McMaster has specific requirements and processes in place around how teaching is formally evaluated. For tenure, permanence, and promotion, these are detailed in the policy McMaster University Revised Policy and Regulations With Respect To Academic Appointment, Tenure And Promotion, also referred to colloquially as the “yellow document” (because it used to be printed on yellow paper). Teaching portfolios, specifically, are mentioned therein (see Section III, Parts 5 through 10), with more complete details regarding the structural and content requirements of McMaster teaching portfolios described in Supplementary Policy Statement B2: Teaching Portfolios (SPS B2).
SPS B2 outlines two major parts required in a teaching portfolio:
- Part A: Executive Summary
- Part B: Supporting Documentation
These parts are discussed in detail in the subsequent tabs. Additional tips and approaches to effectively and efficiently develop a teaching portfolio aligned with McMaster’s institutional requirements are also shared.
For advice that is more tailored to your Faculty, department, or disciplinary context, it is recommended that you review SPS B2 with your department Chair. This will ensure that your plans for your teaching portfolio most effectively incorporate local preferences, expectations, and cultural norms, while still meeting institutional requirements.
Finally, before delving into the structural requirements described in SPS B2, note that while it’s not explicitly stated in the policy, it is good practice to give your portfolio a title page and table of contents, and to start each section of your portfolio on a new page with an appropriate heading. A McMaster teaching portfolio template with this formatting already built in is available for download in Chapter IV: Fulfilling McMaster’s SPS B2 Requirements of the Preparing a Teaching Portfolio Guidebook. You may wish to download the template now and use it to jot down ideas as you proceed through the remainder of this module.