What is a Learning Portfolio?
A Learning Portfolio is an online, multimedia collection of an individual’s work, including finished pieces, reflections on and documentation of process, research, and examples of other’s work that is an inspiration.
While we often think of portfolios as a tool for documenting art and design work, they can also be used to document all types of learning.
A Learning Portfolio can come in many digital forms – from a blog to a website to a slideshow and balances sharing both process and product in a way that is organized and easy to navigate.
You can see some examples of Learning Portfolios here.
What makes a Learning Portfolio different from other types of portfolios?
Traditional portfolios favor skill-based visual exercises, but very few primary and secondary level students have access to that type learning experience. Who gets left behind with this model?
As opposed to traditional portfolios — which usually emphasize sharing finished work — a Learning Portfolio values showing process and reflection alongside finished products. We believe that sharing their process is key for many students to evidence how they learn and what they have accomplished.
Through the development of learning portfolios, young people can reflect on their learning and present evidence of their learning accomplishments with more depth than grades or test scores.
What is the Learning Portfolio Project?
Since 2013, DreamYard and Parsons School of Design have partnered to bring the Learning Portfolio model to schools and educational organization across New York City. Our unique approach aims to make the digital portfolio development process more accessible to all students to support them in telling their own learning story.
The Learning Portfolio Project is supported by a generous grant from The New York Community Trust’s Hive Digital Media and Learning Fund.