Documenting and Evaluating Teaching: Teaching Portfolios

The teaching portfolio describes and documents a faculty member’s achievements in teaching. As part of a multi-faceted teaching evaluation program, it provides a rich picture of teaching that can be used for making personnel decisions. It is also a means for self-reflection on teaching, leading to teaching improvement. The links below describe teaching portfolios, explain their multiple functions, and provide detailed guidelines for developing a teaching portfolio.

“The Teaching Portfolio,” Matthew Kaplan (Occasional Paper #11, 1998, University of Michigan, Center for Research on Learning and Teaching). Adobe Acrobat/PDF.
Provides an overview of teaching portfolios, their description, purposes, evaluation, and use.
Link: http://www.crlt.umich.edu/publinks/occasional.html

“The Teaching Portfolio,” Peter Seldin, Pace University, and Linda Annis, Ball State University (University of Minnesota, Center for Teaching and Learning Services).
Defines a teaching portfolio, suggests what might be included, and describes Ball State’s experience with developing teaching portfolios. Concludes with 6 suggestions for designing an effective teaching portfolio program.
Link: http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn/resources/guides/portfolio.html

Developing a Teaching Portfolio (Ohio State University, Faculty and TA Development).
This comprehensive and well-organized site provides a practical guide to all aspects of developing a teaching portfolio. Also includes links to over a dozen portfolio sites at other universities, links to information on electronic portfolios, online examples of teaching portfolios, and a list of additional readings.
Link: http://ftad.osu.edu/portfolio/

“Promoting a Culture of Teaching: The Teaching Portfolio,” Speaking of Teaching, Stanford University Newsletter on Teaching, Spring 1996, Vol. 7, No. 3. Adobe Acrobat/PDF.
More useful information on the creation and use of a teaching portfolio.
Link: http://ctl.stanford.edu/Newsletter/teaching_portfolio.pdf

“How to Produce A Teaching Portfolio.” Excerpts from Peter Seldin’s The Teaching Portfolio: A Practical Guide to Improved Performance and Promotion/Tenure Decisions, 2nd edition, Anker, 1997.
Rationale for developing a teaching portfolio, items to include, and examples of the Table of Contents for two faculty members.
Link: http://www.city.londonmet.ac.uk/deliberations/portfolios/ICED_workshop/seldin_book.html

Teaching Portfolios (University of Texas at El Paso, The Center for Effective Teaching and Learning).
This site contains guidelines for all aspects of developing and evaluating a teaching portfolio, including sample teaching portfolios from business, education, engineering, health sciences, liberal arts, and science.
Link: http://sunconference.utep.edu/CETaL/resources/portfolios/

“An Overview of E-Portfolios,” George Lorenzo and John Ittleson, edited by Diana Oblinger (EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative, E11 paper 1: 2005). PDF.
This report describes 3 types of e-portfolios: student e-portfolios; teaching e-portfolios for faculty; and institutional e-portfolios for department, program, and institutional accreditation processes. Summarizes key issues in portfolio development; discusses material for inclusion; reviews e-portfolio technology; and provides links to examples of e-portfolio initiatives.
Link: http://educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI3001.pdf

See also on this site
Evaluating Teaching Effectiveness
Teaching Philosophy Statement