Topic  Project and

Portfolio
7 Assessments
LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of the topic, you should be able to:

1. Explain how to design an effective project for assessment;
2. Use different methods to assess group project work;
3. Discuss the usefulness of using projects as an assessment tool;
4. Describe the development of a portfolio; and
5. Discuss to what extent portfolios are useful as an assessment tool.

 INTRODUCTION
Besides objective and essay tests, there are other methods of assessing students
that you can use. In this topic, we will focus on two other assessment methods,
project assessment and portfolio assessment. Both types of assessments are
examples of authentic assessment, which you have learnt in Topic 6. We will
discuss the project assessment first, followed by the portfolio assessment in this
topic. Since both project and portfolio assessments are examples of authentic
assessment, whatever we discuss under authentic assessment applies to them,
except that the points discussed in this topic are more specific.

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138  TOPIC 7 PROJECT AND PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENTS

7.1 PROJECT ASSESSMENT

Most of us have done some form of project work in school or university and know
what a project is. However, when asked to define it, one will see varying
interpretations of the project and its purpose. „Projects‰ can represent a range of
tasks that can be done at home or in the classroom, by parents or groups of
students, quickly or over time. While project-based learning (PBL) also features
projects, in PBL, the focus is more on the process of learning and learner-peer-
content interaction than the end product itself.

A project is an activity in which time constraints have been largely removed and
it can be undertaken individually or by a group and usually involves a significant
element of work being done at home or out of school. Project work has its roots in
the constructivist approach which evolved from the work of psychologists and
educators such as Lev Vygotsky, Jerome Bruner, Jean Piaget and John Dewey.
Constructivism views learning as the result of mental construction wherein
students learn by constructing new ideas or concepts based on their current and
previous knowledge.

Most projects have the following common defining features (Katz & Chard, 1989)
which can also be considered as the strengths of using projects as an assessment
tool.

(a) It is a studentăcentred process. Students have the liberty to decide and plan
what to do and how to complete the project assigned though the selection of
a project may be determined by the teacher. If the choice is left to the
students, it probably requires the approval of the teacher. What is significant
is that students are involved in the beginning, middle and end of the project.
They will play an active role in the entire process and take ownership of their
project. They are actively involved as problem solvers, decision makers,
investigators, documenters and researchers. They should therefore find
projects fun, motivating and challenging.

(b) The content of a project and its work process are meaningful to students and
is directly observable in their environment. This is because projects normally
involve real-life problems and first-hand investigations. For instance, in
working on a project, students have to choose a knowledge area, delimit it
and formulate a problem or put forward questions. Then, they are required
to solve the problems and answer the questions through further work,
collection of materials and knowledge. Both the content gathered and the
work process involved are purposeful and reflective of real-life situations.
Project work allows for connections among school, life and work skills.

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(c) Projects can be planned with specific goals related to the curriculum.
Normally, work is planned in such a manner that it draws from knowledge
areas and skills in the current curriculum. It encourages students to break
away from the compartmentalisation of knowledge and instead involves
drawing upon different aspects of knowledge. It provides students with
opportunities to explore the interrelationships and interconnectedness of
topics within a subject and between subjects. For instance, the making of an
object requires handicraft skills, knowledge of materials, working methods
and uses of the object. Further, writing the project report requires language
skills. Technological supports will also enhance studentÊs learning. Thinking
skills are integral to project work. Project work thus involves drawing upon
different aspects of knowledge and skills from the curriculum and provides
students an integrated learning experience.

(d) The product/output of a project is tangible and visible, which can be shared
with the intended audience. It provides direct evidence of meaningful
application of knowledge and skills by the students. Teachers can directly
look at the project output/product to determine what they have learnt, while
parents need not have to grapple with statistical results to know the
performance of their children.

(f) Project work provides opportunities for reflective thinking and student self-
assessment. Students not only can reflect and self-assess what they have done
at the end, but also do so during the entire process, allowing continuous
learning to take place.

(g) Project work allows for multiple types of authentic assessment. For example,
in doing a project, students are required to use journals and diaries to
document the work process, portfolios to compile the project products,
reports to explain the work procedures, etc. All these outputs are useful
authentic evidence of studentsÊ performance that can be assessed.

(h) Project work provides an opportunity for students to explore different

approaches in solving problems. In project work, a teacher follows, discusses
and assesses the work in all its different phases. The teacher is the studentÊs
supervisor. When working on a project, the whole work process is as
important as the final result or product.

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Generally, there are two types of projects:

(a) Research-based Project

This is more theoretical in nature and may consist of posing a question,
formulating a problem or setting up some hypotheses. In order to answer the
question, solve the problem or confirm the assumptions, information must
be found, evaluated and used. This information can either be a result of their
own investigations or may be obtained from public sources without being a
pure reproduction. Such project work is usually presented as a research
report.

(b) Product-based Project

This can be the production of a concrete object, a service, a dance
performance, a film, an exhibition, a play, a computer programme and so
forth.

There are many types of effective projects. The following are some ideas for
projects:

(a) Survey of historical buildings in the studentÊs community;

(b) Study of the economic activities of people in the local community;

(c) Study of the transportation system in the district;

(d) Recreate a historical event;

(e) Develop a newsletter or website on a specific issue relevant to the school or

community (school safety, recycling, how businesses can save energy and
reduce waste);

(f) Compile oral histories of the local area by interviewing community elders;

(g) Produce a website as a „virtual tour‰ of the history of the community;

(h) Create a video of students graduating from a primary or secondary school;

(i) Create a wildlife or botanical guide for a local wildlife area;

(j) Create an exhibition on local products, local history or local personalities

using audiotapes, videotapes and photographs; and

(k) Investigate pollution of local rivers, lakes and ponds.

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The possibilities are endless. The key ingredient for any project idea is that it is
student-driven, challenging and meaningful. It is important to realise that project-
based instruction complements the structured curriculum. Project-based
instruction builds on and enhances what students learn through systematic
instruction. Teachers do not let students become the sole decision makers about
what project to do, nor do teachers sit back and wait for the students to figure out
how to go about the process, which may be very challenging (Bryson, 1994). This
is where the teacherÊs ability to facilitate and act as a coach, plays an important role
in the success of the project. The teacher will brainstorm ideas with the student to
come up with a number of project possibilities, discuss these possibilities and
options, help the students form a guiding question and be ready to help them
throughout the implementation process such as setting guidelines, due dates,
resource selection and so forth (Bryson, 1994).

