This is a journal review which I made for one of my subjects in the graduate school. I posted it here because I personally believe that this issue is interesting especially to educators. Hope you'll learn something from it.
A REFLECTION TO THE JOURNAL
PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT
FOR BETTER EVALUATION
Teachers using portfolio assessment find they not need to be limited to traditional standardized test when evaluating student performance.
Educational system has grown in ways on how to evaluate students’ performance- exploring advancement to get rid off the limitations of traditional assessments. Assessment tools must conform to the area of what is being measured as evaluators must consider the learner’s multiple intelligence. Educational reformers call it “alternative assessment.”
"Alternative assessment is probably the most generic term that best describes those methods that differ from traditional standardized, multiple-choice tests for assessing students' achievement. This term and its variations refer to the direct examination of student performance on tasks that are relevant to life outside the school and are therefore considered more valuable than what standardized tests measure” (Thomas (pp 39)).
The author stressed that this form of assessment is being supported by
policymakers after the realization that standardized test may not be the best
means of evaluating the students. Advocates of the alternative assessment
developed a test that is worthy of being taught- portfolio
assessment. 
Portfolio assessment has carried many reformers to support it most especially by many music education teachers. This is not from a firm commitment to alternative assessment but rather as a reaction to traditional standardized test. Advocates recognized the problems they have encountered with the reliability and referred to the countless tomes in educational evaluation that remind teachers and researchers that validity is more important than reliability. The realization that no matter how reliable a measure is if it fails to measure what it purports to measure; a failure makes it an invalid measure.
Portfolio assessment has carried many reformers to support it most especially by many music education teachers. This is not from a firm commitment to alternative assessment but rather as a reaction to traditional standardized test. Advocates recognized the problems they have encountered with the reliability and referred to the countless tomes in educational evaluation that remind teachers and researchers that validity is more important than reliability. The realization that no matter how reliable a measure is if it fails to measure what it purports to measure; a failure makes it an invalid measure.
The journal also emphasized advantages and disadvantages of the portfolio assessment. It states that this assessment measures the students’ growth but on the other hand, it categorized students’ work. In addition, it will be damaging if objectivity and accountability are abandoned if there will be reliance on teacher’s decisions and judgement. However, the author highlights that portfolio assessment when viewed as a teaching tool and not as final word in terms of evaluation, can be beneficial.
The journal accentuated the use, the advantage and disadvantage of the alternative assessment more specifically to music education. Author’s claims may also be applied to other fields especially those areas that measures the abilities and capabilities of students. I agree with the author in providing an alternative tool in evaluating student’s performance to achieve more of validity. More than anything else, teacher’s assessment tools may always conform to what is being measured. Thus, teachers should be equipped with various assessment tools. The only dilemma that is being seen is if they are not expert in using alternative assessment for teacher may be confined with the traditional ways and are not open for developments. Though, I am not saying that, we have to leave the traditional, for traditional may fit other measures, but the openness and acceptance of alternative ways will be beneficial to both teachers and students. Teachers should always bear in mind that they must be after the student’s growth and development more than anything else.
