What form of assessment uses student portfolios to demonstrate learning growth?

The use of student portfolios for demonstrating learning growth aligns perfectly with performance-based assessment. This form of assessment focuses on evaluating students' skills and knowledge through direct performance and the products or artifacts they create over time. Portfolios are a collection of student work that showcases their learning journey, provides evidence of progress, and allows for reflection on their development and understanding of the material. By compiling various pieces of work, students can illustrate their strengths, areas for improvement, and overall growth in a comprehensive manner that goes beyond traditional testing methods. This approach emphasizes a deep engagement with the learning process, fostering critical thinking and self-assessment skills, crucial for effective education.

In contrast, standardized assessments typically evaluate student performance against a national or state benchmark and do not account for individual growth through a body of work. Diagnostic assessments are usually used at the beginning of a course to identify students’ existing knowledge and skills, while formative assessments focus on ongoing feedback during the learning process but may not utilize portfolios in their structure.