ABSTRACT
Assessment is defined as the process of gathering and organizing information about student work from a variety of sources for the purpose of making sound educational decisions. According to the National Academies, assessment rests on three connected and interrelated pillars: cognition, observation, and interpretation. In the assessment process, teachers therefore must use a variety of tasks and methods that focus on the domain(s) of interest, involve repeated observations across multiple contexts, and engage students, professionals, and other stakeholders in conversations and interpretations of the evidence. Portfolios may be used for identification, curriculum and instruction, and program evaluation. In contrast to traditional tests that may have a ceiling, cover a limited sampling of the content area, and not represent what gifted students actually have learned, portfolios sample a wide range of student work within a given domain, allow for student differences, and focus on growth over time.
