Reflective Blog #4 - Week 4

This week has been another great learning experience. In reflecting on the many uses and examples of portfolios, I found myself wishing I would have known about and began the building of a portfolio since the beginning of my doctoral program. Beginning a portfolio upon first entry into college would have provided me with an opportunity to see my own growth academically and personally. In particular, when I reflect on my writing skills, I can see great improvement since the beginning the program in 2009. As a result, I gravitated to the assessment for learning tenet of the learner’s capacity for self-assessment, reflection, and self-management. Why, because it makes me an active participant in my learning and provides me, the learner, the ability to view assessment as more than a grade. It provides an opportunity to be creative, insightful, and the opportunity to display learning with more than words. It allows the learner to see the power of his or her potential. It is assessment for learning that utilizes all the senses and provides evidence of application of knowledge and a picture of the individual learner and how he or she is learning.

In the future, I can see portfolio programs becoming a major part of an institution’s evidence of accountability, assessment for learning, and career planning. I see the potential of portfolios being used in some form from K-12 to document learning outcomes. I can also see portfolios being used in place of written comprehensive examinations. A portfolio program is a comprehensive picture of what has been learned, its application, a learner’s growth in critical thinking, and writing skills and not just one’s ability to regurgitate a list of facts, names, and figures for an exam. As supported in the many demonstrations of its uses, portfolios can follow the individual beyond the academic walls. I will definitely work to develop the portfolio I start in this class for future courses, my career, and for other personal endeavors. True learning motivates an individual to apply skills learned in other situations and continue lifelong learning.