SELF-CHECK 7.1

1. What is a project?

2. State the differences between a research-based project and a

product-based project.

ACTIVITY 7.1

Give examples of the two types of projects in your subject area or any
subject area.

Share your answer with your coursemates in the myINSPIRE online

forum.

7.1.1 What is Assessed Using Projects?

Project-oriented work is becoming increasingly common in working life. Project
competence, the ability to work together with others and take personal initiatives
and entrepreneurship are skills often required by employers. These competences
can be developed during project work which thus prepares students for working
life. Project work makes schooling more like the real world. In real life, we seldom
spend several hours listening to authorities who know more than we do and tell
us exactly what to do and how to do things. We ask questions of the person we are

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learning from. We try to link what the person is telling us with what we already
know. We bring our experiences and what we already know that is relevant to the
issue or task and say something about it.

You can see this with a class of young learners. When the teacher tells a story, little
kindergarten children raise their hands, eager to share their experiences with
something related to the story. They want to be able to apply their natural
tendencies to the learning process. This is how life is much of the time! By giving
project work, we open up areas in schooling where students can speak about what
they already know.

Project work is a learning experience which enables the development of certain

knowledge, skills and attitudes which prepares students for lifelong learning and
the challenges ahead (refer to Table 7.1).

Table 7.1: The Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes Achieved with Projects

Domains Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and The ability to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in the project
skills task.
application
Examples:
 Be able to choose a knowledge area and delimit a task or
problem.
 Be able to choose relevant resources to complete the project.
 Be able to draw up a project plan, implement it and if necessary
revise it.
 Be able to apply creative and critical thinking skills in solving
problems.
Communication The ability to communicate effectively, by presenting their ideas
clearly and coherently to specific audiences, in both the written and
oral forms.
Examples:
 Be able to discuss with their supervising teacher how their work
is developing.
 Be able to provide a written report of the project describing the
progress of work from the initial idea to final product.
 Be able to produce a final product which is an independent
solution to the task or problem chosen.

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Collaboration The skills of working with others and in a team to achieve common
goals.
Examples:
 Be able to participate in group discussion actively.
 Be able to listen actively the concerns of team members.
 Be able to display a willingness to be a team player.
 Be able to assess the strengths and weaknesses of partners.
 Be able to recognise the contributions of team members.
 Be able to play the roles assigned effectively and successfully.
Independent The ability to learn on his/her own, self-reflect and take appropriate
Learning actions to improve.
Examples:
 Be able to document the progress of their work and regularly
report the process.
 Be able to assess either in writing or verbally their work process
and results.
 Be able to manage time for learning efficiently.

Source: Adapted from Harwell and Blank (1997)

SELF-CHECK 7.2

What are the knowledge, skills and attitudes evaluated using a project?

ACTIVITY 7.2

To what extent has project work been used as an assessment strategy in

Malaysian schools?

Discuss this matter with your coursemates in the myINSPIRE online

forum.

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7.1.2 Designing Effective Projects

There are many types of projects. There is no one correct way to design and
implement a project, but there are some questions and things to consider when
designing effective projects. You will be surprised that many teachers are not sure
why they use projects to assess their students. It is very important for everyone
involved to be clear about the learning goals of the project. Herman, Aschbacher
and Winters (1992) have identified five questions to consider when determining
learning goals:

(a) What important cognitive skills do I want my students to develop? (For

example, to use algebra to solve everyday problems, to write persuasively);

(b) What social and affective skills do I want my students to develop? (For
example, develop teamwork skills);

(c) What metacognitive skills do I want my students to develop? (For example,

reflect on the research process they use, evaluate its effectiveness and
determine methods of improvement);

(d) What types of problems do I want my students to be able to solve? (For

example, know how to do research, apply a scientific method); and

(e) What concepts and principles do I want my students to be able to apply? (For
example, apply basic principles of biology and geography in their lives,
understand cause-and-effect relationships).

In designing project work for assessment, the teacher should also develop an
outline that explains the projectÊs essential elements and his or her expectations for
each project. Although the outline can take various forms, it should contain the
following elements (Bottoms & Webb, 1998):

(a) Situation or Problem

A sentence or two describing the issue or problem that the project is trying
to address. For example, the pollution levels in rivers, transportation
problems in urban centres, the price of essential items are increasing, crime
rate in squatter areas, youths loitering in shopping complexes, students in
Internet cafes during school hours and so forth.

(b) Project Description and Purpose

A concise explanation of the projectÊs ultimate purpose and how it addresses
the situation or problem. For example, students will research, conduct
surveys and make recommendations on how students can help reduce
pollution of rivers. Results will be presented in a newsletter, information
brochure, exhibition or website.
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(c) Performance Specifications

A list of criteria or quality standards the project must meet.

(d) Rules
Guidelines for carrying out the project include timeline and short-term goals,
such as to have interviews and research completed by a certain date.

(e) List of Project Participants with Roles Assigned

Roles of team members and if members of the community are involved,
identify their roles.

(f) Assessment
How the studentÊs performance will be evaluated. In project work, the
learning process is being evaluated as well as the final product.

What concepts and principles do I want my students to be able to apply? (For

example, apply basic principles of biology and geography in their lives,
understand cause-and-effect relationships).

Steinberg (1998) provides a checklist, which is called the Six AÊs Project Checklist,
for the design of effective projects (refer to Table 7.2). The checklist can be used
throughout the process to help both teacher and student plan and develop a
project, as well as to assess whether the project is successful in meeting
instructional goals.

Table 7.2: The Six AÊs Project Checklist

Six AÊs Project Questions Checklist

Authenticity  Does the project stem from a problem or question that is meaningful
to the student?
 Is the project similar to one undertaken by an adult in the
community or workplace?
 Does the project give the student the opportunity to produce
something that has value or meaning to the student beyond the
school setting?
Academic  Does the project enable the student to acquire and apply knowledge
rigour central to one or more discipline areas?
 Does the project challenge the student to use methods of inquiry
from one or more disciplines (such as to think like a scientist)?
 Does the student develop higher-order thinking skills (such as
searching for evidence, using different perspectives)?

