An excellent observation was made in a discussion of the portfolio today. Regardless of the portfolio's pedagogical merits (or lack thereof), it seems to have taken on or be in the process of taking on an institutional life of its own. For example, we've heard from the provost in the past that other colleges as well as potential students are intrigued by the portfolio (I have my doubts about the strength of this interest, but that's beside the point). Now that the portfolio is an integral part of "the Gettysburg curriculum", how can we get rid of it without hurting our "brand"? Now we learn that COLA, trying to satisfy the Middle States commission, has plans to use portfolio postings as an assessment tool. If we get rid of the portfolio, how will COLA assess the college curriculum as a whole?
It's really time to slay this beast before it enslaves us all.
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