Showcasing Skills and Demonstrating Development Through Online Portfolios (For Students)
In recent years, the use of digital portfolios in K-12 schools has been on the rise, as more and more educators recognise their value in various professions. One such advocate is Amber Chandler, author of The Flexible ELA Classroom.
Chandler, a National Board-certified middle school English/language arts teacher in the Hamburg Central School District in Hamburg, New York, finds digital portfolios to be more relevant and fair than traditional methods. She has even replaced end-of-course exams with a digital portfolio program for 8th graders in her school district.
The digital portfolio program is a component of mastery and project-based learning, where students' analyses, reflections, and takeaways for multiple books covered throughout the year are highlighted. This approach has been well-received, as electronic portfolios have become a model for mastery and project-based learning.
The popularity of digital portfolios can be attributed to the backlash against standardized testing in the past decade. Alternative methods of assessment, including projects and performance tasks, have become more popular as a means to showcase students' skills and knowledge.
The Next Generation Learning Challenges collective, with which the digital portfolio program is associated, shares this sentiment. They find that portfolios can be more effective than traditional grade transcripts at showcasing students' abilities. The collective is part of a network of schools and districts working with large education foundations to develop new learning models.
For students, parents, and future teachers, digital portfolios offer a means to track students' growth and interests. A resource guide is available for teachers to maximise the use of digital portfolios, making it easier for educators to implement this innovative approach.
The digital portfolio program is not limited to the Hamburg Central School District in Hamburg, New York. It is being adopted in K-12 schools across the country as educators seek more effective and engaging ways to assess students' learning.
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