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Applied  Does the student solve a problem that is grounded in real life and/or
learning work (such as design a project, organise an event)?
 Does the student need to acquire and use skills expected in high-
performance work environments (such as teamwork, problem-
solving, communication or technology)?
 Does the project require the student to develop organisational and
self-management skills?
Active  Does the student spend significant amount of time doing work in
exploration the field, outside school?
 Does the project require the student to engage in real investigative
work, using a variety of methods, media and sources?
 Is the student expected to explain what he/she learnt through a
presentation or performance?
Adult  Does the student meet and observe adults with relevant experience
relationships and expertise?
 Is the student able to work closely with at least one adult?
 Do adults and the students collaborate on the design and assessment
of the project?
Assessment  Does the student reflect regularly on his or her learning, using clear
practices project criteria that he or she has helped to set?
 Do adults from outside the community help the student develop a
sense of the real-world standards from this type of work?
 Is the studentÊs work regularly assessed through a variety of
methods, including portfolios and exhibitions?

Source: Steinberg (1998)

In implementing the project, it is also important to ensure that the following

questions are addressed:

(a) Do the students have easy access to the resources they need? This is
especially important if a student is using specific technology or subject-
matter expertise from the community;

(b) Do the students know how to use the resources? Students who have minimal
experience with the computer, for example, may need extra assistance in
utilising it;

(c) Do the students have mentors or coaches to support them in their work? This
can be in-school or out-of-school mentors; and

(d) Are students clear on the roles and responsibilities of each person in the
group?

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ACTIVITY 7.3

1. What are some of the factors you should consider when designing
project work for students in your subject area?

2. Give examples of projects you have included or can include in the

teaching and evaluation of your subject area.

Post your answers on the myINSPIRE online forum.

7.1.3 Possible Problems with Project Work

Teachers intending to use projects both as an instructional and assessment tool
should be aware of certain problem areas. Be as specific as possible in determining
outcomes so that both the student and the teacher understand exactly what is to
be learnt. In addition, be aware of the following problems when undertaking
project-based instruction:

(a) Aligning project goals with curriculum goals can be difficult and requires
careful planning. For example, if one of the curriculum goals is to develop
the reading skills of learners, the project planned should enable learners to
acquire the skills in the process. Very often, the skills are assessed but the
scope for learning is not made available.

(b) Parents tend to be exam-oriented. To the parents, the best way to assess
learning is through tests and examinations. They cannot see how doing a
project is related to the overall assessment of learning. They are thus not
supportive of projects and consider doing projects a waste of student
learning time and resources.

(c) Students are not clear as to what is required of them. This happens when the
assigned projects do not have adequate and clear structure and guidelines.
Students are also not given proper guidance on how to carry out the projects.

(d) Projects often take longer time to complete and teachers need a lot of time to
prepare good authentic projects, to manage and monitor their
implementation.

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(e) Teachers are not traditionally prepared to integrate curriculum content into
real-world activities. Besides, they may not be familiar with how they should
assess projects. There is thus a need for intensive staff development to
prepare them for the job.

(f) Resources needed for project work are not confined to the usual classroom
materials such as paper and pencil. For instance, a project to develop a
website requires a computer, special Internet program and other Internet
facilities which may not be readily available to the learners. Such resources
also involve cost. Support from school administration is needed.

(g) Scoring studentsÊ project work can be a daunting task. Project work normally
involves the assessment of diverse competencies of the students. It also
allows for the production of many diverse outputs by the students. Assessing
project work is time-consuming. Besides, teachers need to be specially
trained to carry out this type of assessment especially when the project is
undertaken by a group of student. Fairness in assessment among group
members is an issue that needs special attention.

7.1.4 Group Work in Projects

A group project requires two or more students to work together on a longer
project. Working in groups has become an accepted part of learning as a
consequence of widely recognised benefits of collaborative group work for student
learning. When groups work well, students learn more and produce higher quality
learning outcomes. What are some benefits of group work in projects?

(a) Group Work Can Enhance the Overall Quality of Student Learning
Groups that work well together can achieve much more than an individual
working on his or her own. A broader range of skills can be applied to
practical activities and sharing and discussing ideas can play a pivotal role
in deepening an individual studentÊs understanding of a particular subject
area. This is because working in a group enables him to examine topics from
the perspectives of others. When an individual is required to discuss a topic
and negotiate how to address it, he is forced to listen to other peopleÊs ideas.
Their ideas will then influence his own thinking and broaden his horizons.
His group members are not just fellow learners, they are also his teachers.
Besides, being part of a team will help him develop his interpersonal skills
such as speaking and listening. Group work will also help him find his own
strengths and weaknesses (for example, he may be a better leader than
listener, or he might be good at coming up with the „big ideas‰ but not so
good at putting them into action). Enhanced self-awareness will help his
approach to learning.

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(b) Group Work Can Improve Peer Learning

Group work enhances peer learning. Students learn from each other and
benefit from activities that require them to articulate and test their
knowledge. Group work provides an opportunity for students to clarify and
refine their understanding of concepts through discussion and rehearsal
with peers. Many, but not all students recognise the value of group work to
their personal development and of being assessed as a member of a group.
Working with a group and for the benefit of the group also motivates some
students. Group assessment helps some students develop a sense of
responsibility. A student working in a group on a project may think, „I felt
that because one is working in a group, it is not possible to slack off or to put
things off. I have to keep working, otherwise I would be letting other people
down.‰

(c) Group Work Can Help Develop Generic Skills Sought by Employers
As a direct response to the objective of preparing graduates with the capacity
to function successfully as team members in the workplace, there has been a
trend in recent years to incorporate generic skills alongside traditional
subject-specific knowledge in the expected learning outcomes in higher
education. Group work can facilitate the development of skills, which
include:

(i) Teamwork skills (skills in working within team dynamics and

leadership skills);

(ii) Analytical and cognitive skills (analysing task requirements,

questioning, critically interpreting material and evaluating the work of
others);

(iii) Collaborative skills (conflict management and resolution, accepting

intellectual criticism, flexibility and negotiation and compromise); and

(iv) Organisational and time management skills. A student might say,

„Having to do group work has changed the way I worked. I could not
do it all the night before. I had to be more organised and efficient.‰

(d) Group Work May Reduce the Work Load Involved in Assessing, Grading
and Providing Feedback to Students
Group work and group assessment in particular, is sometimes implemented
in the hope of streamlining assessment and grading tasks. In simple terms, if
students submit group assignments, then the number of pieces of work to be
assessed can be vastly reduced. This prospect might be particularly attractive
for staff teaching large classes.

