Teaching Portfolios TA Training Session

What is a Teaching Portfolio?  Three types used in academia  The academic portfolio  The teaching portfolio  The course portfolio

The Academic Portfolio  Compiles and organizes your academic accomplishments  CV  Awards (academic)  Presentations  Instructional Innovations

Teaching Portfolio  Who you are as a teacher  5-10 pages of organized narrative  Appendix of supporting materials  Teaching Philosophy  Should be grounded in at least one theory of teaching  Reflect your thoughts about teaching  Teacher’s role in the classroom  Goals for student learning

Teaching Portfolio  Teaching Methods  Brief statement of teaching methods  Should relate back to your philosophy  If you say you believe in active learning you should have activities  Experimentation  Group work etc.  Sample Lesson Plans/Assignments  One page description of a technique you would use during a lesson  Sample assignment you have given students

Teaching Portfolio  Statement of Teaching Responsibilities  List each course you have taught  Short narrative description  General sense of type of students  What year (freshman, sophomore etc)  All in that major etc.  Were you the teacher of record  Syllabus  Copy of the syllabus for each course

Teaching Portfolio  Evidence of Teaching Effectiveness  Ask each person (faculty mentor etc) who evaluates your class to write a short narrative or letter describing your teaching  Can be:  Peer Evaluations  Self Evaluations  Department Chair or Faculty Evaluations  Include all Teaching Awards

Course Portfolio  Accurate extensive record of one course  Used to evaluate and improvement of teaching skills  Demonstrate commitment to SoTL  Scholarship of Teaching and Learning  Document 1 course or a series of teaching the same course  Information can be found at 

Course Portfolio  Overview  Introduce Course  How fits into Curriculum  Describe what students take the course  Make reference to your teaching style  Objectives  Course goals and objectives  What should students have learned by end of semester  How you will teach these items  How you will evaluate the learning  Include the logic for using particular means for teaching particular items

Course Portfolio  Data  Compile data that you accumulated throughout the semester  Tabulate student grades on assignments  Document mean averages for each assignment  Include any surveys that you may have given to assess student learning  Challenges/Innovations  Narrative of primary problems and their solutions during the semester  May be helpful in future teaching experiences

Course Portfolio  Description of Students  How are they the same or different from those in other courses you have taught  Required course or elective  Number who preregistered vs. number who ultimately were in the course  Number of freshmen, sophomores etc.  Attendance Patterns  Final grade distribution

Course Portfolio  Summation  Final section to assess overall findings of this portfolio  Offer suggestions for future changes to increase student learning  Informed Consent  If you plan to share this information students need to sign release forms that they agree to participate in a study.  (Only if specific data about students is shared)

Course Portfolio  Self Assessment of your teaching  Four Parts  Goals of the Course  Teaching Method and Philosophy  Effect of Course on Students  How course encouraged  Independent Thinking  Intellectual Development  Enthusiasm for Subject  Plans for Improvement