The Views of TeacherCandidates on the Contributions of Portfolio Assessment in Developing Environmental Consciousness

In the constructivist learning theory, the assessment has been carried out as based on the process. The portfolio assessment is one of the assessment techniques based on process. While portfolio is described as a collection comprised of student outcomes, the process covering the analysis of this collection is defined as a portfolio assessment. Portfolio assessment requires the evaluation of individual or group performance of the student, in the learning process rather than evaluating the learning, in a very limited period of time, by checking the answers obtained via multiple choice questions. This study aims at determining the views of teacher candidates on the contributions of portfolio assessment in developing environmental consciousness. Teacher candidates, totally 109, studying in Primary Education Teacher Training Program of Anadolu University Education Faculty and preparing portfolio within the framework of Environment Science course, participated into this research in the spring term of 2004-2005 academic year. The data of the research were collected by a questionnaire. In the analysis of the data, both the quantitative and qualitative data were utilized. In the analysis of quantitative data, the SPSS computer program was used, the frequencies (f) and percentages (%) were calculated and Chi Square (X2) analysis technique was employed. In the analysis of qualitative data, the descriptive analysis technique was used. As a result, it was found that the views of teacher candidates werepositive on the contribution of portfolio evaluation in developing environmental consciousness.