Abstract:
Definitions of school portfolios are moderated by their purpose and this
purpose is determined by both the system and the educational culture
in which they operate. This article contextualises the Australian school
portfolio: briefly examines the literature on the purpose of portfolios;
and reports on two case studies of the one school conducted fifteen
months apart to trace the evolution of portfolios. Discerning a trend
towards perceiving the portfolio as a more versatile tool for capturing a
'portrait of the learner', by inclusion of a greater variety of 'artefacts'
and more student engagement the author suggest an Australian definition
for the school portfolio.
