1. Creating a Teaching Dossier
Dr. Shea Wang
Interim Faculty Evaluation Coordinator
Feb

2. Faculty Evaluation at MacEwan
Five elements to evaluation:
Teaching dossier
Peer review
Annual report
Student Course Evaluation Surveys
Stakeholder review (Appointment Review and Promotion Committees)

3. Principles of Policy C5065
Evaluation is guided by the philosophy that we:
promote a culture of teaching & learning
foster professional development & scholarly activity
promote fairness & transparency
benefit faculty members through timely & accurate feedback
comply with Collective Agreement
undertake as a process involving multiple stakeholders & a variety of assessment approaches

4. What is a Teaching Dossier?
Policy C5065:
“A teaching dossier is a concise, evidence-based record of teaching activities and other academic accomplishments prepared by a faculty member.”

5. Criteria for Continuation of Probation, Continuing, and Promotion
Statement of the case for continuation of probation, continuing status, or promotion (assessment of career- duties assigned)
CV – entire academic career, format approved by AGC
Record of academic & professional accomplishments (continuing status application)
Teaching practice [Article 11.0; 11.3 (a)-(f)- teaching dossier material]
Service (level and significance of participation/responsibility, workload, demands on time, a description of the setting)
Scholarly activity (e.g., publications, research grants, presentations, exhibitions, performances, etc.)
Professional activity if relevant to assigned workload
CA: (p.43-44)
(p.49)

6. Why do we need a dossier? Titling What do you need to demonstrate?
E.g., Associate Prof./Professor for Engineering
“…candidates must submit a teaching dossier which includes evidence concerning course and program design and delivery, leadership, student advising, the results of both peer review and student assessment, and a statement of teaching philosophy. Other supporting materials may be included at the candidate’s discretion.”

7. Probationary -> Continuing
Why do we need a dossier?
Probationary -> Continuing
What do you need to demonstrate?
E.g., BCOM probationary faculty
Contributions to course, curriculum, & program development; committees
Reflections & actions on student feedback, peer & administrative reviews
Research/scholarly activity
PD (ISW is required)

8. What else can we use it for?
Help when applying for employment
Keeps teaching/professional accomplishments organized
Vehicle for presenting information about teaching activities
Could be presented to institutional & legislative bodies or for consideration of awards
Understand & reflect on teaching skills & weaknesses
Plan for future teaching practice
Promote yourself through personal websites

9. Writing a Teaching Dossier
FIVE STEPS:
Step 1: Develop an outline
Step 2: Write a statement of teaching philosophy
Step 3: Clarify your teaching responsibilities
Step 4: Reflect on your future teaching goals
Step 5: Select and compile your best evidence

10. Step 1: Develop an Outline
A statement of Teaching Philosophy
Teaching Responsibilities
Course Development and Innovation
Service (a list accompanied by sufficient details)
Research
Appendices
See handout for example of tables of contents

11. Step 2: Activity
Break into small groups and discuss the following sentences:
I most enjoyed teaching when __________
I knew I had a problem when __________
What do you think this says about your teaching and learning environment?
What is your teaching philosophy?
See handout for information on teaching perspectives
The teaching Cube - visualizing teaching as having six facets
LEARN: What motivates you to learn about this subject? Why is this mode common? Why would you motivate others similarly?
ACT: Why do you value certain characteristics in teachers and then express those in your own teaching?
DIFFERENCE: Why does what you do in your teaching make a difference in the lives of others? Why is it relevant?
VALUES: What values do you impart to your students and why?
SETTING: Why do you develop the learning environment(s) and the relationship with students that you do?
ENJOY: What are your favorite statements to make about teaching? Why are they favorites?

12. Step 2: Philosophy Statements
Most are brief ~ less than 1 page
Use language appropriate for the audience
Use a first-person voice
Use reflection to create a vivid description of your teaching & learning ideas
Personalize (insightful, interesting, & lively)
Creativity: a poem, a song or a picture with a concept statement

13. Step 3: Responsibilities
Consider:
Workload
Courses taught with student numbers/levels/credit hours
Details of other academic activity: seminars, research supervision, coaching, advising…
Student supervision
Resource materials development
Did you or any of your students get an award as a result of your teaching?

14. Step 4: Goals short-term (1 year) & long-term (2-5 years) goals
Efforts at improving teaching, learning, service…
Formal courses
Conferences
Participation in peer consultation/review
How will you be changing your performance…
New technology?
Lecture -> case study?

15. Step 4: Goals Teaching goals other considerations…
How do your courses contribute to students' achievements in and outside of MacEwan?
How do you nurture students in a setting where grades can be the key motivation to learn?
How do you help students to learn and master knowledge in their field? (teaching methods/tools)?
What steps do you take to encourage higher level learning (such as critical thinking, problem-solving, etc.)?
What is engaged learning and how do you use it in the classroom and in assignments?
How do you evaluate these goals (manageable & realistic) ?

16. Step 5: Appendices Curriculum Vitae Bibliography Service contributions
Awards
Information from student/stakeholder feedback
Information from peer reviews
Information from administrators
More…

17. Student Feedback
Structured Reflection on Student Feedback Context (workload, new course…) Use of mid-term evals, CATS, …summarize Summarize quantitative & qualitative feedback – objectively Validate Students Feedback (written responses to results) – CA: 11.4 My reflection of this term…. How can I improve? What do I need to change?

18. Dossier as a Tool for Personnel Decisions
For personnel decisions, faculty members need to gather and present hard evidence and specific data about teaching effectiveness. This involves demonstrating student learning through instruction.
The burden falls to the faculty member to provide a carefully organized case that establishes the connections with the evidence.

19. Personnel Decisions: Activity
CA: Faculty members are evaluated on performance pertaining to academic responsibilities which can include:
- Teaching
Scholarly activity
Service
Record of academic & professional accomplishments
Professional activity
In small groups, discuss what specific criteria you think is used to assess a teaching/professional portfolio and ways you can demonstrate it…

20. What are Reviewers Looking For?
Clear statement of responsibilities
Purposes and goals consistent with department and institution
Evidence-based success in teaching as demonstrated by student learning
Comments from peer reviewers and colleagues
Student ratings and comments
See handout for example of reflection on Student Course Evaluation Surveys

21. Evaluating Your Dossier
Questions to ask:
Is real evidence of accomplishment presented, not just a reflective statement?
Is the reflective statement consistent with the syllabi, student evaluations, and peer feedback?
Does the dossier present evidence that the student’s actually learned in the instructor's course(s)?
Have efforts been made by the faculty member to assess and improve their teaching?
See handout for guide to evaluating teaching dossiers & organizational matrix

22. Online Portfolios Many faculty are now compiling online portfolios:
(PhyEd)
(Health and Community Studies)

23. Resources https://facultycommons.macewan.ca/services/faceval
Teaching Dossier – examples, instructions, resources
Student surveys – incl. instructions on accessing reports
Faculty Evaluation Policies [C5065]
Chair & Faculty Evaluation Handbooks
Events, speakers, workshops & past presentations

24. Final Tips… Consider readers - busy administrators
purpose - build a story how you’ve improved/how you deserve the title
at least hours
collecting materials throughout the semester
permission to include students’ work
description, reflection, and connection
having someone read your material – my job!!!