WHAT'S NEW - OCTOBER 2002

TEACHER PORTFOLIOS

Welcome to the website for the Council on Alberta Teaching Standards (COATS). This area of the website changes monthly. The theme for this month will be of interest to teachers, administrators, and parents who are exploring the subject of teacher portfolios. The first section below identifies several web links related to the topic. Also listed below, you will find hard-copy books and articles about this topic. We hope that you find this website to be a valuable resource. For quick reference bookmark http://www.teachingquality.ab.ca today!

WEBSITES, ARTICLES AND BOOKS RELATED TO TEACHER PORTFOLIOS

Annotated Bibliography on Portfolios, Alternative Assessment and Tools for Developing Electronic Portfolios

http://electronicportfolios.com/portfolios/bibliography.html

This website serves as a useful resource by providing references to recent books and articles on teacher portfolios. The bibliography is dated 1999 and places some emphasis on electronic portfolios. Perhaps it is noteworthy that many of the titles listed here contain the word professional in their titles. On the whole, this link might be a valuable for those who are interested in quickly identifying a set of study resources on the topic of teacher portfolios.

A Guide to the Development of Professional Portfolios in the Faculty of Education, University of Lethbridge

http://www.edu.uleth.ca/fe/ppd/contents.html

Prepared by the Field Experiences Office at the University of Lethbridge, this website makes available a wealth of information regarding the various purposes, organization and components of a professional portfolio from a distinctively Alberta perspective. Dated 1998, this online guide traces the creation of portfolios as they are developed prior to graduation within a teacher preparation program. This site also contains an account of the roles of mentor teachers, university consultants and faculty mentors in the development of portfolios. Finally, the website boasts 10 appendices overflowing with abundant suggestions for constructing portfolios.

Learning for Lifetime

http://fp.uni.edu/learning/portfolios/Default.htm

Portfolios serve as avenues for furthering the professional growth of teachers. This website deals with teacher portfolios, placing an emphasis on the component of reflective thinking. Originating in the Midwestern United States, the site describes the experiences of groups of preservice teachers learning how to construct teacher portfolios. These are the so-called "Portfolio People." The website describes the differences between the portfolios of preservice teachers and those of classroom teachers. The documents displayed here offer insights into the kind of reflective thinking processes and experiences that can contribute to a teacher portfolio.

The STEP Teaching Portfolio, 2002-2003

http://www.stanford.edu/group/step/academics/ portfolio01_02/stepteachingport_03.htm

This website from Stanford University, dated 2002, offers an overview of that university's practice of using teaching portfolios. The site provides a clear and concise account of how to organize a portfolio and what items to include, from opening page, to instructional plans, to personal reflections and more. The document also alludes to the experiences of alumni in producing successful portfolios. The document assumes that the habits of reflection and self-awareness learned in preservice teacher preparation will be carried over into professional practice upon graduation.

What is a Teacher Portfolio?

