Technology support for authentic assessment in the new millennia: a case study on implementing digital portfolios

Education faces multiple challenges in the new millennia. Educational Institutions are broadening the range of instructional methods and approaches; increased attention is being given to effective use of technology in the learning process. Traditional teaching methods are often used by default, in situations where the possibility of more effective alternatives either have no been considered or involve too much time and effort to establish. Traditional teaching marks, tests, and assesses the output of student at a single moment in time, which provides us with only a snapshot of performance. We need methods much closer to narrative that shows where a student stands with respect to the long arc of learning. This case study describes a creative technology-supported approach taken within an undergraduate course at Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia as a strategy to enhance extend and improve student learning and assist with measurement in using authentic assessment necessary for education reform. The author uses the technology to create a learning environment where students develop a digital or electronic portfolio to demonstrate their communication skills.