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Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 180 (2015) 860 – 864

The 6th International Conference Edu World 2014 “Education Facing Contemporary World
Issues”, 7th - 9th November 2014

Portfolio-Tool for (self) Evaluation of Students-Future Teachers

Florentina Mogoneaa*
a
Teachers Training Department, University of Craiova, Craiova, 200585, Romania

Abstract

The study examines the formative potential of the portfolio, in the process of (self) evaluation of competences of the students
future teachers. The basic hypothesis of the research was to highlight the value of the portfolio, as an indicator of the level of
training of future teachers.
In empirical research done, we used the method based on questionnaire survey and analysis of the activity (portofolios
prepared by the students). In order to assess the quality of the portfolios, we devised a rating. In the interpretation of the results,
we have been using the Pearson correlation coefficient. The results obtained revealed the advantages and limitations of this tool
for (self) evaluation, but also the possibilities of optimization.

© 2015
© 2015TheTheAuthors.
Authors.Published
Publishedbyby Elsevier
Elsevier Ltd.Ltd.
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of The Association “Education for tomorrow” / [Asociatia “Educatie pentru maine”].
Peer-review under responsibility of The Association “Education for tomorrow” / [Asociatia “Educatie pentru maine”].
Keywords: portfolio; tool for (self) evaluation; formative value; competence; alternative assesment methods

1. Introduction

In the literature of speciality, there is a variety of terminology that defines alternative assessment: alternative
assessment, informal assessment ,, authentic assessment, performance assessment, descriptive assessment, direct
assessment (after Hamayan, 1995).
Alternative evaluation methods are successfully used in teaching, regardless of discipline, especially in the upper
levels of education (Chirimbu, 2013). One alternative evaluation methods commonly used in the assessment, the
reverberation occurring as social constructivism and cognitive learning theory is the portfolio. The portfolio is used
in activities such as teaching staff, but also as an evaluation tool (Cakan, Mihladiz, Gocmen-Taskin, 2010).

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +40-251-422567; fax: +40-251-422567.

E-mail address:mogoneaf@yahoo.com

1877-0428 © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of The Association “Education for tomorrow” / [Asociatia “Educatie pentru maine”].
doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.02.227
 Florentina Mogonea / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 180 (2015) 860 – 864 861

Definitions assigned to this concept are numerous. Arter and Spandel (1992) define the portfolio as a purposeful
collection of student work that reflects his work and effort that highlights progress or achievements in certain
areas. This collection must be done with the participation and student involvement in selecting the portfolio contents
in establishing selection criteria, the criteria on which the evaluation is offering also can highlight reflection of
student ability.
Recent researchs examines the role that academic learning methods (Seldin, 2006; Seldin, 2007; Seldin, Miller,
2008; Seldin, Miller, Seldin, McKeachie, 2010). Moreover, in the context of promoting e-learning, some authors
(Chou, Chen, 2008) illustrates the transition from portofolio to e-portfolio.
Numerous studies (Way, 2002; Coats Tuggles, 2003 Taşdemir, Taşdemir, Yildirim, 2009) examines the valence
portfolio, along with the advantages of cooperative learning based on the achievement of the portfolio requires.
In determining portfolio quality drawn, literature specialists present numerous evaluation grid. We present such a
grading scale with five steps (Van der Horst, McDonalds, 1997): Poor - The learner did not do the task, did not
complete the assignment, or shows no comprehension o f the activity; Inadequate - The product or assessment does
not satisfy a significant number of criteria, does not accomplish what was asked, contains errors, or is o f poor
quality; Fair - The product or assessment meets some criteria and does not contain gross errors or crucial omissions;
Good - The product or assessment meets the criteria completely or substantially; Outstanding - All the criteria are
met, and the product or assessment exceeds the assigned task and contains additional, unexpected or outstanding
features -
Alternative methods of assessment (in the specific case, the portfolio) has some obvious advantages compared to
traditional ones. In Table 1, we mention some of the major differences between the two types of methods, trying to
understand what is specific portfolio as representative assessment method for the traditional category.

