Identification and Extraction of the Formal and Content-Based Principles for Developing Educational Portfolios

Given the pivotal role of portfolios as a tool for process-oriented assessment, the primary aim of this study was to identify the formal and content-based principles for developing educational portfolios. The study employed a qualitative approach using a systematic review methodology. The data sources comprised all available resources addressing educational portfolios and their development characteristics. Accordingly, Persian-language sources published between 2009 and 2024 and English-language sources published between 2007 and 2024 were examined in domestic scientific databases, including Noormags, Magiran, IranDoc, and SID, as well as international databases and publishers, including ScienceDirect, Scopus, Elsevier, and Springer. The search was conducted using the keywords portfolio, principles of portfolio development, portfolio characteristics, portfolio objectives, and criteria for portfolio writing. The study sample consisted of all sources accessible to the researcher. Criterion-based sampling was employed, with the inclusion and exclusion criteria comprising accessibility, publication by reputable publishers and journals, and availability in Persian or English. Data were collected using a researcher-developed checklist. Document analysis was employed for data analysis. The content validity ratio (CVR) was used to determine the validity of the identified principles. The findings indicated that ten formal principles were identified: completing the information on the cover page, including a table of contents, providing a student profile sheet, including a quarterly teacher self-assessment form, providing biweekly feedback on students’ academic and educational progress, including a seasonal parent form, thematic categorization, maintaining an appropriate physical volume, separating subject-specific documents, and observing aesthetic considerations. Ten content-based principles were also identified: reflecting non-cognitive learning outcomes, demonstrating students’ diverse skills, documenting interactions with classmates, teachers, and parents, documenting weaknesses and errors, addressing multiple intelligences and talents, reflecting authentic activities, providing practical recommendations for future teachers, documenting statements, demonstrating innovation in presenting a comprehensive picture of the student, and ensuring that final decisions are consistent with the contents of the portfolio. The validity coefficient was 0.87 for the formal principles and 0.73 for the content-based principles. The identified principles can serve as a standardized basis for developing and evaluating educational portfolios, comprehensively documenting teaching and learning activities, and preventing the arbitrary or preference-based development of portfolios.