1. Introduction to Teaching Portfolios
Cathy Bruce
Director, Centre for Teaching and Learning
Interim Dean of Education
@drcathybruce
Ex. 7500
Robyne Hanley-Dafoe
Educational Developer, Centre for Teaching and Learning
Psychology Instructor
Bata Library Room 203
Ex. 7240
@trentuteaching
Introduction to Teaching Portfolios
Professional Learning Event Series

2. What is a Teaching Portfolio?
“It is a factual description of a professor’s teaching strengths and accomplishments. It includes documents and materials which collectively suggest the scope and quality of a professor’s teaching performance. It is to teaching what lists of publications, grants, and honours are to research and scholarship,” explains Seldin (1997, 2).

3. “More than a documentation, a portfolio is a mechanism that allows you to reflect on your own practice and to see how your practice actually reflects your teaching beliefs” (Berrill 2003).
“A dossier provides you with the opportunity to describe what is different and special about your teaching, the innovations you have made, and how you may have contributed to improving teaching in the university community at large” (Ridpath and Rodgers 1994, 4).

4. More than a collection…
Bear in mind that too much “stuff” can cloud the big picture that your dossier should strive to illustrate your teaching experience and abilities.
A clear structure and organization are highly recommended.
As Professor Berrill (2003) reiterates, at the heart of the process is teacher reflection.

5. What ISN’T a Teaching Portfolio
A collection of certificates
A set of raw course evaluations
Stand alone reference letters
Cards from students
Hot chili evaluations from Rate my Prof
A teaching portfolio may be part of a larger document which includes:
Research
Service
Teaching

6. Why develop a teaching portfolio?
To promote reflection on our teaching through tangible representation of practice.
To identify strengths through self-appraisal of our professional practice
To recognize the areas which are 'light,' where we do not have as much evidence as we wish.
To serve as a tangible artifact that can remind us at any time of the excellence of our professional practice.
For interviews and performance appraisal.  

7. Contents of the Portfolio…
Teaching Philosophy
Summary of Teaching Evaluations
Course Planning/ Sample Syllabi
Educational Leadership, Awards and/or Innovations
Teaching Practice
Professional Development and Certifications
Mentoring Students
Teaching Experience/Responsibilities
Teaching Interests
Pedagogical Training & Improvements

9. Examples:

10. Collection  Selection  Reflection
Collect up samples, certificates, photos, syllabi, planning documents, products, references, artefacts from students, evaluations …
Build a framework/flow for your documentation:
Develop vision / teaching philosophy / goals
Select evidence of putting this into practice
Develop a method for summarizing documentation
Select the exact items for inclusion and organization of the portfolio
For each item, include a brief written reflection including WHY did you select this item, and WHAT does it say about you as a teacher

11. Selecting and Organizing
Other ways to organize your portfolio
For example, you might:
order your work based on theme of your philosophy statement
order your work samples based on project type;
order your work based on program standards;
order your work based on personal goals; or
order your work based on your personal estimation of quality (growth/ learning)
Furthermore, you may choose to either:
present your narrative that references an indexed set of work samples that are presented after your narrative; or
embed your work samples within your narrative;
develop a four-page summary for job interviews that do not allow for a full portfolio

12. Reflection  Why did you include it?
What does it say about you as a teacher/researcher?
How is this evidence of your teaching phiolosophy?

13. Reflection  Course evaluations What do these evaluations show?
How would you display this…?
What is an area of strength?
What is an area for growth AND what are you doing about it?
Can you compare seminar A in the fall to Seminar X in the winter where you worked on that weakness and then there was a change?

14. Course evaluation summary
Summary statement: What do these evaluations demonstrate overall?
Area of relative strength?
Area of relative weakness?
What could this person say they are doing about area of relative weakness?
Strength: Enthusiasm and passion for the discipline
Weakness: Assigning workload appropriate to course objectives

15. Examples Portfolio and Sections

16. Notice:
About the section…
What it demonstrates…

17. Notice: Blue text book again:
Academic innovation established
at Trent School of Education

18. Notice:
Teaching Philosophy
Goals
Conceptual Framework

19. Notice:
Pictures with explanations

20. Syllabus with blue text book
Notice:
Highlights and connections
Teaching Effectiveness

21. Using a Portfolio for Job Interviews
Big vs. Little
Project vs. Job
Preparing an outline and supplementary package
Leave the package with the committee/ interview panel
Do not want to leave your portfolio behind
guide your committee/ interview panel to what you want them to see and explain why!

22. Troubleshooting What feels overwhelming? What questions do you have?
Part 2 – what should we talk about?

23. References
Introduction to Universal Instructional Design (UID) at the University of Guelph. University of Guelph Teaching Support Services. Bowe, F. G. (2000) Universal Design in Education. CT: Bergin & Garvey. Chichering, Arthur W., Gamson, Zelda F. (1991). Applying the seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education. In New directions for teaching and learning ; no. 47.

24. Samples of Teaching Portfolios
Douglas Stebila (Graduate student, University of Waterloo, 2008)  Excellent philosophy statement and good description of frequently used teaching methods
Laura Kerr (Faculty member, Queen’s University, 2007) Very good Teaching Responsibilities, Teaching Innovations, and Evidence of Teaching Effectiveness sections.
Andreas Glombitza  (Faculty member, Universität Tübingen, 2012) Excellent philosophy statement and Teaching Goals & Strategies section
Umer Noor (Faculty member, Humber College, 2012) Excellent work sample section
Kyle James Matthews (Graduate student, Brown University, 2012) Excellent philosophy statement, Experience, Training, and Effectiveness sections.
(retrieved from Western – Graduate program workshop)