Shcheblykіna Tamila

Kharkіv Natіonal Pedagogіcal Unіversity named after G.S.Skovoroda

Portfolio in the Evaluation of Future Teachers’ Educational Achievements

The term "portfolio" is translated from Italian as "documents folder", "folder of the specialist." During the Renaissance, this word referred to a photo album of pictures or architectural pieces by which one could conclude the professionalism of their creators. The first ideas for the use of portfolio in educational system emerged in foreign pedagogy in the nineteenth century. However, it stared to be widely used as a method of student’s performance only in the second half of the twentieth century.

 Obviously, the study of the problem of portfolio application in the system of teachers’ professional training requires a clear definition of the concept “portfolio”. In particular, in modern scientific literature this concept is defined as an individual, personally selected package of materials that on the one hand show the result of student’s performance and on the other it contains information that describes the methods of analysis and planning of his activities; technology of authentic (i.e. adequate) evaluation of activities (Skalska L., A. Nyzhnyk, A. Dutchak, S. Klimkovska); the way of authentic assessment in education focused on results, taking into account the students’ achievements over a period of time (G. Artemyev); a tool of self management, self-assessment, self-development and self-performance of a student, allowing him to form his own analysis of skills as well as positive attitude and constructive criticism (I. Knysh, I. Pastuhova). Based on the consideration of multiple perspectives of scientists concerning the interpretation of the above mentioned concept, we should note that in the context of the research portfolio is understood as a means of self-evaluation and evaluation of future teachers’ educational achievements towards their professional and personal development.

It is important to note that there is no strict rules governing the election of the structure and content of portfolio, so the students usually are given the right to choose the form of submission and information to its content. However, we must emphasize that the more data on various aspects of future specialists’ educational achievements will be collected and processed, the more reliable conclusions on the academic achievements will be.

It is worth noting that in the scientific literature different types of portfolio are distinguished. We should specify that in the context of the subject of research among different types of portfolio identified in the literature special interest represent the following ones: portfolio - report (provides comprehension by the student of summary information about the results of his work on the basis of which the teacher concludes its success); portfolio of achievements (displays the results of educational activities of the subject of research with certain limited amount of educational material or selected time); task - oriented portfolio (reflecting the process of reaching by a student his goals and results); reflective portfolio (aimed at mapping of data reflection of a subject of education activities and his results); thematic portfolio (assesses the student’s achievement to study a particular academic subject); presentational portfolio (presentation of the main results over time for examination); career portfolio (aimed at the most complete display of progress in professional and personal development with guidance of relevant supporting documents as well as disclosed plans for future career).

We should note that the most complete form of student’s academic achievements portfolio should include the following two sections: current pursuit of a specialist in academic, professional and personal sphere and if possible with their supporting guidance documents; data on management process and student self-reflection as a professional career for his personally developed trajectory in professional and personal development.

In its turn, each of these categories includes various items. In particular, scientists recommend to include: drawn up to modern standards resume into the content of portfolio; a list of passed student courses, including in the form of seminars and workshops as well as opportunities of certificates copies; a list of received awards in the form of letters, letter of thanks for taking part in various scientific and professional designed events (conferences, seminars, forums, etc.), certificates for personal scholarships; if there exists the student’s experience in specialty the display of this fact with a statement of jobs, position, received titles and term of employment; a list of extracurricular activities in which the student participated as well as holding posts(for example, he was a head of the group or a leader of students’ science club), orders that he had done that gives an idea of the formation of his business and personal qualities; presentation of the analysis of career potential, developing of his own career experience; letters of recommendations, teachers’ reviews, course projects ,thesis and teaching practice tutors reviews, etc.; an essay " My career and I ".

In addition, the portfolio materials can also be supplemented by such student’s modifications as: the original texts of educational, research and scientific works (term papers, bachelor or master's thesis), a report on pedagogical practice, copies of publications of conferences or seminars, articles in professional journals and so on.