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

494 ❘
Enhancing personal practice
though he started work as a geographer, nowadays he is more frequently
involved with research and development projects spanning all disciplines. He
gives much credit in this aspect of the development of his career to working
collaboratively with a mentor, who is also a colleague and co-author, and says,
‘I wouldn’t be where I am now without his help and support.’
(Professor Mick Healey, in conversation with Stephanie Marshall)
For many institutions, the evidence of teaching expertise is required in the form of a
teaching portfolio. Teaching portfolios have been written about extensively over the years
(Fry and Ketteridge, 2003) and Case study 5 provides an example of the long-established
use of teaching portfolios for tenure and promotion purposes from McGill University.
Case study 5: Use of teaching portfolios for tenure and
promotion at McGill University, Montreal
Interest in teaching portfolios first emerged in Canada in the 1970s, with the idea
developed and promoted by the Canadian Association of University Teachers.
Since then, portfolio use has become relatively commonplace throughout North
America. McGill University, a research-intensive university in Montreal, has had
a portfolio-related policy in place since 1994 when its Senate approved the
requirement of a teaching portfolio for all promotion and tenure decisions.
Initially, basic requirements were outlined by the university, but by 1997, Faculties
had begun developing specific protocols for portfolios that best represented the
particular teaching demands of their own disciplines. Although university policy
has subsequently been reviewed and refined, the basic conception remains largely
the same, namely a teaching portfolio is required for any tenure and promotion
decision, including (1) promotion to the rank of full professor, and (2) hiring with
tenure from outside McGill.
The portfolio includes a teaching statement (five to ten pages) plus appendices
of no more than 30 pages. The statement addresses: (1) an individual’s teaching
approach or philosophy, (2) their teaching responsibilities, (3) evidence of
teaching effectiveness, and (4) teaching development activities. A full description
of the relevant policies and portfolio may be found in the references (under McGill
University). Policy implementation was secured with developmental support
from the teaching development unit which worked with heads of departments
to help define criteria for interpreting and assessing teaching portfolios. All
orientations for new academics include information about the requirement. The
development unit regularly offers workshops on creating and maintaining
teaching portfolios; these workshops include a panel of individuals who review