Implementing curriculum-based learning portfolio: a case study in Taiwan

The main purpose of this descriptive research is to examine and document the development of a curriculum-based learning portfolio model for children in a preschool for three-six-year-olds in Taiwan. Data collection methods adopted include classroom observation, in-depth interviews, questionnaires and documentation. Participants include a preschool principal, two administrators, six teachers and three assistant teachers. The data collection period lasted for eight months. Triangulation was employed to analyse and interpret the data. The findings are as follows: the framework of the curriculum-based learning portfolio model contained child development checklists, a portfolio and summary report for each child. The target preschool adopted two strategies to systematise documenting works: (1) establishing the performance indicator to replace the professional description, and (2) planning a yearly working calendar for documenting children's learning in advance. Systematised documenting works can reduce the workload for teachers, but the teachers still have to spend some extra time on arranging anecdotal records after class. As the teachers have to document individual portfolios for each child, no child will be neglected. Learning portfolios reveal individual children's development, present teaching results and provide communication between teachers and parents. Parents learn to recognise the advantage of a learning portfolio and then to support the implementation of the model.