Making It Theirs: The Case of Portfolio Use by Teachers in a Tutorial Setting

While portfolios can help connect teachers and students to the processes and products of learning and assessment (Blake, Backman, Frys, Holber, Ivan, & Sellitto, 1995), many portfolio-based assessment (PBA) methods are abandoned soon after their implementation due to, among other reasons, insufficient training and a lack of on-going curriculum support for teachers. This research draws on previous literature that highlights the theories and practices behind tutorial-based instruction, and examines the historical progression of different types of assessment. Focusing on the experiences of four tutors using PBA, this case study further examines their accounts of successes and/or failures of their PBA practices. Furthermore, this research begins to consider the relative value of portfolios as a resource for assessment, and focuses on how the implementation of PBA practices can be improved. The qualitative analysis of the data suggests varying use of PBA practices depends on teachers’ responses to a PBA approach.