Part B: Supporting Documentation

Supporting Documentation is a collection of evidence that supports the Executive Summary of your portfolio, organized into a series of appendices. As explained in SPS B2, Part B “is optional and may contain additional material compiled by the faculty member in support of Part A.” 

While the policy makes clear that Part B optional, your portfolio will be strengthened with thoughtfully selected evidence that underscores the narrative crafted in Part A. Think of it this way: you would likely choose to support your research claims and reasoning with carefully collected evidence. A portfolio representing your teaching claims and reasoning should be no different.  

Whereas the contents of Part A are largely prescribed by SPS B2, what you append to Part B of your teaching portfolio is completely up to you. To ensure proper alignment, the items you select for Part B should be informed by what is discussed in Part A. Furthermore, those items should be referenced somewhere within Part A so that reviewers can easily make connections between your claims and the pieces of evidence meant to support them. 

Your Appendices could include: 

• Professional development, such as a list or certificates from workshops and courses you’ve taken; 
• Sample course materials, such as syllabi, assessments, and evaluation frameworks; 
• Evidence of using innovative technologies or digital pedagogies; 
• Letters of support such as those from colleagues or past students; 
• Feedback from educational developers who have observed your teaching; 
• Publications related to teaching and learning; 
• Teaching awards; 
• and more. 

Tips: 

• Similar to the Description of Contributions to Teaching, it’s most effective to focus on quality over quantity. It will not be effective to compile every last piece of evidence you have available to you. Instead, consider what pieces of evidence best supports the claims you’ve made throughout Part A of your portfolio and select only those for inclusion in Part B. 
• If you’re questioning whether to provide more than one piece of evidence to support a single claim made in Part A, only do so if different pieces would illustrate different aspects of your teaching. For example, one course syllabus is likely enough. However, if you teach very different courses, such as a field course and a seminar course, or a 1st year course and a graduate-level course, then it may make sense to include two syllabi to show your range. Aim to share no more than two pieces of any given type of evidence, though, to ensure that Part B is well-curated. 
• If applicable, Part B is an effective place to address any aberrations related to your teaching, such as a significant dip in student course experience survey scores. Reviewers are understanding that an educator may receive lower scores than usual when they have tried something innovative in a course. Furthermore, reviewers tend to view educators’ acknowledgment and open reflection about challenges faced in their teaching as a strength. Ultimately, reviewers will want to know what you’ve learned from any aberrant or challenging situation you’ve encountered, so refocus those tough moments into a positive by showcasing your resilience and growth through a written reflection.