How is the quality of teaching portfolios being assessed in summative assessment contexts? This question is of special importance in the growing debate on standards and criteria in assessment. In our study we looked for contexts in which portfolios are used for summative assessment purposes and gauge the issues raised by assessors with respect to…

Studied the long-term influences of portfolios on professional development with three samples: (1) 15 Israeli school principals; (2) 26 senior nurses in The Netherlands; and (3) 33 nurses from the staffs of the senior nurses. Findings show that portfolios are used mainly for documentation, but have high potential as mirrors of competence when used…

Studies of portfolio construction and compilation involving 35 Israeli principals and 14 Dutch managers show that high-quality portfolios can only be expected after sustained use, but that the use of portfolios has an immediate impact on views toward assessment. Portfolios are time-consuming, but can provide effective feedback to the learner. (SLD)