Abstract:
The CTB Portfolio Assessment in Integrated Language Arts and Integrated Mathematics offers a year-long assessment system designed to tap students' higher-order thinking skills. At four times throughout the school year, students work on creative projects that require the use of academic skills. The format for the projects is part of the CTB materials and includes background information and planning stages for each phase. For example, the mathematics assessment for grades 7 and 8 involves creating a plan for a radio station. The first four activities require group research into station ratings and demographics, and the design of a programming log, station ID, and logo. Worksheets that are part of the assessment materials are used to guide groups in their research. Activity Sheets help students break down required tasks and list the materials they need. Outlines provide lists of questions for students who must act as reporters or interviewers. Checklists help teachers keep track of individual participation. By the end of the year, all relevant academic skills have been tested and portfolios reflect the emerging competence of the student. Assessment guidelines for each activity are present in the CTB documentation, but scoring is mainly subjective and is arrived at through the use of holistic rating scales. Students are free to revise the materials in their portfolios and confer with their teachers about their experiences. Teachers use the materials in the portfolios to talk to students about their progress and direct their attention to areas that need improvement. A good portfolio contains not only records and work from the assessment projects provided by CTB, but also standardized test results, teacher notes on student progress, conference notes, student notes, and reading logs. With subjective, holistic testing which draws on both group and individual work, no reliability can be assessed and criterion validity is assumed. Although some parts of the portfolio reflect individual work, others may represent group consensus rather than the actual performance of the individual. The portfolio may be passed along from grade to grade to help teachers target problem areas. The CTB Portfolio Assessment is available for both language arts and math in the elementary and middle grades.