Intended primarily for Kentucky classroom teachers and administrators, this idea book first identifies three major issues that members of the Writing Advisory Committee felt should be addressed so that writing instruction will not suffer because of use of the writing portfolio. The broad issues emphasized in the idea book are for teachers to: (1)…

A study examined items selected by preservice teachers for inclusion in an assigned portfolio. Twenty-nine third-year and twenty-eight fourth-year preservice elementary school teachers in a science methods course were asked to complete portfolios that reflected course competencies. Seven items, on average, were selected by each cohort, with 76% of…

The advantages and disadvantages of state mandated and locally developed curricula are discussed. State mandates emphasize a measurement philosophy of education in which testing is the name of the game to determine how well students are achieving. One of the advantages of a state mandated curriculum is that the curriculum is aligned with the…

This report summarizes the data obtained through the administration of the Observation Survey (M. Clay) as part of the K-2 Student Assessment Portfolio of the Durham Public Schools, North Carolina, during the second year of data collection. The database contained a total of 7,752 students in kindergarten through grade 2. The Observation Survey…

Describes a videotape containing interviews with students, faculty, and external evaluators shown at the Conference on Basic Writers workshop; participants then experienced assessment techniques used to evaluate the project's success. Gives an account of the project, a detailed description of the means of assessing it, and suggestions for how and…

Portfolios can be used to document the information literacy performance of students. This article discusses the Colorado Information Literacy Rubric which provides a systematic framework for documenting student abilities; describes four levels of student performance: in progress, essential, proficient, and advanced; and illustrates rubric strands…

Many schools are replacing checklists with performance-based assessments (portfolios and self-evaluation instruments), supplemented by cognitive coaching, student evaluations, structured simulation tasks, and action research. Evaluation is becoming a long-term, cyclical process linked to organizational goals. Teams of assessors are replacing…

Explains how a teacher engages students in conversations about the teaching of writing and the use of portfolio assessment. Contains student input on a number of assessment criteria: range, flexibility, connectedness, independence, and conventions. (TB)

Argues that the evaluation of a basic writing program can demonstrate a program's effectiveness and can be useful in opening up a dialog among the instructors. Describes an evaluation program that combines a variety of writing assessments (essays, a multiple-choice editing test, and portfolios assessment) that provide a comprehensive examination…

Describes one middle school's two-week end-of-school-year unit called Community Studies, in which students select several activities (from more than 40, many of them outdoors), which are assessed through portfolios. (SR)

Comparison of standardized test scores and language arts portfolios of 5,264 first and second graders showed that alternative assessments can decrease inequities between blacks and whites. However, girls performed far better than boys on portfolios than on standardized tests. (SK)

Discusses trends in teacher evaluation, including classroom observations, peer coaching, portfolios, self-evaluation, artifacts collection, and action research. Discusses the steps of action research. (RS)

Asserts that professors can make effective use of electronic folios (e-folios) to enhance their students' learning and facilitate their own process of responding to student work. Maintains that e-folios have unique navigational advantages, are generally easier to maintain and share than traditional portfolios, and encourage students to develop…

Considers the professional teaching portfolio as an authentic assessment tool by which prospective teachers can show evidence of having mastered certain basic competencies. Discusses the merit of the professional teaching portfolio with regard to an individual's content area preparation, teaching competency, professional growth and development,…

Presents an interview with Thomas McGovern, professor and cofounder of the interdisciplinary Department of Integrative Studies at Arizona State University West (Phoenix, Arizona). Focuses on McGovern's interest in curricular reform, his view related to any benefits for psychology from interacting with other disciplines, and the composition of…