Reflecting on our students portfolios

     

Collaboration is power, isolation is weakness.

     We started using students portfolios from day one, since 2010. Every semester, we would take a look and see what was done right, so we can share it, and improve on it,  and how we can reinforce it. What we can do to improve and deepen our understanding of students portfolios?

a teacher checking a students portfolio

      The idea was new to the students, and to the teachers.  We do not have a guide book for learners or teachers to show us the concept and the strategies and steps needed to develop a real authentic portfolio that reflects students effort to learn the language. We did not have an intensive course on the subject.

a teacher asking questions while checking the students portfolio

We bought some books, read articles, and we developed forms and templates to help guide students and teachers through the process. We also introduced the concept and the forms on week one on our orientation program. That also helped.

portfolio review day

      Then, we started a blog for our students in the program to help with the learning process. We have made few you-tube videos for students; on how to develop the portfolio? and how to avoid weak points, we keep seeing in the previous portfolios. We play this videos on the orientation week to help students prepare their  portfolios early in the program. Some students watch these videos before joining the program and prepare it by day one. We collected evidence and reflected and moved forward.

a student giving a 5 minute presentation

samples of students portfolio

 portfolio review day

      We also kept samples of students portfolios in our curriculum kitchen for new teachers to look at and get  an idea of the basic parts of a students portfolio., and for us to reflect on, as we try to built a learning culture in the program. We learn from each other, and we built on what we achieve and move forward.

portfolio review day

        Students are encouraged and engaged in learning by using project-based- learning and students centered- learning. teachers and students are given ample time to learn and practice without the stress or pressure of completing a course textbook. We do not have a big written test that students and teachers struggle to prepare for. We believe in continuous assessment. Students learn by doing and by being engaged in meaning full learning projects.

Portfolio Review:

         usually at the end of each term, all students get their portfolio checked. Teachers sit one-on-one with each student to assist and evaluate students progress. Teachers ask questions while reviewing the portfolio to check and analyze students strength and weaknesses, and see if the students met the term objectives. Some teachers like to keep the portfolio review short others prefer it long. The teacher fills out a form at the end.

students preparing for the presentation day

       One of the challenges we faced is that some students wait just hours or days before the portfolio review to start organizing their portfolio, or even copy or borrow work from other students. The question is how to prevent this? How to organize a weekly portfolio review, to try and cure this problem at an early stage, and not wait until the final days and hours of the term.

        as we move towards year 1014. We still believe that students portfolios are an important tool for learning and developing learning strategies, skills , and new habits of thinking and reflecting. Teachers play a major role in encouraging and coaching students on how to learn and how to orgainze their learning of the language, online and off-line. We continue to develop the tools for learning, and we still have a long way to go, and our expectations are high, but we try to be realistic and pragmatic. 

 students mind- map Semester 6 - student learned about mind-mapping

 in our program and won the mind- map contest

a photo taken from our weekly curriculum development workshop

Here are twelve good things We saw in  some of   our students portfolios:

1- Every page has the main information ( date - week - term - subject - topic )
2- Students work drafts and and final work
3- Mind - maps  and flash cards of new words learned in the program
4- students projects
5- a table of content and a file cover and binders
6- real and authentic evidence of learning
7- students profile ( short CV )
8- The educational objectives of his language level.
9- Students actual work ( writings  - CDs ) students personal effort to learn ( maps - tables - charts)
10 - Well organized portfolio that reflect students thinking skills and good learning habits.
11- Students ability to give a short explanation or a short presentation on what he learnt while developing his portfolio according to his level.
12- Students ability to answer questions on their work in the portfolio, according to his level.