Not so much paper & pencil test anymore.

That's right, teachers need to cut back on the hand written tests and do more alternative assessments.  We need to assess the students FOR learning not what they have memorized.  "Assessment FOR learning is the process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by learners and their teachers to decide where the learners are in their learning, where they need to go and how best to get there."(Barrett, June 2006).  I feel the best way for a student to show what they have accomplished is my doing a portfolio and now that we live in a world of technology, E-portfolio's would be best.  My children at the end of each school year bring home their Art portfolio's (paper versions) and want to save every big piece of art work but cannot.  Not only as a Mom but as an older student it would be great to have this type of work on a CD, DVD or on a devise you can save.   This allows the students to always have it and can share their work with  anyone at anytime.  To a Mom it is a memory piece/chip that we would keep to show them when they get older.  This gives me an idea,  make one of these e-portfolio's for each child at the end of each school year with all the class work and art.( My own children, too many students in a class to do this for).