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SELF-CHECK 7.3

1. What are some problems in the implementation of project work

and how would you solve them?

2. What are the benefits of group work in projects?

7.1.5 Assessing Project Work

Assessing student performance on project work is quite different from an
examination using objective tests and essay questions. It is possible that students
might be working on different projects; some may be working in groups while
others are working alone. This makes the task of assessing student progress even
more complex compared with a paper-and-pencil test where everyone is evaluated
using one marking scheme. Table 7.3 illustrates the general marking scheme for
projects.

Table 7.3: General Marking Scheme for Projects

Marks Criteria
100ă90%  Exceptional and distinguished work of a professional standard.
 Outstanding technical and expressive skills.
 Work demonstrating exceptional creativity and imagination.
 Work displaying great flair and originality.
89ă80%  Excellent and highly developed work of a professional standard.
 Extremely good technical and expressive skills.
 Work demonstrating a high level of creativity and imagination.
 Work displaying flair and originality.
79ă70%  Very good work which approaches professional standard.
 Very good technical and expressive skills.
 Work demonstrating good creativity and imagination.
 Work displaying originality.
69ă60%  A good standard of work.
 Good technical and expressive skills.
 Work displaying creativity and imagination.
 Work displaying some originality.

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59ă50%  A reasonable standard of work.

 Adequate technical and expressive skills.
 Work displaying competence in the criteria assessed, but which may
be lacking some creativity or originality.
49ă40%  A limited, but adequate standard of work.
 Limited technical and expressive skills.
 Work displaying some weaknesses in the criteria assessed and
lacking creativity or originality.
39ă30%  Limited work which fails to meet the required standard.
 Weak technical and expressive skills.
 Work displaying significant weaknesses in the criteria assessed.
29ă20%  Poor work. Unsatisfactory technical or expressive skills.
 Work displaying significant or fundamental weaknesses in the
criteria assessed.
19ă10%  Very poor work or work where very little attempt has been made.
 A lack of technical or expressive skills.
 Work displaying fundamental weaknesses in the criteria assessed.
9ă1%  Extremely poor work or work where no serious attempt has been
made.

Source: Chard (1992)

Product, Process or Both?

According to Bonthron and Gordon (1999), from the onset, you should be clear
about the following:

(a) Whether you are going to assess the product of the group work or both
product and process.

(b) If you intend to assess process, what proportions of the marks are you going
to allocate for process and based on what criteria? And how are you going to
use the criteria to assess process?

(c) What criteria are you planning to use to assess the product and how will the
marks be distributed?

Some educators believe there is a need to assess the processes within groups as
well as the products or outcomes. What exactly does process mean? Both teachers
and students must be clear what process means. For example, if you want to assess
„the level of interaction‰ among students in the group, they should know what
„high‰ or „low‰ interaction means. Should the teacher be involved in the working
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of each group or should it rely on self or peer assessment? Obviously, being

involved in so many groups would be physically impossible for the teacher. So,
how do you measure „process‰? Some educators may say, „I donÊt care what they
do in their groups. All IÊm interested in is the final product and how they arrive at
their results is their business.‰

However, to provide a more balanced assessment, there is growing interest in both

the process and product of group work and the issue that arises is, „What
proportion of assessment should focus on product and what proportion should
focus on process?‰

The criteria for the evaluation of group work can be determined by teachers alone
or by both teachers and students through consultation. Group members can be
consulted on what should be assessed in a project through consultation with the
teacher. Obviously, you have to be clear about the intended learning outcomes of
the project in your subject area. It is a useful starting point for determining criteria
for assessment of the project. Once these broader learning outcomes are
understood, you can establish the criteria for marking the project. Generally, it is
easier to establish criteria for measuring the product of project work and much
more difficult to measure the processes involved in project work. However, it is
suggested that evaluation of product and process can be done separately rather
than attempting to do both at once.

Who Gets the Marks ă Individuals or the Group?

Most projects involve more than one student and the benefits of group work have
been discussed earlier. A major problem of evaluating projects involving group
work is how to allocate marks fairly among group members. As exclaimed by a
student, „I would like my teacher to tell me what amount of work and effort will
get what mark.‰ Other concerns would be, „Do all students get the same mark
even though not all students put in the same effort?‰ and „Are marks given for the
individual contribution of team members?‰

These are questions that bother teachers, especially when it is common to find free
loaders or sleeping partners in group projects. The following are some suggestions
how group work may be assessed:

(a) Shared Group Mark

All group members receive the same mark for the work submitted regardless
of individual contribution. It is a straightforward method that encourages
group work where group members sink or swim together. However, it may
be perceived as unfair by better students who may complain that they are
unfairly disadvantaged by weaker students and the likelihood of „sleeping
partners‰ is very high.

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(b) Share-out Marks

The students in the group decide how the total number of marks should be
shared between them. For example, a score of 40 is given by the teacher for
the project submitted. There are five members in the group and so the total
score possible is 5  40 = 200. The students then share the 200 marks based
on the contribution of each of the five students; which may be 35, 45, 42, 38
and 40. This is an effective method if group members are fair, honest and do
not have ill feelings towards each other. However, there is the likelihood for
the marks to be equally distributed to avoid ill feelings among group
members.

(c) Individual Mark

Each student in the group submits an individual report based on the task
allocated or on the whole project.

(i) Allocated Task

From the beginning, the project is divided into different parts or tasks
and each student in the group completes his or her allocated task that
contributes to the final group product and gets the marks for that task.
This method is a relatively objective way of ensuring individual
participation and may motivate students to work hard on their task or
part. The problem is breaking up the project into tasks that are exactly
equal in size or complexity. Also, the method may not encourage group
collaboration and some members may slow down progress.

(ii) Individual Report

Each student writes and submits an individual report based on the
whole project. The method ensures individual effort and may be
perceived as fair by students. However, it is difficult to determine how
the individual reports should differ and students may unintentionally
commit plagiarism.

