The Sum of All Parts: Student Portfolios as Unit Assessments

This presentation will demonstrate how a portfolio format allows students and teachers greater freedom of expression and diagnosis of skill deficiencies. Rather than standalone assignments, student portfolios serve as a demonstration of cumulative results of weeks of work. The benefit of such an approach for students is that they receive tailor made assignments at each and every step of the learning process that requires them to not only build on early material knowledge but also with an eye towards future work. For teachers, the portfolio serves not only as a break from traditional tests and essays but allows them to pinpoint precisely what areas students may be struggling in, whether that be reading comprehension, inference from sources, or content specific knowledge. The flexibility provided by the portfolio allows public school teachers to effectively tailor the portfolio to state aligned standards.