Teaching Portfolio, Center for Teaching Excellence, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Teaching Portfolio

Architects, photographers, and artists all have portfolios in which they display their best work. The teaching portfolio would do the same thing.  Peter Seldin, 2004

What is a Teaching Portfolio?

  • A collection of materials that document one’s teaching performance
  • A means to highlight one’s significant teaching accomplishments
  • A document that can lead to self-reflection as well as tenure and promotion decisions

Why Create a Portfolio?

  • A portfolio can help one reflect on and improve one’s teaching.
  • A well prepared portfolio that highlights an applicant’s teaching effectiveness can aid in the search for a faculty position.
  • Like well documented research and publication activities, a teaching portfolio can be an asset in the tenure and promotion process.

Characteristics of an Effective Teaching Portfolio

  • Careful selection and thoughtful organization
  • Accurate and well-rounded
  • Claims that are supported by empirical evidence

Contents of a Teaching Portfolio

  • Teaching Responsibilities
  • Statement of Teaching Philosophy
  • Teaching Methodology, Strategies, Objectives
  • Description of Course Materials (Syllabi, Handouts, Assignments)
  • Teaching Goals: Short- and Long-Term
  • Efforts to Improve Teaching
  • Student Ratings
  • Innovations in Teaching
  • Products of Teaching (Evidence of Student Learning)

           
The above contents are an abbreviated list from Peter Seldin’s book, The Teaching Portfolio, A Practical Guide to Improved Performance and Promotion/Tenure Decisions, 2nd ED. This link presents an extract from his book with a more detailed look at the contents.

Electronic Teaching Portfolio

Electronic portfolios are more accessible than their paper counterpart. At the same time, they require a certain amount of technical know-how. Dr. Helen Barrett, School of Education University of Alaska Anchorage, presents a guide for both the multimedia development process as well as the portfolio development process.



Electronic Course Portfolios

The course portfolio differs from the teaching portfolio in that it focuses on the relationship between teaching and student learning in a particular course, while the teaching portfolio documents one significant teaching accomplishments. The course portfolio is  a useful tool in peer review

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is a good resource for those   contemplating an e-portfolio. The Foundation provides a free online service, the KEEP Toolkit,    for constructing and sharing web pages.



Resources

Developing a Teaching Portfolio, from the Office of Faculty and TA Development, The Ohio State University

Preparing a Teaching Portfolio: A Guidebook, from the Center for Teaching Effectiveness at the University of Texas-El Paso

The following two teaching centers have some good examples of teaching portfolios.
The University of Virginia  Teaching Resource Center

The Center for Effective Teaching and Learning at the University of Texas-El Paso


Seldin, P. (2004).  The teaching portfolio: A practical guide to  improved performance and promotion/tenure decisions, 3rd edition. Boston MA: Anker Publishing Company.

Cambridge, B. L. (Ed.) (2001).  Electronic portfolios: Emerging practices in student, faculty, and institutional learning. Sterling VA: Stylus Publishing.

Hutchings, P. (ed.). (1998). The course portfolio: How faculty can examine their teaching to advance practice and improve student learning. Washington DC: American Association for Higher Education,

Murray, J. P. (1997). Successful Faculty Development and    Evaluation: The Complete Teaching Portfolio.  ERIC Clearinghouse on Higher Education.