What are the types of Professional Portfolios?
Kay Burke (1997) list three types of Professional Portfolios: preservice, career portfolios, and action research portfolios. Each one of these professional portfolios has unique characteristics that differentiate them from one another.
Preservice Portfolios
Preservice Portfolios are used to showcase students' learning, share reflections, and make connections between the college classroom and the elementary, middle, and high school. (Burke, 1997)
Career portfolios
Career portfolios are used for job interviews and promotions. The Stanford University Newletter on Teaching (1996) describes it as a collection of information from students, colleagues, and the teacher's own files that results in a comprehensive profile of teaching effectiveness.
Action Research Portfolios
An action research portfolio provides the organizational framework for collecting and reflecting on the data throughout the entire process and documents the evidence. (Burke, 1997) Doolittle (1994) states a common misconception is that a teaching portfolio is a folder laden with teaching artifacts and evaluations. Wolf (1996) warns a that a teaching portfolio is more than a miscellaneous collection of artifacts or an extended list of professional activities. It should carefully and thoughtfully document a set of accomplishments attained over an extended period.
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