Portfolios within the preschool environment

Abstract

The academic community has been discussing the options for using portfolios within the education process for a number of years. Studies looking at this phenomenon often focus on a constructivist concept of portfolios where the child is the main agent in creating the document (Sitz & Bartholomew, 2008; Smith et al., 2003). The alternative to this is the positivist concept of the portfolio. The submitted research study is focused on the use of portfolios specifically within the preschool environment. The research’s main objective was to understand how children’s portfolios are used within the education process in preschools and present the children’s perspective on their own portfolios. Adopting a qualitatively-focused research design, the research methods used were content analysis of portfolios, and interviews with children on their document. The research findings show that within the preschool environment, portfolios are used in a number of ways. These ways are directly linked to the teacher’s belief on the importance of portfolios for preschool-age children. A child’s portfolio can be a concept, a tool, a method or also a means. The results also present the children’s original perspective on their own portfolios. This study is based on a part of my completed rigorosum thesis (Trávníčková, 2019).

The Importance of Preschool Children’s Portfolios in Kosovo and Their Meaning for Elementary School Teachers

“…Morrison mentions the estimation through portfolios as a form of informal assessment. Systematic work with the portfolio gives the teacher a deeper knowledge of the child, allows him to monitor the child's development, and the portfolio is also a good tool for discussions between the teacher and parents about the child (Trávníčková, 2020). As the same author mentions, portfolio is important for self assessment: "As the author of the work in his or her portfolio, the child can follow his or her progress and enjoy it.…”

“…Children can mutually assess and compare their products with fellow pupils. Therefore the portfolio is an important factor in the child's self-assessment, leading the child to independence and developing his or her self-conception" (Trávníčková, 2020).…”

“…In other words among other things, the content of the portfolio also includes his or her personal interests, photographs of events in the preschool or his or her own photographs. Sharing it with others (parents, teachers, children) further deepens the child's relationship to his or her portfolio" (Trávníčková, 2020). Even parents can become aware of the transition process of the child in the first grade as a result of participation in transition programs (Carida, 2011;Sylaj & Ramabaja, 2022).…”