http://www.eyesoftime.com/teacher/pfolio.htm

This American link offers a concise one-page list of the bare bones contents of a teacher portfolio. Despite its brevity, the website does catalogue the essential components of teacher portfolios and points out some of the many uses to which portfolios are put. Readers must look elsewhere, however, for actual samples of what goes into a portfolio and for suggestions on how to select and prepare such items for inclusion in a dossier.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Title:		Digital portfolios: Capturing and demonstrating skills and levels of performance.
Source:		Phi Delta Kappan. (1998). Vol. 79. Issue 8, Pages 586-589
Author(s):		Wiedmer, T. L.
Abstract:		This journal article delves into the realm of creating teacher portfolios in a digital format as a viable alternative to compiling hard-copy portfolios. The author explores the technical challenges involved in presenting teaching skills and philosophy through the medium of a CD-ROM and also discusses the selection of a range of suitable teaching artifacts to present electronically. He makes a case for the comparable quality of the digital portfolio, while realistically acknowledging the difficulties that may be encountered in this format.
ISSN:		0013-7217
Title:		Educators making portfolios: First results from the national school reform faculty.
Source:		Phi Delta Kappan. (1999). Vol. 80. Issue 10, Pages 744-750
Author(s):		Cushman, K.
Abstract:		Of particular interest to classroom teachers, this article presents a strong rationale for the use of teacher portfolios as a way of teachers directing their own professional growth. Despite some preoccupations with the teaching standards of certain American states, the article describes the close ties that can emerge between teacher portfolios and professional development. Teacher portfolios serve as a means of recording improvements in teaching skills and, what is more, they also prepare teachers for conversations with colleagues and the community.
ISSN:		0013-7217
Title:		Professional teaching portfolios: Tools for reflection, growth and advancement.
Source:		Phi Delta Kappan. (1998). Vol. 79. Issue 8, Pages 578-582.
Author(s):		Hurst, B., Wilson, C., & Cramer, G.
Abstract:		This journal article presents practical guidelines for constructing teacher portfolios. The authors stress that a teacher portfolio is more than a scrapbook collection. When it is suitably developed, the contents of a teacher portfolio present the individual teacher's own reflections and convey the teacher's personal passion for professional practice. The article lists numerous items that can form part of the contents of a teaching portfolio. Overall, the authors emphasize the benefits and advantages associated with teacher portfolios.
ISSN:		0013-7217
BOOKS
Title:		Developing a professional teaching portfolio: A guide for success.
Source:		Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2002
Author(s):		Costantino, P. M. & de Lorenzo, M. N.
Abstract:		This is a rich resource for both preservice and inservice teachers. In an orderly manner, this handbook provides an abundance of practical insights and suggestions for creating portfolio entries. The book acknowledges that creating portfolios can be a demanding and time-consuming task, but also offers valuable information with which to face the challenge. There is an entire chapter on the topic of electronic portfolios. Each chapter ends with a set of study questions to help review that chapter's key messages. The handbook also contains nine appendices on related facets of constructing a portfolio as well as references.
ISBN:		0205329551
Title:		Professional portfolios for practicing teachers.
Source:		Blooming, IN: Phi Delta Kappa Foundation, 2001
Author(s):		Bullock, A. A. & Hawk, P. P.
Abstract:		This booklet explores the uses and benefits of portfolio development as a means for professional growth. Three main types of portfolios are presented (the process, the product and the showcase portfolio) along with the essential elements that they hold in common. The authors also provide a few tips and suggestions for creating the successful portfolio. The preparation of teacher portfolio is depicted as one alternative to traditional methods of teacher evaluation. This booklet in the Fastback series offers the benefit of presenting the essential elements of a teacher portfolio in a concise format.
ISBN:		0873676831
Title:		The principal portfolio.
Source:		Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 2nd. ed., 2001
Author(s):		Brown, G. & Irby, B. J.
Abstract:		As the title indicates, this volume concentrates on setting forth the benefits of constructing a portfolio for school administrators. Such portfolios can become the vehicles of academic and professional growth. The pages of this book are slanted toward the growth needs of the principal and are embellished with short citations from practitioners, both principals and superintendents, who advocate the growth potential of portfolios for those in leadership roles. The reflection that portfolios demand prompts the formulation of annual improvement goals. Appendix A contains a helpful set of questions and answers about portfolios. The book also provides a set of relevant references.
ISBN:		076197699X
Title:		Teaching portfolios: Presenting your professional best.
Source:		Boston: McGraw Hill, 2000
Author(s):		Rieman, P. L.
Abstract:		This American handbook displays the teacher portfolio as a powerful tool for reflection, the expression of a professional philosophy of teaching, and self-presentation. The volume is divided into two major parts. The first part deals in detail with the typical contents of portfolios. The contents include a description of various styles of portfolios and an account of the many reasons to construct portfolios. The second part presents guidance on the many artifacts that can be included in portfolios. This book also includes references to related books, articles and websites.
ISBN:		007239093X