(d) Individual Mark (Examination)

Use examination questions that specifically target the group projects, and can
only be answered by students who have been thoroughly involved in the
project. This method may motivate students to learn from the group project
including learning from the other members of the group. However, it may
not be effective because students may be able to answer the questions by
reading the group reports. In the Malaysian context, a national examination
may not be able to include such questions as it involves hundreds of
thousands of students.

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(e) Combination of Group Average and Individual Marks

The group mark is awarded to each member with a mechanism for adjusting
for individual contributions. This method may be perceived to be fairer than
shared group mark. However, it means additional work for teachers trying
to establish individual contribution.

ACTIVITY 7.4

Which of the five methods of assessing group work would you use in
evaluating project work in your subject area? Give reasons for your
choice.

Post your answer on the myINSPIRE online forum.

7.1.6 Evaluating Process in a Project

The assessment of a group product is rarely the only assessment taking place in
group activities. The process of group work is increasingly recognised as an
important element in the assessment of group work. Moreover, where group work
is marked solely on the basis of product and not process, there can be differences
in individual grading that are unfair and unacceptable. The following are the
elements which are considered in evaluating process:

(a) Peer/Self Evaluation of Roles

Students rate themselves as well as other group members on specific criteria,
such as responsibility, contributing ideas and finishing tasks. This can be
done through various grading forms (refer to Figure 7.1) or having students
write a brief essay on the group membersÊ strengths and weaknesses.

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Figure 7.1: Checklist for evaluating processes involved in project work

Source: Sutherland (2003)

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156  TOPIC 7 PROJECT AND PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENTS

(b) Individual Journals

Students keep a journal of events that occur in each group meeting. These
include who attended, what was discussed and plans for future meetings.
These can be collected and periodically read by the instructor, who
comments on progress. The instructor can provide guidance for the group
without directing them.

(c) Minutes of Group Meetings

Similar to journals are minutes for each group meeting, which are periodically
read by the instructor. These include who attended, tasks completed, tasks
planned and contributors to various tasks. This provides the instructor with
a way of monitoring individual contributions to the group.

(d) Group and Individual Contribution Grades

Instructors can divide the project grade into percentage of individual and
group contribution. This is especially beneficial if peer and self-evaluations
are used.

Logs can potentially provide plenty of information to form the basis of

assessment while keeping minutes helps members to focus on the process
which is a learning experience in itself. These techniques may be perceived
as a fair way to deal with „shirkers‰ and outstanding contributions.

However, reviewing logs can be time consuming for teachers and students
may need a lot of training and experience in keeping records. Also, emphasis
on second-hand evidence may not be reliable.

7.1.7 Self-assessment in Project Work

Self-assessment is a process by which students learn about themselves; for
example, what they have learnt about the project, how they have learnt and how
they have reacted in certain situations when carrying out the project. Involving
students in the assessment process is an essential part of balanced assessment.
When students become partners in the learning process, they gain a better sense of
themselves as readers, writers and thinkers. Some teachers maybe uncomfortable
with self-assessment because traditionally teachers are responsible for all forms of
assessment in the classroom and here we are asking students to assess themselves.
Self-assessment can take many forms such as:

(a) Discussion involving the whole class or small groups;

(b) Reflection logs;

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(c) Self-assessment checklist or inventories; and

(d) Teacher-student interviews.

These types of self-assessment share a common theme; they ask students to review
their work to determine what they have learnt and if areas of confusion still exist.
Although each method may differ slightly, they all include enough time for
students to consider thoughtfully and evaluate their own progress.

Since project learning is student-driven, assessment should be student-driven as

well. Students can keep journals and logs to continually assess their progress. A
final reflective essay or log can allow students and teachers to understand thinking
processes, reasoning behind decisions, ability to arrive at conclusions and
communicate what they have learnt. According to Edwards (2000), the following
are some questions a student can ask himself or herself while self-assessing:

(a) What were the projectÊs successes?

(b) What might I do to improve the project?

(c) How well did I meet my learning goals? What was most difficult about
meeting the goals?

(d) What surprised me most about working on the project?

(e) What was my groupÊs best team effort? Worst team effort?

(f) How do I think other people involved with the project felt it went?

(g) What were the skills I used during this project? How can I practise these skills
in the future?

SELF-CHECK 7.4

1. Explain how process can be measured in a group project work.

2. List some of the problems with the evaluation of process.

ACTIVITY 7.5

Do you think process should be assessed?

Justify your answer in the myINSPIRE online forum.

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7.2 WHAT IS A PORTFOLIO?

A portfolio is a collection of pieces of student work presented for assessment.
However, it does not contain all the work a student does. It may contain examples
of „best‰ works or examples from each of several categories of work, for example,
a book review, a letter to a friend, a creative short story and a persuasive essay. A
studentÊs portfolio may have one or several goals. The student will select and
submit works to meet these goals. The works submitted should provide evidence
of studentsÊ progress towards the goals and reflect both student production and
process.

A portfolio is therefore not a pile of student work that accumulates over a semester
or year. Rather, a portfolio contains a purposefully selected subset of student work
which reflects his or her efforts, progress and achievements in different areas of
the curriculum. Some people may associate portfolios with the stock market where
a person or organisation keeps a portfolio of stocks and shares owned. A portfolio
can be defined as a container that holds evidence of an individualÊs skills, ideas,
interests and accomplishments. The organised collection of contents such as text,
files, photos, videos and more to tell that story, are generically referred to as
artefacts and evidence of what students have learnt. These artefacts are usually
accompanied by studentsÊ reflection.

The particular purposes of portfolio determine the number and type of items to be
included, the process for selecting the items, how and whether students respond
to the items selected.

Portfolios offer a way of assessing student learning that is different from

traditional methods. Portfolio assessment provides the teacher and students an
opportunity to observe students in a broader context: taking risks, developing
creative solutions and learning to make judgements about their own
performances.
(Paulson, Paulson & Meyer, 1991)

Portfolios typically are created for one of three purposes; to show growth, to
showcase current abilities and to evaluate cumulative achievement. Many
educators who work with portfolios consider the reflection component the most
critical element of a good portfolio. Simply selecting samples of work can produce
meaningful stories about students and others can benefit from „reading‰ these
stories.

