Teachers can improve practice by examining students' work collaboratively. This paper describes how student work can be the basis for collaborative discussions about teaching and learning; notes that collaborative discussions of student work is increasing with the growing use of portfolio assessment; explains how to analyze student work to promote…

Discusses answers to teachers' questions about portfolio assessment, including: definition of portfolios and portfolio assessment, its apparent advantages and weaknesses, data to be included in portfolios, how portfolios are assessed, whether they are valid and reliable, how portfolio assessment is being used, how it fits with performance…

This book is a study, in research-based narrative form, of one middle school's implementation of a new portfolio assessment plan in response to statewide policy changes in California. The book highlights the interactions of state, district, and local forces as teachers work to implement a portfolio-assessment plan that collects student work and…

Provides an introductory discussion of important issues in career development concepts and outlines the main features of career counseling from a constructivist perspective. An overview of assessment procedures in career counseling is also provided. (SR)

Presents a report of the Association of Departments of English's (ADE) investigation of issues and procedures concerning assessment in English departments. Offers advice to educators, based on information from department chairs and colleagues. (TB)

Illustrates dilemmas of "self" and "other" through memories of the author's relationship with her grandmother. Discusses assessment involving three close encounters: a reflective encounter (self to self); a reflexive encounter (self to other); and a dialectical encounter (a teacher who can act as mediator between self and other). (SR)

Introduces an issue devoted to teaching portfolios in teacher education. The articles present initial research and reflections on the use of portfolios and share lessons learned through practice. They address such issues as the purposes of portfolios in teacher education; portfolio organization, management, and evaluation; and strengths and…

Presents an overview of teaching portfolios in teacher education, defining and describing the strengths and limitations of three portfolio models (the learning portfolio, the assessment portfolio, and the employment portfolio). The article emphasizes that portfolios can serve a variety of purposes and take many forms and notes the relationship…

The "Education for the Future Initiative" is a national, privately-funded program initially sponsored by the Telesis Foundation and recently joined by Arthur Andersen & Co. to help schools undertake continuous improvement. The Initiative has pioneered a framework for school improvement in the form of a school portfolio. This document offers a…

Describes how conceptual frameworks, portfolio assessment, and faculty mentoring were used to transition a teacher preparation program to a standards-based approach, explaining that standards-based teacher education and authentic assessments have the potential to greatly change teacher preparation programs, though there must be ways to ensure that…

Despite dramatic evolution during the past decade, assessment of student performance still has issues to address which present important challenges for educators and may determine whether assessment ultimately succeeds or fails. The three issues are evaluating students, applying assessment innovations (holistic scoring and portfolio assessment),…

Summarizes two trends in teacher education: using performance-based portfolios for assessment, instruction, and professional development and transforming computers from complicated instruments to universally available tools that facilitate tasks involving knowledge access and processing. The article explores connections between the two trends and…