Research on Student Portfolios
Barrett (2005) notes that most of the empirical research
on portfolios deals specifically with teaching portfolios or
the process of creating electronic portfolios rather than student
use in the classroom. And, she notes, the multiple purposes of
portfolios further complicates drawing research conclusions on
this instructional tool. In another review of the research, Cook-Benjamin
(2001) noted the benefits of portfolios in assessment as the
opportunity to do holistic assessment, assessment through multiple
sources of evidence, increased student-parent-teacher communication
(in the K-12 system), and a more positive student and teacher
attitude.
Within college settings, portfolios are fairly common, especially
in developmental writing courses. Miholic and Moss (2001) see
these portfolios as formative tools to individualize instruction,
document progress, engage students in reflection about their
work, and promote revision. One of their major concerns is that “many
instructors who claim to use portfolios…merely ask students
to assemble a folio” (p. 10), an accumulation of every
product.
Recent dissertations on portfolios demonstrate that student attitude
plays an important role (Liu, 2003). In a small case study of
selected ESL students (N=7) in a college composition course,
students with positive opinions were those who spent considerable
time and effort on their portfolios. In another small study of
high school students (N for experimental=41 and control=32) (Seals,
2001), math portfolios were considered to be an excellent diagnostic
tool although pre- and post-tests results between the experimental
and control group showed no significant variation. Lastly, a
study of prior learning assessment (the PLA portfolio process)
was found to have a dramatic positive effect on persistence in
college when used with adults students studying part-time at
a small literal arts college (Pearson, 2000). This study noted
the complex interplay between several variables. Significant
variables predicting persistence included grade point average,
number of prior college credit, and participation in prior learning
assessment (PLA portfolio process).
References
Association of American Colleges and Universities (2005). Portfolio
assessment. Retrieved on February 16, 2005 from http://www.aacu-edu.org/issues/assessment/portfolio.cfm.
This Web resource provides a variety of links to specific program
examples in college, K-12, and career-oriented portfolios.
Barrett, H.C. (2005). The research on portfolios in education.
Retrieved on February 16, 2005 from http://electronicportfolios.org/ALI/research.html.
Dr. Barrett’s online paper includes her overall assessment
of the research around portfolios and a longer reference list
of individual studies available for download as a “pdf” file.
Cook-Benjamin, L. (2001). Portfolio assessment: Benefits, issues
of implementation, and reflections on its use. Assessment
Update, 13(4), 6-7. This two-page document briefly reviews
the trend in portfolio research, including references for the
19 studies cited in the paper.
Liu, Y. (2003). A case study of selected ESL students’ experiences
with writing portfolios in college composition courses. Doctoral
Dissertation. Ohio State University.
Miholic, V., & Moss, M. (2001). Rethinking portfolio applications
and assessment. Journal of College Reading and Learning,
32, Fall, 2001, 9-14. The authors review the essential parts
of the portfolio model and describe how form and function need
to closely relate in order to produce a successful learning experience.
Pearson, W.S. (2000). Enhancing adult student persistence:
The relationship between prior learning assessment and persistence
toward the baccalaureate degree. Doctoral dissertation.
Iowa State University.
Seals, G.J. (2001). The effects of portfolio use as a learning
tool on Algebra II students’ achievement and their
attitude toward mathematics. Doctoral dissertation.
University of Mississippi.
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