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The students themselves are missing significant benefits of the portfolio process if
they are not asked to reflect upon the quality and growth of their work. As Paulson
et al. (1991) stated, „The portfolio is something that is done by the student, not to
the student.‰ Most importantly, it is something done for the student. The student
needs to be directly involved in each phase of the portfolio development to learn
the most from it and the reflection phase holds the most promise for promoting
studentÊs growth.

Portfolios are sometimes described as portraits of a personÊs accomplishments.

Using this metaphor, we can consider a student portfolio a self-portrait, but one
that has benefited from guidance and feedback from a teacher and sometimes from
other students.

7.2.1 What is Portfolio Assessment?

Increasingly, portfolio assessment is gaining acceptance as an assessment strategy
seeking to present a more holistic view of the learner. The collection of works by
students are assessed and hence the term portfolio assessment. However, some
suggest that portfolios are not really assessments at all because they are just
collections of previously completed assessments. In portfolio assignment, students
are in fact performing authentic tasks which capture meaningful application of
knowledge and skills. Their portfolios often tell compelling stories of the growth
of the studentsÊ talents and showcase their skills through a collection of authentic
performances.

The portfolio provides for continuous and ongoing assessment (i.e. formative
assessment) as well as assessment at the end of a semester or a year (i.e. summative
assessment). Emphasis is more on monitoring studentsÊ progress towards
achieving the learning outcomes of a particular subject, course or programme.
Portfolio assessment has been described as multidimensional because it allows
students to include different aspects of their works such as essays, project reports,
performance on objective tests, objects or artefacts they have produced, poems,
laboratory reports and so forth. In other words, the portfolio contains samples of
work over an entire semester, term or year, rather than single points in time, such
as during examination week only.

Using portfolios introduces students to an evaluation format which they may need
to become familiar as more schools adopt portfolio assessment. Although many
portfolios reflect long-term projects completed over a period of time, they do not
have to be that way. Teachers can have students create portfolios of their work for
a particular unit. That portfolio might count as a project for that particular topic of
study. Though portfolios assessment is currently quite popular in our school
system, there are still teachers who are uncomfortable to use it as an assessment

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tool. These teachers may have the thinking that the portfolio is a very subjective
form of assessment. They may be unsure of the purpose of a portfolio and its uses
in the classroom. To them, there is also the question of how the portfolio can be
most effectively used to assess student learning. The situation can be overcome if
these teachers understand the purpose of portfolios, how the portfolios can be used
to evaluate their studentsÊ work and how grades will be determined.

Portfolio assessment represents a significant shift in thinking about the role of

assessment in education. Teachers who use this strategy in the classroom have
shifted their philosophy of assessment from merely comparing achievement
(based on grades, test score, percentile rankings) towards improving studentsÊ
achievement through feedback and self-reflection. Teachers should convey to
students the purpose of the portfolio, what constitute quality work and how the
portfolio is graded.

7.2.2 Types of Portfolios

There are two main types of portfolios, namely process-oriented and product-
oriented portfolios (refer to Table 7.4).

Table 7.4: Types of Portfolios

Process-oriented Portfolios Product-oriented Portfolios

These portfolios tell a story about the These portfolios contain the works of a
student and how the learner has grown. It student which he or she considers the best.
will include earlier drafts and how these The aim is to document and reflect on the
drafts have been improved upon. For quality of the final products rather than the
example, the first draft of a poem written process that produced them. The student is
by a Year Three student is reworked based required to collect all his or her work at the
on the comments by the teacher and the end of the semester, at which time he or
student reflecting on his or her work. All she must select those works which are of
the drafts and changes made are kept in the highest quality. Students could be left
the portfolio. In this manner, student to make the decision themselves or the
works can be compared by providing teacher can set the criteria on what a
evidence of how the studentÊs skills have portfolio must contain and the quality of
improved. the works to be included.

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SELF-CHECK 7.5

1. What is portfolio assessment?

2. Describe two main types of portfolios.

7.2.3 Developing a Portfolio

According to Epstein (2006), the design and development of a portfolio involves
four main steps as follows:

(a) Collection
This step simply requires students to collect and store all of their work.
Students have to get used to the idea of documenting and saving their work
which they may not have done before. Questions involved in this step are:

(i) How should the work be organised? By subject or by themes?

(ii) How should the work be recorded and stored?

(iii) How to get students to form the habit of documenting evidence?

(b) Selection
This will depend on whether it is a process or product portfolio and the
criteria set by the teacher. Students will go through the work collected and
select certain works for their portfolio. This might include: examination
papers and quizzes, audio and video recordings, project reports, journals,
computer work, essays, poems, artwork and so forth. Questions related to
this step are:

(i) How does one select? What is the basis of selection?

(ii) Who should be involved in the selection process?

(iii) What are the consequences of not completing the portfolio?

(c) Reflection
This is the most important step in the portfolio process. It is reflection that
differentiates the portfolio from a mere collection of student work. Reflection
is often done in writing but it can also be done orally. Students are asked why
they have chosen a particular product or work (such as essay); and how it

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compares with other work, what particular skills and knowledge were used
to produce it (such as the essay) and how it can be further improved.
Questions related to this step are:

(i) Should students reflect on how or why they chose certain works?

(ii) How should students go about the reflection process?

(d) Connection
As a result of „reflection‰, students begin to ask themselves, „Why are we
doing this?‰ They are encouraged to make connections between their
schoolwork and the value of what they are learning. They are also
encouraged to make connections between the work included in their
portfolio with the world outside the classroom. They learn to exhibit what
they have done in school to the community. Questions to ask are:

(i) How is the cumulative effect of the portfolio evaluated?

(ii) Should students exhibit their works?

7.2.4 Advantages of Portfolio Assessment

Portfolio assessments have been gaining importance as an assessment strategy in
educational institutions because of their benefits to teaching and learning.
However, like other assessment methods, the benefits of portfolio assessments also
bring along some problems. Let us first look at the advantages of using portfolios
as an assessment tool.

(a) Allows Assessment of Creativity and Higher-level Cognitive Skills

It has frequently been suggested that paper-and-pencil tests (objective and
essay tests) are not able to assess all the learning outcomes in a particular
subject area. For example, many higher-level cognitive skills and the affective
domain (feelings, emotions, attitudes and values) are not adequately
assessed using traditional assessment methods. However, portfolio
assessments allow for the assessment of studentsÊ higher-level cognitive
skills such as critical and creative thinking skills. For instance, they can be
assessed on how critical they are in individual reflection. Likewise, they can
be assessed how creative they are in the selection and presentation of their
works for portfolio assessments. Materials compiled by students in the
portfolio development process also provide evidence about his or her growth
in the affective domain such as self-confidence, diligence, attention to detail
and positive attitude towards learning.

