Teachers’ experiences of using a portfolio for teaching, learning, and assessment in Lesotho primary schools

Abstract

This study investigated the experiences of Lesotho primary school teachers of using a portfolio as a strategy for teaching, learning, and assessment. The Curriculum and Assessment Policy Framework (CAP) of 2009 motivated this study. This policy framework has introduced some changes in teaching, learning, and assessment (TLA) practices in Lesotho classrooms. The key changes introduced are integrated curriculum (IC) and continuous assessment. The policy also recommends new strategies for teaching and assessing learners, and one of these is a portfolio. This is the first time a portfolio has been formally introduced in Lesotho schools as a preferred strategy for teaching, learning, and assessment. Thus, thestudy was interested in establishing how teachers were experiencing this strategy and its success in their classrooms. The study used semi-structured interviews to gather data from 20 primary school teachers who were purposefully selected from 20 schools in the Maseru district. This data was analysed using a thematic approach. The results indicate that teachers were not using this strategy effectively or as recommended by the policy because they had limited knowledge and skill.

Keywords

• teachers’ experiences
• curriculum reform
• classroom change
• portfolio
• teaching, learning, and assessment (tla) strategy