Portfolio assessments are purposeful, curated collections of learner work that document growth, skill development, and mastery over time. They are especially effective in learning environments that value reflection, process, and authentic performance, such as adult education, higher education, project‑based learning, and workplace training. Portfolios allow learners to demonstrate progress through artifacts like drafts, final products, reflections, feedback cycles, and multimedia evidence.

• Portfolios capture longitudinal learning, support learner ownership, and provide a more holistic picture of competence than one‑time tests.  

• Challenges include the time required for learners and instructors to curate, review, and assess portfolios, as well as the need for clear criteria to ensure consistency and fairness.

• When intentionally designed, with transparent expectations, structured reflection prompts, and alignment with learning outcomes, portfolios support equitable, multimodal expression and offer rich insight into both process and product.

• Portfolios are powerful in digital formats, where learners can integrate multimedia, hyperlinks, and iterative revisions.

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