The Value of Portfolio Assessment in Nursing Education

The use of portfolio assessment as a means of assessment is increasing within the field of nursing education. Portfolio assessment allows both students and teachers to evaluate the learner’s progress over the course of study. The value of using portfolios as a mean of evaluation is further increased for adult learners, as it encourages self-directed learning and self-reflection. Furthermore, as it is a means of formative assessment, the portfolio can guide future learning once potential areas for improvement are identified. In order to achieve this, the student should use his/her portfolio to set goals for future learning, and can subsequently utilize new portfolio contents to evaluate progress towards identified outcomes. Additionally, if various types of data and materials are exhibited within the portfolio, measurement of multiple dimensions of student progress is possible.

In addition to measuring student progress, portfolios can further be used to measure program effectiveness. School program administrators should periodically assess the materials contained within student portfolios, in order to evaluate whether program learning objectives have been met. If program learning objectives are not illustrated, then curriculum revision may be indicated.