The Perceptions and Practices on Portfolio Assessment: What Teachers Do in the Classroom, How Portfolio Affects Students

With the implementation of the new program for primary schools in 2005 by the Ministry of National Education in Turkey, alternative assessments, especially portfolio assessment, have become important for evaluating students? achievement. One of the main emphasis of the new program was about being independent learners who search for information, monitor each others? performance, and work together for reciprocal achievement. Among many dimensions of assessment, the new program obligated teachers to evaluate their students? success by considering portfolios as assessment sources. Hence, this study aims to explore how teachers perceive and practise portfolio assessment. Moreover, the study provides information about the attitudes and performances of the students on portfolio tasks.