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(b) Continous, Ongoing Process

Portfolio assessments are an ongoing process. Hence, they not only provide
an opportunity for the teacher to trace or monitor change and growth over a
period of time, but also provide an opportunity for students to reflect their
own learning and thinking. Teachers have an opportunity to monitor their
understanding and approaches to solving problems and decision making
(Paulson et al., 1991), while upon reflection, students can identify where they
have gone wrong or how they can improve themselves. Emphasis in portfolio
assessment is on improving studentÊs achievement rather than ranking
students according to their performance on tests.

Portfolio assessments are both formative and summative. Since the

assessment is a continuous and ongoing process, it allows students to reflect
on their own learning and thinking and allows teachers to monitor studentsÊ
progress and to provide feedback. Through teacher feedback and self-
reflection, students improve their achievement. The assessment of this
learning process is formative while the assessment of the documents that are
being compiled as well as assessment of the final products at the end of the
semester/year are summative.

(c) Multidimensional
Portfolio assessments are multidimensional in that they allow for inclusion
of different aspects of studentsÊ works and also samples of work over time,
i.e. over a semester/year. Portfolios are thus a rich source of evidence on
student learning and development, providing a more complete and holistic
picture of studentsÊ achievement.

(d) Encourages Self-assessment

Portfolio assessments involve students in the assessment process. Students
self-assess their own work and decide what to include as the evidence of their
growth and performance. They judge their work using explicit criteria to
identify strengths and weaknesses and monitor their own progress. By self-
evaluating their own work, students will become more accountable and be
more responsible of their own learning. Student learning has also become
more meaningful. For self-evaluation to take place, teachers should
constantly invite students to reflect their growth and performance as
students. The teachers should convey to students the purpose of the
portfolio, what constitutes quality work and how the portfolio is graded.
Feedback enables learners to reflect on what they are learning and why.

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(e) Tangible Outcomes

In portfolio assessments, the portfolios give parents and teachers concrete
examples of studentsÊ development over time as well as their current skills
and abilities. The assessment outcomes are also tangible and more
meaningful than the numeric statistical results. For example, through the
compositions written and compiled by a student in the portfolio, parents and
teachers cannot only see how he or she has mastered the writing skills but
also how he or she has improved over time.

(f) Individualised
Portfolio assessments are individualised, meaning that studentsÊ portfolios
will be assessed separately. This allows teachers to see their students as
individuals, each with his or her own unique characteristics, needs and
strengths. With this understanding, teachers can adapt their instruction to
the learning needs and styles of the students.

7.2.5 Disadvantages of Portfolio Assessment

There are also disadvantages in portfolio assessment.

(a) Time Consuming

Extra time is needed to plan an assessment system as the assessment involves
multiple learning outcomes. The problem is further compounded if a large
group of students need to be assessed. The portfolio outputs can be varied
and require expert judgement. Thus, assessing portfolios is time consuming
for teachers and the data from portfolios will be difficult to analyse.

(b) Need for Constant Feedback and Mentoring

Moreover, for portfolio assessments to be beneficial to students, teachers
need to provide constructive feedback on the work included in the studentsÊ
portfolios and on the portfolios as a whole. Teachers also need to provide
guidance through portfolio conferences about how best to construct a
portfolio for a specific purpose. Scheduling individual portfolio conferences
is difficult and the length of each conference may interfere with other
instructional activities. There is thus a need to ensure that the benefits of
portfolio assessments justify the investment of time by the teachers.

(c) Poor Reliability

Scoring portfolios involves extensive use of subjective evaluation procedures
and thus open to the question of reliability. Assessment is useless if data
obtained is unreliable. According to Nitko (2001), the reliability of portfolio
results is typically in the 0.4 to 0.6 range. This indicates that as much as
60 per cent of the variability in portfolio scores is the results of measurement
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error. This should give all educators a reason to be cautious when using the
results of portfolio assessments in assigning course grades, certifying
achievement or making high-stake decisions. Part of the poor reliability
comes from the difficulty of establishing clear scoring criteria for the large
and diverse sets of materials that are included. Poor reliability is also due to
a lack of standardisation that leads to incomparability of portfolio entries that
different students choose to include.

(d) Energy, Skills and Resources

Society is still strongly oriented towards grades and test scores and in
addition, most universities and colleges still use test scores and grades as the
main admission criteria. Parents who are exam-oriented cannot see how
keeping portfolios is related to the overall assessment of learning. They are
thus usually not supportive of portfolio assessments and consider them a
waste of student learning time and resources. To them, the best way to assess
learning is through tests and examinations.

An important aspect of portfolio assessments is reflection. In fact, this is the

most important step in the portfolio process. As mentioned earlier in
subtopic 7.2.3, it is reflection that differentiates the portfolio from a mere
collection of student work. Reflection is often done in writing but it can also
be done orally. They will be asked to reflect on what they are learning and
why. To be able to do this, students must possess good metacognitive skills
to think about what they are thinking. This can be a problem to students,
especially those who are underachievers.

In summary, portfolio assessments have significant strengths and weaknesses. On

the positive side, they provide a broad framework for examining a studentÊs
progress, encourage student participation in the assessment process and
strengthen the relationship between instruction and assessment. On the down
side, they demand considerable time, energy and a certain degree of expertise on
the part of teachers as well as the students, and have questionable reliability.

7.2.6 How and When Should Portfolios be Assessed?

If the purpose of the assessment is to demonstrate progress, the teacher could make
judgements about the evidence of progress and provide those judgements as
feedback to the student. The student could self-assess progress to check whether
the goals have been met or not.

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The portfolio is more than just a collection of student work. The teacher may assess
and assign grades to the process of assembling and reflecting upon the portfolio of
a studentÊs work. The students might have also included reflections on growth, on
strengths and weaknesses, on goals that were or are to be set, on why certain
samples tell a certain story about them or on why the contents reflect sufficient
progress to indicate completion of designated standards. Some of the process skills
may also be part of the teacherÊs or schoolÊs or districtÊs standards. So, the portfolio
provides some evidence of attainment of those standards. Any or all of these
elements can be evaluated and/or graded.

