A need exists to establish congruency between teaching, learning, assessment, and curriculum. From a constructivist perspective, all learning experiences are perceived differently by individuals. As a result, these learning experiences should be evaluated via multiple modes of assessment. Portfolios are vehicles that can be used to represent a diversity of learners. / As a teacher-researcher in my classroom, I conducted a study to observe the influence of portfolio assessment on the students in my Advanced Placement Biology classes. The participants in this study were a culturally diverse group of 33 high school juniors and seniors. The students and myself negotiated the curriculum, while the students designed their own portfolios and submitted them each six weeks grading period. / Through numerous interviews, dialogues, questionnaires, student perception papers, my own journaling, and peer reviews, five learner outcomes emerged under the social constructivist theoretical framework I used to interpret and analyze my data: (1) Students can become self-directed learners through the use of portfolios. (2) Portfolio assessment involves peer evaluation, which can enhance interactive communication, group functioning, and consideration for other students' research. (3) Portfolio assessment gives students the opportunity to become potential quality researchers. (4) Through the use of portfolios, students' thought processes involved integration of information to assess and resolve scientific issues that were critical to their lives. (5) Portfolios give students the opportunity to demonstrate understanding that contributes to their community. / As a result of my construction of this dissertation, I concluded portfolios are a viable alternative assessment strategy to represent learning experiences, provided the students are a continual part of the negotiation process within the culture of the classroom. Portfolios show what the students can tangibly do. / As other teachers begin to take risks by becoming researchers in their classrooms, I feel it will empower them and give them a sense of ownership they can convey to their students. Students, teachers, administrators, and parents will become aligned in their mission for reform. This will continue to raise our high standards for learning. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-04, Section: A, page: 1302. / Major Professor: Nancy T. Davis. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1995.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_77413 |
| Contributors | Eiriksson, Sandra Burns., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 262 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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