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This discussion about the different portfolios sets the basis for a discussion
about the uniqueness of the portfolio as an evaluation tool in CS education.
This discussion should address (a) the importance of allowing a gradual de-
velopment process of software projects, (b) the use of online resources in CS
education, and (c) the role and use of computational environments for the
portfolio organization and management.
The discussion about the use of computational environments for the
portfolio organization can take advantage of the fact that the students in the
MTCS course are prospective CS teachers with a relatively advanced knowl-
edge both in CS education and computerized tools.
The lesson ends with the instructor's summary of the main ideas related
to the portfolio as an evaluation tool in general and in the context of CS in
particular.
10.5
The Evaluation of the Students in the MTCS Course
As is indicated in the introduction to this guide, it is recommended not only to talk
about CS education but also to implement its pedagogical guidelines in the MTCS
course, to let the prospective CS teachers experience the teaching methods presented
in the course before becoming high school CS teachers. The same idea is implied
for students' evaluation; that is, the evaluation policy applied in the MTCS course
should reflect general evaluation principles of high school CS education (as they are
discussed, e.g., so far in this chapter). In other words, student evaluation in the MTCS
course should not be based only on one kind of pedagogical knowledge, but rather a
spectrum of pedagogical skills, activities, and reflection, as well as CS knowledge,
all of which reflect different aspects of student achievements in the MTCS course,
should be taken into the considerations in student evaluation. In this spirit, a portfo-
lio, for example, can be a suitable evaluation tool for the MTCS course.
Since different CS teacher preparation programs may emphasize different as-
pects of CS education, we do not specify one specific evaluation scheme for the
MTCS course. Rather, in what follows, we suggest a list of components that can
be assessed as part of the students' evaluation. Other components, as well as differ-
ent weights assigned to each component, and different evaluation mechanisms (by
the students themselves, by their peers in the course and by the course instructor)
are optional for the courses evaluation. In each specific case, however, it is rec-
ommended to explain to the students the pedagogical rationale of the determined
course grading policy and to publish it in advance.
Possible elements of student assessment in the MTCS course:
• Active participation in the course: This component delivers the importance of
practicing different teaching methods as learners, before applying them in high
school CS pedagogical situations.
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