The portfolio assignments can be assessed or graded with a rubric. Rubric is useful
in avoiding personal judgement in assessing a complex product such as a portfolio.
Clear criteria for assessment, including what must be included in the portfolio and
rubrics are vital to a successful portfolio assessment. Rubric can provide some
clarity and consistency in assessing and judging the quality of the content and the
elements making up that content. Moreover, application of a rubric increases the
likelihood of consistency among the teachers who are assessing the portfolios.
Table 7.5 is a sample portfolio rubric that may be used for self-assessment and peer
feedback.

Table 7.5: Portfolio Rubric

Criteria Unsatisfactory Emerging Proficient Exemplary Rating

Selection of The artefacts Some of the Most artefacts All artefacts
artefacts and work artefacts and and work and work
samples do work samples are samples are
not relate to samples are related to the clearly and
the purpose of related to the purpose of directly
the portfolio. purpose of the portfolio. related to the
the portfolio. purpose of the
portfolio. A
wide variety
of artefacts is
included.
Descriptive No artefacts Some of the Most of the All artefacts
text are artefacts are artefacts are are
accompanied accompanied accompanied accompanied
by a caption by a caption by a caption by a caption
that clearly that clearly that clearly that clearly
explains the explains the explains the explains the
importance of importance importance of importance of
the item of the item the item work the item
including title, including including including title,
author and title, author title, author author and
date. and date. and date. date.

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Reflection The A few of the Most of the All reflections

reflections reflections reflections clearly explain
do not explain explain how the artefacts
explain growth and growth and demonstrate
growth or include goals include studentsÊ growth,
include for continued goals for competencies,
goals for learning. continued accomplishments
continued learning. and include goals
learning. for continued
learning.
The A few Most of the All reflections
reflections reflections reflections illustrate the
do not illustrate the illustrate the ability to
illustrate the ability to ability to effectively
ability to effectively effectively critique work and
effectively critique work critique provide
critique and provide work and suggestions for
work or suggestions provide constructive
provide for suggestions practical
suggestions constructive for alternatives.
for practical constructive
constructive alternatives. practical
practical alternatives.
alternatives.
Citations No images, Some of the Most All images,
media or images, images, media or text
text created media or media or created by others
by others are texts created text created are cited with
cited with by others are by others accurate,
accurate, not cited are cited properly
properly with with formatted
formatted accurate, accurate, citations.
citations. properly properly
formatted formatted
citations. citations.

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Usability The portfolio The portfolio The portfolio The portfolio

and layout is difficult to is often is generally is easy to
read due to difficult to easy to read. read. Fonts
inappropriate read due to Fonts and and type size
use of fonts, inappropriate type size vary vary
type size for use of fonts appropriately appropriately
headings, and type size for headings, for headings,
subheadings for headings, subheadings subheadings
and text and subheadings, and text. and text.
font styles text or long
(italic, bold, paragraphs.
underline).
Many Some Use of font Use of font
formatting formatting styles (italic, styles is
tools are tools are bold, consistent
under or over- under or over- underline) is and improves
utilised and utilised and generally readability.
decrease the decrease the consistent.
reader readersÊ
accessibility to accessibility to
the content. the content.
Writing There are There are four There are a There are no
convention more than six or more errors few errors in errors in
errors in in grammar, grammar, grammar,
grammar, capitalisation, capitalisation, capitalisation,
capitalisation, punctuation, punctuation punctuation
punctuation and spelling and spelling. and spelling.
and spelling requiring These require
requiring editing and minor editing
major editing revision. and revision.
and revision.
TOTAL

Source: Vandervelde (2018)

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 TOPIC 7 PROJECT AND PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENTS  169

SELF-CHECK 7.6

1. Describe four main steps to develop a portfolio. Which do you

think is the most important step?

2. Examine to what extent portfolio assessments are useful as an

assessment tool.

3. Justify how and when portfolios should be assessed.

ACTIVITY 7.6

Discuss in the myINSPIRE online forum:

(a) To what extent is portfolio assessment used in Malaysian

classrooms?

(b) Do you think portfolio assessment can be used as an assessment

technique in your subject area? Justify your answer.

 A project is an activity in which time constraints have been largely removed. It

can be undertaken individually or by a group, and usually involves a
significant element of work done at home or out of school.

 A research-based project is more theoretical in nature and may consist of

putting a question, formulating a problem or setting up some hypotheses.

 A product-based project would be the production of a concrete object, a

service, a dance performance, a film, an exhibition, play, a computer
programme and so forth.

 Project work is a learning experience which enables the development of certain

knowledge, skills and attitudes which prepares students for lifelong learning
and the challenges ahead: knowledge application, collaboration,
communication and independent learning.

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 An effective project should contain the following elements: situation or

problem, project description and purpose, performance specifications, rules,
roles of member and assessment.

 The Six AÊs of a project comprises academic rigour, applied learning,

authenticity, active exploration, adult relationships and assessment practices.

 Working in groups has become an accepted part of learning as a consequence

of widely recognised benefits of collaborative group work for student learning.

 Allocating marks in a project work: include shared group marks, shared-out

marks, individual mark, individual mark (examination) and combination of
group average and individual mark.

 A portfolio is a purposeful collection of the works produced by students which

reflects their efforts, progress and achievements in different areas of the
curriculum.

 Teachers need to know the benefits and weaknesses of portfolios and use them
to help in studentÊ learning.

 A portfolio is a purposeful collection of the work produced by students which

reflects their efforts, progress and achievements in different areas of the
curriculum.

 The portfolio provides for continuous and ongoing assessment (i.e. formative
assessment) as well as assessment at the end of a semester or a year (i.e.
summative assessment).

 The portfolio assignments can be assessed or graded with a rubric.

 As a formative assessment tool, student portfolios can be used by teachers as

informal diagnostic techniques or feedback.

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Artefacts Product-oriented portfolio

Formative assessment Project assessment
Group work Research-based projects
Peer evaluation Rubrics
Portfolio assessment Self-assessment
Portfolios Six AÊs effective projects
Process-oriented portfolio Summative assessment
Product-based project

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