1 What is the Teaching Portfolio?

At McMaster University, the teaching portfolio serves not only as an opportunity to engage in reflection, but also as a platform to accentuate one’s contributions to teaching and learning. It fulfils a critical need in the Tenure, Permanence, and Promotion processes at the university by allowing educators to craft a narrative that demonstrates their teaching philosophy, professional development, and impact on their students. With respect to its practical components, according to Sheakley (2022), a teaching portfolio is a “collection of documents illustrating the excellence (quantity and quality) and engagement (scholarly work and scholarship) of an educator’s teaching activities. It goes beyond the teaching activity section of a curriculum vitae (CV), documenting activities across all domains of educator activities, from teaching to curriculum development, learner assessment, advising and mentoring, and leadership and administration.”

Creating an authentic, growth-oriented, scholarly, and compelling portfolio entails a sequence of deliberate steps, including reflection, collection, expression, selection, and connection, underscoring its significance as a dynamic and evolving testament to an educator’s professional journey.