The use of portfolio in initial teacher education

The fundamental aim of school education is to develop the potential of every student, so that they become independent- minded and socially-aware students equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes which help them to lead a full life and play a positive role in the community. In order to achieve that, school education must equip student with the necessary proficiency and efficiency. The research conducted in this project at HKIEd on the innovative use of portfolio assessment was found to be a new way for students to absorb information independently, and the desire to learn became stronger. It was also found that they must be given time enough time to digest all the material they read. This approach should also be able to stimulate them to think critically and ask questions freely. Measures to let them reflect on their work should also be available. This research built on a former study which identified the need for teachers to adopt key professional role in the educational and formative purposes of evaluating student achievement. This study also addressed the finding that teachers need training and development in assessment procedures to ensure that the focus is on process, as much as on outcomes, to ensure the quality of the learning outcome is sustained. The objective of this research conducted with students in initial teacher training at HKIEd was to investigate new methods of assessment for formative purposes brought about by the paradigmatic shift in assessment over recent years. The focus was on the use of teaching portfolios and critical self-assessment connected with the Practicum experiences of the student teachers. It was envisaged that outcomes on teaching and learning as a result of these new forms of assessment would help improve teacher understanding of the profound impact of assessment on curriculum and pedagogy. Qualitative and quantitative data was collected from a sample of approximately 350 students by means of questionnaires and in-depth interviews of 30 student teachers and 6 lecturers.