A portfolio is a collection of texts in the form of assignments or artifacts that demonstrates college-level knowledge, ability and skills. Portfolios are primarily used to assess achievement and proficiency (learning outcomes). Portfolios provide you with an opportunity to develop and document your interests and experiences. They reflect what you’ve learned (see Endnote 11).

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Just as there are many kinds of texts, there are various types of portfolios. Portfolios can be created in many ways, and the number of texts and mediums you can use are almost endless. A portfolio can be a collection of essays, reports, stories, photographs, sketches, paintings, musical recordings, spreadsheets and/or presentations. These texts can be housed in a notebook, folder, gallery, digital file or on a website. In situations that involve an official assessment of a portfolio, you will be provided with a list of the specific content or texts to be collected in the portfolio and the criteria by which it will be assessed.

Portfolios are typically assessed using a rubric(s). A rubric is a set of criteria used to judge the materials in a portfolio. Rubrics can be very specific or general in nature. There are a wide variety of rubrics, but the general intent of any rubric is to provide a clear description of the levels of performance by which items in a portfolio are assessed. Evaluating portfolios is a subjective process. In order to create consistency in determining what you should be expected to know and do upon earning a higher education, the Lumina Foundation proposes The Degree Qualifications Profile (see DQP Matrix), highlighting the learning outcomes in which college students should be proficient. They are specialized knowledge, broad, integrative knowledge, intellectual skills, applied learning and civic learning. You can review the DQP assignment library here.

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The Association of American Colleges & Universities created Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP), a national  initiative to promote liberal education. It has established a set of Essential Learning Outcomes similar to DQP and a set of Principles of Excellence that help improve teaching and learning. The assessment part of the LEAP initiative is called the Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education (VALUE). The VALUE rubrics complement DQP and provide us with transparent ways to assess learning. The VALUE rubrics include Inquiry and Analysis, Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking, Written Communication, Oral Communication, Quantitative Literacy, Information Literacy, Reading, Teamwork, Problem Solving, Civic Knowledge and Engagement – Local and Global, Intercultural Knowledge and Competence, Ethical Reasoning and Action, Global Learning, Foundations and Skills for Lifelong Learning and Integrative Learning.

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