Visible Learning Portfolios

A visual learning portfolio is more than a collection of artifacts haphazardly connected together in a multimedia program or document. To give a learning portfolio purpose and structure, it should be organized around standards and reflect growth toward those standards. It should include focused goals for future growth based on past performances and current strengths as detailed by the included artifacts.

A learning portfolio is a purposeful collection of student work that exhibits the student's efforts, progress, and achievements in one or more areas. The collection must include student participation in selecting content, the criteria for selection, the criteria for judging merit, and evidence of student self-reflection.

What makes a learning portfolio more than a collection of artifacts is the inclusion of reflections providing a unique expression of the individual creating the portfolio. Through these reflections, the creator of the portfolio gives the audience (including self) a deep understanding of the creator’s growth.