Building an assessment portfolio, the new trend in KG and Primary Schools

A Portfolio is a purposeful and focused collection of learners’ work to show their progress over time. It integrates information from several sources. The teacher may select a bag, box or any container in which to put the learner’s work. The portfolio may include samples of a learner’s work, usually selected by the student, or by the student and the teacher to represent learning based on instruction. During Open Days or conference time with the parents, the student can share their work with the parents. Each item in the portfolio is selected because it is a valid representation of what you have learned and is meant to demonstrate your current knowledge and skills. A portfolio is like a storybook capturing a student’s progression of learning as they move through the year.

This can be compared to ‘Output of Work’ in the old curriculum. The difference is that the Assessment Portfolio requires evidence of Work and not just numerical values.

 A portfolio can include classwork, artistic pieces, photographs, and a variety of other media all showcasing the concepts that you have learned.

Why should you have an assessment portfolio?

The following are some of the importance of building an assessment portfolio:

1. Compliance to MOE, NACCA and GES Directives.
   As part of the Standard Based Curriculum, every Facilitator is expected to create and build an Assessment Portfolio for the term and year.
2. For Remediation.
   Information obtained from Assessment Portfolio helps the facilitator to see areas which needs further assistance or explanation. It also provides data for providing the appropriate support to the learner.
   This information can be used when promoting the child. However, facilitators are advised not to repeat any child unless it has first been discussed with the learners and their parents to understand why their wards need to be repeated. After which an application has to be sent through the District Director of Education for the repetition to be approved.
3. For Certification.
   Portfolio is also used for Certification purposes.

How to build a portfolio assessment

There are several ways you can create and build an Assessment Portfolio as a Facilitator.

1. Pack all artifacts prepared by the learners at a safe place and label them appropriately.
2. Collect all group work, projects work, individual work, etc.
3. Collate all Assessment Questions in a single book or file. Assessment Questions should be based on the Indicator.
4. Assessment Portfolio should also contain Reflective Practice.
5. Answers to assessment questions is best done on a loose sheet or A4 Sheets.
6. With respective to Creative Arts, visual presentation should be hanged, pasted, or kept in safe place, whiles Performing Arts can be recorded in video or audio formats.

References

• https://www.thoughtco.com/

• National Pre-tertiary Curriculum Framework
• I Teach U Teach Ghana