Conclusions:
The goal of this project is to communicate to parents examples of students' best work on VHS videotape. Returned parent evaluation forms indicate the seven piloting teachers accomplished this goal. Parents clearly indicate that they can observe in the videotapes that their child is learning and can demonstrate Bethel Public School District core essential learning outcomes.
Three alternative assessment products resulted from this project:
1. The Electronic Portfolio Assessment Curriculum Guide
2. The HyperCard Video Production interactive instructional stack
3. The Video Production instructional VHS videotape.
These instructional tools will help to perpetuate alternative assessment practices by Bethel Junior High School teachers, teachers in the Bethel Public School district, and hopefully by teachers in districts through out the state of Washington.
Video portfolio assessment is an excellent partner for performance based education. A summary of guidelines for adopting portfolio assessment should include:
Teacher training is required if multimedia technology is to become a part of the teacher's assessment repertoire and not just a reward for students who finish their work. Training should be offered both on a building site and district wide basis. Teachers should be the primary trainers of teachers. Teacher trainers need to have a knowledge of curriculum development as well as a firm understanding of the assessment technology. Teachers should go through three levels of training:
Level 1. ORIENTATION: Introduce teachers to correctly using the particular pieces of assessment multimedia hardware and software.
Level 2. APPLICATION: Teachers cooperatively develop and present interdisciplinary units. In this way, teachers experience the same activities they will later lead their students through.
Level 3. INTEGRATION: Teachers meet regularly to discuss the integration of appropriate assessment multimedia hardware and software and how it will change what they are doing in their classrooms. Technology should be a tool, not the focus.
Half-day workshops and one day classes on a single piece of hardware or software title does not effectively prepare teachers to integrate multimedia assessment technology into their classroom. Staff development experts recommend two or three hour sessions each week for four to six weeks in order for teachers to achieve "ownership" of multimedia assessment technology as a tool for authentic student assessment.
Advantages of video portfolio assessment include:
Disadvantages of portfolio assessment include:
Portfolio assessment uses beyond the classroom include: