Using Multimedia Portfolios to Assess Preservice Teacher and P-12 Student Learning

Abstract A team of teacher educators, preservice teachers, and host teachers collaborated to develop and pilot a performance-based assessment model in the form of multimedia portfolios as a means of providing tangible, authentic, qualitative data to document preservice teacher learning objectives and P-12 student outcomes and, at the same time, to promote reflective and collaborative practice. Preservice teachers' emerging competencies to impact student learning were assessed using INTASC performance standards and represented through selected data recorded onto compact discs. Preservice teachers and P-12 students' parents signed consent forms authorizing researchers to disseminate information for learning purposes. The use of technology with this process approach afforded an easily accessible and transferable product for the documentation of teacher education program effectiveness to local, state, and national agencies.