13 reasons why portfolios are important in education

Processes that are usually involved in portfolio creation are: collection, selection, and reflection. Each of these processes trains students in a number of skills. Together they provide students with the appropriate mindset to help them take responsibility of their learning and thrive as budding life-long learners. I argue that the use of blogs to write and showcase your learning, fits nicely with the idea of the portfolio. A blogpost can be published, read by others and the student can choose to submit certain blogposts for evaluation and grading. The history of having a blog three years of highschool also shows the learning process and how they have matured in their learning. I am including the benefits listed in the article here.

1. Portfolios enable students to record their learning and document their growth over a period of time.
2. They Provide students with a venue through which they can showcase their learning.
3. They can be used as a tool for self-assessment, self-reflection and personal development.
4. They help students focus on the process of learning rather than the end product.
5. They promote deeper learning as students actively engage in the learning process.
6. They develop students metacognitive skills (reflective practices) and help them take control of their learning.
7. They empower students’ voice.
8. They are a ‘method of self-discovery and confidence building’.
9. They help students develop personal and academic identities.
10. They assist students in locating their strengths and weaknesses and plan for future improvement.
11. They invite teachers’ feedback and peers’s input.
12. They help students develop their writing skills.
13. A portfolio presents a concrete evidence of your work and achievements to prospective employers.