“…To this point, we have done little in the way of examining professional portfolios within a theoretical context, which inevitably impacts their practical implications. Uses of portfolios are widespread and most prevalent in the United States in areas of higher education such as medical education (Challis, 1999), school and university teacher training (Baume & Yorke, 2002), writing (Broad, 2000), engineering (Payne, Bramhill, Lawson, Robinson, & Short, 1993), architecture, and art and design (Johnston, 2004). Portfolios take many forms (a report on a major project, a collection of different pieces of work) and have different purposes (to showcase performance, track developmental growth); provide records of goals, growth, achievement, and professional attributes developed over time in professional practice and in collaboration with others; and serve as an assessment strategy to ascertain knowledge, understanding, and skills (Challis, 1999).…”