects of portfolio use. These measures were supplemented with interviews of parents and children as well as teacher observations to characterize the changes that occurred in the class as a result of the introduction of the portfolio assessment system. The outcomes from this analysis indicated that there were positive changes in all aspects under study