Promoting School-Centered Professional Development through Teaching Portfolios

Abstract

This article presents a case study in which teaching portfolios evolved as a mechanism to promote school-centered professional development in an urban elementary school. Data were primarily derived from open-ended interviews with the principal, staff developer, and teachers, complemented by other relevant documentation. This study examines the impact of the portfolio project on professional learning and professional collaboration. The data reveal that a wide range of conditions contributed to professional learning and collaboration through teaching portfolios. These conditions can be categorized into three groups: (a)conditions supporting both professional learning and professional collaboration in general, (b) conditions more specifically supporting professional learning, and (c) conditions more specifically supporting professional collaboration. The article discusses both methodology and results in the context of recent theoretical frameworks. In addition, it suggests directions for future research, theory, and practice related to school-centered professional development for teachers.