Table 1 Comparison between traditional and alternative methods of assessment (Chabeli, 2002)

Traditional Evaluation Alternative Evaluation

Fidelity testing knowledge acquired outside the context Highlights effectively the procurement, the capacities and
competences acquired
Limited to pen and paper It involves students in complex activities that reflect very well the
priorities and challenges based on discussions, analyzes, engaging in
discussion of events, collaboration with colleagues, etc.
Traditional tests require the learner to select the correct It requests more elaborate answers, comprehensive, evidence-based.
answers, for whatever reason.
Traditional assessment tests are designed to suggest one Scoring criteria established in collaboration must take into account
correct answer for each item. the diversity of manifestation and materialization of learning
outcomes.
Involves simple elements of activities under evaluation. Favors placing the learner in situations similar to real (some of them
bad structured), preparing it, thus further social and professional
life. It promotes critical thinking and problem solving, creates the
potential for gaining autonomy of the learner.
The literature of speciality (Ucan, Kose, 2009; Cakan, Mihladiz, Gocmen-Taskin, 2010) sets out the positive
effects of portfolio use on learners. Some authors (Lucas, 2007) examines the role of the portfolio on the
development of students, the size of cognitive, linguistic, emotional and social.

2. Methodology

The purpose of the research, objectives and hypotheses

The research aims to identify pedagogical portfolio - as a tool for assessment of students-future teachers. With this
broader purpose, we had the following objectives: Knowledge of students-future teachers opinion on the usefulness
of portfolio assessment activities; Establishing the relevance of skills training needed a portfolio for future
teacher; Identify specific ways to use this tool with students activities, optimizing it in school practice.
The underlying assumption of the research is to use the positive effects of portfolio assessment as a tool for
training competence profile of students-future teachers.
862 Florentina Mogonea / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 180 (2015) 860 – 864

Participants
The research was conducted on a sample consisting of 186 students-future teachers from several faculties of the
University of Craiova, in their last year of pedagogical training crossing the trail. Distribution of the subjects
according to the majors, was as follows: English - 29;Romanian - 68; Agriculture, Horticulture, Biology - 89 During
the three years of training pedagogical portfolio was used as a means of ongoing evaluation and at the end of this
route as a means of summative, final.
Procedure and tools
The main tool used in this observant research,was the survey based on a questionnaire.The appropriate instrument,
the questionnaire, applied to the subjects in the sample included six items, four closed answers, 2 items with open
answers. Items with closed answers asked respondents' opinion on the effectiveness of the portfolio (self)
assessment of future skills teacher (item 1) or Student Assessment (item 5). Item 4 aimed to determine the
usefulness of the training portfolio of core competencies of a future teacher. The respondents were asked to assess
whether the portfolio manages to largely develop / small extent following powers: the power of design; to make
appropriate decisions of educational situations; power management of classroom resources;preventing and resolving
tense situations; evaluation and control; analysis, interpretation of pedagogical issues, a training or educational
situations. Item 6 of the questionnaire sought to determine the extent to which student teachers agree this method of
assessment of knowledge / skills students.
The two items with mention of open answers asked at least 3 advantages (item 2) and disadvantages (item 3) the
use of the portfolio as a tool for (self) assessment of the quality of future teachers.

3. Results

The responses provided by the subjects investigated showed their preference for the portfolio - as a tool for (self)
evaluation, they considered it relevant to the diagnosis of students achieved level skills training future
teachers. Thus, most of the respondents (76%) felt that the book is useful in (self) assessment of competence of
future teachers, only 13% opting for its futility, the rest (11%) were undecided.
The questionnaire applied to the students requested their expression of opinion from the perspective of trainees
and those others to form respectively in terms of student and teacher. Approximately the same distribution of
responses subjects is met if the item referred to the usefulness student assessment portfolio. 82% of subjects rated
the utility, while the rest opted for a negative response (14%) or undecided (4%).
Also, most of the respondents (81%) said they would use the portfolio to assess student knowledge and skills in
specialized discipline.
Student responses confirmed some of the advantages and disadvantages mentioned in the literature by filling this
list with others.
In table. 2, we present the most frequently mentioned advantages and disadvantages of using portfolio in
assessing the training of future teachers.

