Student Self-Efficacy as Related to Portfolio Grading

Abstract

Grades are used to inform parents, students, and educational institutions of student mastery of content. Colleges rely on research that indicates that high school grades are predictors of how students will perform in college (Atkinson & Geiser, 2009; Geiser & Santelices, 2007). Grading is also tied to development of positive mathematics self-efficacy. Therefore, it is important that teachers are grading in ways that show students’ knowledge and ability while supporting self-efficacy development. Portfolio grading, an alternative grading structure, has potential to provide accurate reporting and impact self-efficacy. The research question for this study is: How does the use of portfolio grading in high school mathematics classrooms effect student mathematics self-efficacy, if at all? The methodology for this study employed an action research approach involving pre- and post-surveys and interviews. Both the pre- and post-survey results and the interview findings indicate portfolio grading effects characteristics that influence self-efficacy.