From a culture of testing to a culture of assessment: Implementing writing portfolios in a micro context

Abstract

Changes in education theory have pushed the English language teaching community toward a learner centered approach to education. Learner centered classroom methodologies have brought about the need for learner centered evaluations of students. Alternative assessments have been widely adopted over the last 25 years and in particular there has been a focus on the use of portfolios in assessing college level writing. Reasons for this include the belief that portfolios can mirror good classroom practice and target language use, integrate curriculum goals, help students and teachers to self-reflect, and highlight the communicative purpose of writing. However, there are challenges to overcome in the use of assessment portfolios as their creative nature allows for wide variations in construction and interpretation, which brings reliability into question. Some of these challenges and benefits are being felt in the English for Academic Purposes Department at the University of Technology and Business (UTB) where a modified curriculum created the need for different assessment procedures. This chapter briefly outlines the change in ELT from a culture of testing to a culture of assessment and then presents some of the changes occurring in the micro context of UTB, where portfolio assessment is being implemented to help solve curricula and other issues.