Teachers in transition: The effects of portfolio assessment on teachers' focus and control of instruction

This study was based on the experiences of seven teachers of kindergarten through grade four in developing and implementing an assesment of reading and writing performance in a suburban school system. To establish a foundation for the study this researcher provided intensive training in portfolio assessment development and follow-up training sessions. The teachers implemented the portfolio assessment during a school year. They responded to the researcher by writing in journals and in individual and group interviews.; The purpose of this study was to answer the following question: When portfolio assessment emerges from intensive and collaborative staff development, how does it influence the instructional decisions of teachers?; A qualitative approach was used to understand the changes experienced by the teachers in this study and the impact of the portfolio assessment on the teachers' focus and control of instruction in their classrooms.; Five major conclusions emerged in this study.; First. The inclusion of teachers' beliefs and understandings into the design and implementation of the portfolio assessment was important to the success of the innovation.; Second. As a result of compiling evidence of their students' performance using the assessment, the teachers could document strengths and areas of difficulty. This enabled them to be more accountable to themselves, their students, and the students' parents.; Third. The implementation of portfolio assessment shifted the control of instructional decisions from external sources to the teachers' control.; Fourth. With the shift in control of instructional decisions, students became the central focus for determining reading and writing instruction.; Fifth. The process of collecting evidence of their students' growth and development in reading and writing supported the teachers' emerging confidence in their instruction.; In summary, the establishment and control of a structure to assess their students enabled teachers to transform their decision-making and they became invested in their ability to make judgments regarding the students' performance in their classroom.