A Handbook for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Enhancing academic and Practice

Teaching and learning credentials
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intentions, teacher preferences, any special needs of the class, and teaching
philosophy.
• Stage 2: Observing the teaching. Most universities have criteria that are used for
observation, ideally based on research evidence about good teaching. There are also
protocols on good practice that need to be followed (Gosling, 2005) and include
informing the students about the presence of an observer and ensuring that the
observer is discreet, does not participate and causes minimal disturbance to the
teaching session. Fullerton (2003) provides a good general purpose form from the
University of Plymouth for developmental observation of teaching.
• Stage 3: Post-observation meeting. The observer and the observed should meet as
soon as possible after the observation (usually within a week). At this meeting the
observed lecturer is prompted to reflect on the session and receives feedback on what
was seen and experienced in the class. What went well and aspects that may need
strengthening are both considered. The real point of this discussion is to prompt the
observed lecturer to reflect on the experience so as to develop their own practice.
Teaching portfolios
A teaching portfolio (subsequently referred to in this chapter as a ‘portfolio’) is a personal
record of achievement and professional development that demonstrates level of
attainment, scope of experience, range of skills and activity, and/or progression as a
university teacher (Fry and Ketteridge, 2003). They are commonly used at the end of the
probationary period or as part of an application for promotion (see also Chapter 29).
A more specific type of structured portfolio may also form part of the assessment for a
professional development programme.
Portfolios need to have a clear structure and, depending on the purpose, this will
usually be determined by institutional, assessment or other requirements. A portfolio
should have an index or map to aid the reader or assessor in navigation and to help them
find specific items of information or evidence. There will be a collection of selected
illustrative materials relating to practice and providing evidence of it. It will normally
include information from observation of teaching and student feedback. Most portfolios
require personal reflective commentary linking evidence to specific themes, referring to
the literature and showing how practice has been critically reviewed and developed. This
is certainly the case for those used summatively in programmes. In portfolios it is the
quality rather than the quantity of information that is always crucial.
Interrogating practice
• Does your institution use a teaching portfolio as part of a programme or for any
other purpose?
• If so, do you know the required format/s of the portfolio?
• What materials have you collected for your own teaching portfolio?