Volume 2, Issue 1, April 2006
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by James McConville
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by Mike Ireland |
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by Wayne Ulian |
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by Kevin Ambroe |
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by Jolene Mergens and Chris Rozitis |
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by Dennis Wong |
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by James McConville |
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by Shelley Wilcox |
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by Tracy Kimoto |
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by James McConville |
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by CUE-Van Executive |
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by CUE Executive |
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by CUE Executive |
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by CUE Executive |
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by James McConville |
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By Shelley Wilcox
Tremendous debate has surrounded the introduction of the requirement of a Graduation Portfolio in order to graduate from high school in British Columbia. The Graduate Portfolio counts for 4 credits towards graduation and focuses on the individual rather than a grade point average based on standardized tests. While discussion continues on the merits of a portfolio and the fact that this is added onto the existing curriculum rather than as a scheduled course, what is clear is that when instruction embeds portfolio thinking into the classroom, portfolios become learning management tools for lifelong personal growth. This article will address the merits of creating a Graduate Portfolio.
Graduate Portfolios are much more than a collection of work presented in grade 12. Portfolios are a learning management system for students that train them not only to think more critically but also to reflect on their learning and to set personal learning goals. These are tools for evaluation “for” learning which requires the individual to collect evidence, to examine it to determine what they have learned and what they still need to learn. The individual must then set goals to develop required skills and in the case of Graduation Portfolio must create plans that show their plan for education and skills development to enable them to work in a career of their choice. Students evaluate options for education and the financial requirements to pursue those options.
Skills learned during the creation of portfolios include the following: setting goals, thinking critically, making decisions and solving problems. This practice of reflecting on learning as part of ongoing practice enables students to employ learning strategies that can be used throughout their life as they master new skills to achieve success in a variety of careers. Portfolios involve an approach to thinking often referred to as “portfolio thinking”. A series of steps are followed including: recording or creating, selecting, analyzing, reflecting, storing (archiving) and presenting. The ability to analyze what you know and how you learn best, embeds continuous reflection into ongoing instruction providing students with a valuable, lifelong, learning tool. Students take more ownership for learning by setting personal goals and analyzing their progress towards meeting them.
Graduate Portfolios are required by the Ministry of Education for all students in British Columbia under the 2004 Graduation Program. Students begin their work in Grade 10 during their Planning 10 course where they are introduced to the portfolio and then add further evidence in grades 11 and 12. In Grade 12, students must present their portfolios and demonstrate their learning and
growth in skills. The Graduate Portfolio is worth 4 credits and counts for 75% of the assessment
of Passport to Education Scholarships.
There are three components to a Graduate Portfolio including Core (30%), Choice (50%) and Presentation (20%). Graduate Portfolios includes six organizers: Arts and Design, Community Involvement, Education & Career Planning, Employability Skills, Information Technology and Personal Health.
Portfolios evidence includes many forms of media as well as paper based or actual items such as trophies. The major benefit of portfolios is the development of critical thinking, the ability to reflect on learning, to set goals and evaluate progress towards achieving them and to showcase the individual demonstrating their skills, creativity and abilities. Portfolios can be used to archive learning and to demonstrate personal skills when seeking employment.
Current high school students face the prospect of continual change in careers and employment, the portfolio process and the presentation of Graduate Portfolios provide students with skills they can take with them as they begin their working lives. While the impact of the development of portfolio skills is yet to be documented on a large scale, portfolios are used in both education and business for recruitment and to assess ongoing performance of employees. Critical thinking, teamwork, technology and time management skills are highly valued in industry and all are demonstrated in portfolios which will only continue to broad their use in society as their use is institutionalized in educational, instructional practice. Although portfolio creation is a time intensive process, the skills developed during the process establish effective lifelong learning and time management strategies. The presentation of Graduate Portfolios may yet prove to be one of the most memorable experiences in the lives of many high school students as they celebrate their culture and their personal success in high school.
