Does NCATE require digital portfolios?
No. The NCATE standards do not require the use of digital portfolios; however, they do make effective use of technology in instruction a central requirement for teacher preparation programs for both faculty and teacher candidates. NCATE Standard 6 requires that the teacher preparation unit provides adequate campus and school facilities to support candidates in meeting standards. NCATE Standard 1 requires teacher candidates to demonstrate that they are able to “facilitate student learning of the subject matter…through the integration of technology.” (One way to demonstrate this could be through artifacts in candidates’ teaching portfolios.) NCATE Standard 5 requires faculty to demonstrate that they are able to integrate diversity and technology throughout their teaching. Regarding the school of education’s facilitation of professional development, Standard 5 also mandates that “the unit provides opportunities for faculty to develop new knowledge and skills” in areas including technology
