Introduction

The Colorado Credentialing Learning System (CCLS), is an online delivery program of coursework required for teachers to gain a credential and/or license. Teaching and Learning Portfolios, which give teachers and teacher candidates the opportunity to petition for college credit based on learning experiences, are supported through CCLS.

Purpose

Portfolios are designed for teachers and teacher candidates to obtain university credit for experiences related to teaching. The experiences that teachers document must align with the teacher competencies that are part of the Colorado credentialing standards. These portfolios are a way for CSU faculty to evaluate whether the teacher has demonstrated competency through the experience.

Portfolio Contents

Credit cannot be awarded for experience alone, nor can the evaluators assume a level of competence based on a given experience. The portfolio gives the evaluators multiple ways of assessing prior knowledge and competence. Teachers and teacher candidates will present knowledge of the subject through an essay component and completion of performance-based products, or artifacts, which verify knowledge of the subject. Products such as lesson plans, assessment instruments and technical manuals are typical artifacts. The product will be presented in the same manner and meet the same criteria used for grading the online module for which credit is earned.

Performance Indicators

Performance indicators used to evaluate credentialing competencies are found in Colorado Credentialing Learning System (CCLS) online modules. These modules are clustered to meet the requirements of credentialing coursework for career and technical education and many teacher licensure courses. Appendix A provides a description of the modules available for portfolio assessment. The learning objectives and the performance indicator for each module will collectively be used to evaluate the portfolio submitted by the teacher.

Grading Rubrics

Two rubrics are completed during the portfolio process. There is a general grading rubric for the essay portion of the portfolio. Each module's performance-based activity has a specific grading rubric. These rubrics will be used by the evaluators to assess the products provided. The grading rubrics for each performance indicator can be found in Appendix B.

Duplication of Credit

In choosing the topic for the portfolio, avoid courses which duplicate credit already earned through previous college coursework or credit awarded for licensure and evaluated training. Also avoid topics which duplicate credit earned through other colleges or universities.