Table 2. Advantages and disadvantages of portofolio assessment

Advantages
It offers the opportunity of achieving the objectives reflections,
teacher-student relationships, teaching strategies and their
effectiveness;
It gives relevant information, conclusive on the formation of skills,
not necessarily the acquisition of knowledge;
It can serve as an effective tool for self-assessment for the pupil /
student
It favorizes the cooperation in pairs or small groups, solving tasks
partnership, reciprocal teaching and learning;
Creates the possibility of comparing their ideas, results,
achievements with the others
It develops critical thinking,reflective.
Capacity development organization structure, essentiality of
Disadvantages
Insufficient interaction with the teacher
The need to allocate a long time for its preparation
In the absence of scales (self) evaluation, it is difficult to assess
objectively the quality of the portfolio
Fails to fully cover the practical aspects of training
The lack of relevance of some of the themes or topics
Unequal involvement of all members of the working group (when
the portfolio is the result of activities based on cooperative)
Reveals more than the knowledge acquired skills formed
 Florentina Mogonea / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 180 (2015) 860 – 864 863

information, documents
Reducing stressful effect of evaluation as compared to traditional Portfolio standard structure contradicts the need to respect the
methods possibilities, interests, needs, expectations to each student
Gives students the opportunity to work at your own pace Failure of immediate correction of errors
It is a tool by which we can assess both individual work and the
collective
In terms of portfolio efficiency in training / skills development of future teacher based on student responses we
could rank these skills, as can be seen in Figure 1.
Compe te ncie s of future te ache rs, forme d with the portofolio

35
32,3

30

25 23,1

20

14,6
15 13,4

10 8,4 8,2

0
des ign make dec is ions res ourc e res olv ing tens e ev aluation analy s is ,
management s ituations interpretation

Figure1. Competences of future teachers formed with portfolio

To establish the statistical relevance of the results obtained, we used the Pearson correlation coefficient values
obtained are presented in Table 3.
Table 3 Pearson coefficient values on utility portfolio skills of future teachers
Competence High level of developing
(Pearson coeficient)
To design teaching activities, formal, non-formal ,311*
To make appropriate decisions of educational situations ,208*
Resource management in the classroom ,112
Prevention, resolving tense situations and description of how to solve ,115
Evaluation and adjustment of teaching ,211**
Analysis, interpretation of pedagogical issues, a training or educational situations ,225**
Legend:
• * results are significant at the 0.05 significance threshold
• ** results are significant at the 0.01 significance threshold

4. Discusions

Results drawn from the questionnaire have enabled a critical analysis on the formative value of the portfolio
as an assessment tool, the advantages and disadvantages, namely its role in strengthening the competence profile of
the future teacher.
Although most subjects reported the usefulness of portfolio assessment activities beyond the many
advantages mentioned, they scored some major disadvantages. The role of the portfolio as a tool for learning and
assessment, is different depending on the type of skills needed by future teachers.
Pearson correlation coefficient values indicate that, according to students, the portfolio fails to develop, first,
skills assessment and adjustment of teaching and analysis, interpretation of pedagogical issues, a training or
educational situations. All material, but materiality is 0.05 and the results indicate the effectiveness of the portfolio
of design skills teaching formal, non-formal and appropriate decisions of educational situations.
864 Florentina Mogonea / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 180 (2015) 860 – 864

However, in the opinion of students interviewed, the power management of classroom resources and
expertise to prevent, resolve tense situations and description of how to solve can not be developed through this
instrument.

5. Conclusions

Training future teachers must be made in accordance with the models of education and current educational
paradigms, such as they are, in turn, be able to train others. Changes in all curricular components could not ignore
one of the components of the educational process and evaluation. Alongside traditional methods of assessment that
should not be removed, alternative methods are gaining more and more ground. Of these methods, the portfolio is
most commonly used on all levels of schooling. In this study, we demonstrated the effectiveness of this tool in the
evaluation and training of future teachers competence profile.Activity carried with them, and their views have
captured the main advantages of using portfolio assessment knowledge and skills. Demonstrating critical analysis,
reflective, students could highlight some of the disadvantages that this method involves.

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