The reality of assessing ‘authentic’ electronic portfolios - Can electronic portfolios serve as a form of standardized assessment to measure literacy and self-regulated learning at the elementary level?

Q: What does the study investigate about electronic portfolios?

The study investigates whether authentic electronic portfolios can serve as a standardized assessment tool to measure literacy and self-regulated learning in elementary-aged children.

Q: How were literacy and SRL assessed in the study?

Researchers used holistic rubrics assigning marks to SRL (1–5) and literacy, plus analytical rubrics measuring multiple SRL and literacy sub-scales.

Q: What were the main validity and correlation findings?

Portfolio literacy scores correlated with CAT4-based scores and pre-CAT government measures (p<0.01). SRL scores did not correlate with the study’s measure of students’ self-regulation.

Oct 15, 2026

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This study examines whether “authentic” electronic portfolios can function as standardized assessment for elementary literacy and self-regulated learning (SRL). Assessment tools were built around holistic rubrics scoring SRL (1–5) and literacy, plus analytical rubrics with SRL and literacy sub-scales. Across two years, grades 4–6 portfolios (n=369; n=251 analyzed) were double-coded, with inter-rater reliability improving in year two. Validity was tested via relationships between portfolio scores and external measures including CAT4 open-response literacy and SRL instruments.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages21

Reading Time53 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Assessment design and rubrics

Participants and coding reliability

Validity evidence and correlations

Practical implications and fairness

| Volume 39(4) | Fall/automne 2013 | | --- | --- | The reality of assessing ‘authentic’ electronic portfolios: Can electronic portfolios serve as a form of standardized assessment to measure literacy and self-‐regulated learning at the elementary level? L’évaluation d’e-‐portfolio «authentiques» : Les e-‐portfolios peuvent-‐ils servird’évaluation standardisée pour mesurer la littératie et l’apprentissage autorégulé à l’élémentaire? Eva Mary Bures, Bishop’s University Alexandra Barclay, Mount Saint Vincent University Philip C. Abrami, Concordia University Elizabeth J. Meyer, California Polytechnic State University Abstract This study explores electronic portfolios and their potential to assess student literacy and selfregulated learning in elementary-aged children. Assessment tools were developed and include a holistic rubric that assigns a mark from 1 to 5 to self-regulated learning (SRL) and a mark to literacy, and an analytical rubric measuring multiple sub-scales of SRL and literacy. Participants in grades 4, 5 and 6 across two years created electronic portfolios, with n=369 volunteers. Some classes were excluded from statistical analyses in the first year due to low implementation and some individuals were excluded in both years, leaving n=251 included in analyses. All portfolios were coded by two coders, and the inter-rater reliability explored. During the first year Cohen’s kappa ranged from 0.70 to 0.79 for literacy and SRL overall, but some sub-scales were unacceptably weak. The second year showed improvement in Cohen’s kappa overall and especially for the sub-scales, reflecting improved implementation of the portfolios and use of the assessment tools. Validity was explored by comparing the relationship of portfolio scores to other measures, including the government scores on the open-response literacy questions for the Canadian Achievement Tests, fourth edition (CAT4s), the scores we assigned to the CAT4s using our assessment tools, and scores on the Student Learning Strategies Questionnaire (SLSQ) measuring SRL. The portfolio literacy scores correlated (p<0.01) to scores we assigned the CAT4s using our assessment tools, and to government pre-CAT4 scores, but the self-regulatory learning scores did not correlate to our measure of student’s self-regulation. The results suggest that electronic portfolio assessment is time-consuming and difficult due to the range of varying CJLT/RCAT Vol. 39(4) evidence within even a single individual’s portfolio and that it may not be fair to do across diverse classrooms unless there are shared guidelines or tasks. Résumé Cette étude explore les e-portfolios et leur potentiel pour l’évaluation de la littératie et del’apprentissage autorégulé chez les enfants de l’école primaire. Des outils d’évaluation ont étéélaborés et comprennent un barème général qui attribue une note de 1 à 5 pour l’apprentissage autorégulé (AAR), une note pour la littératie et un barème d’analyse permettant de mesurer plusieurs sous-échelles de l’AAR et de l’alphabétisation. Les participants en 4e, 5e et 6e annéesont créé sur une période de deux ans des e-portfolios, avec n = 369 bénévoles. Certaines classes ont été exclues des analyses statistiques dans la première année en raison d’une faible mise en œuvre et certaines personnes ont été exclues dans les deux années, réduisant les analyses à n = 251. Tous les e-portfolios ont été codés par deux codeurs et la fiabilité entre les évaluateurs a été explorée. Au cours de la première année, le coefficient kappa de Cohen variait globalement de 0,70 à 0,79 pour la littératie et l’AAR, mais certaines sous-échelles étaient trop faibles. À la deuxième année, il y a eu une amélioration dans le coefficient kappa de Cohen en général et en particulier pour les sous-échelles, reflétant une amélioration de la mise en œuvre des e-portfolioset de l’utilisation des outils d’évaluation. La validité a été évaluée en comparant la relation entre les résultats d

FAQs

What does the study investigate about electronic portfolios?

The study investigates whether authentic electronic portfolios can serve as a standardized assessment tool to measure literacy and self-regulated learning in elementary-aged children.

How were literacy and SRL assessed in the study?

Researchers used holistic rubrics assigning marks to SRL (1–5) and literacy, plus analytical rubrics measuring multiple SRL and literacy sub-scales.

What were the main validity and correlation findings?

Portfolio literacy scores correlated with CAT4-based scores and pre-CAT government measures (p<0.01). SRL scores did not correlate with the study’s measure of students’ self-regulation.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by pop out