Using Process Portfolios to Document Thinking and Learning

This 1.5 hr. workshop is dedicated to making thinking “visible” by documenting what influences a student’s thought process and by keeping track of the changes that occur when additional information is acquired. Process portfolios can be used in any subject area where a student’s ideas are evolving:  a piece of writing, an experiment, a model, a project, or the maturation of skills in a particular content area. Although portfolios can be created in a paper format, digital platforms that many teachers have become familiar with can track changes easily using timestamps. Whether in digital or paper format, we will discuss the use of previous versions of documents, slides, spreadsheets, and drawings to create a timeline of critical thinking. Peer evaluations, teacher feedback, and self-reflections of the process that occurs between inception of an idea and the final product make a wonderful learning experience that celebrates the acquisition and application of knowledge.