This is the first in a series of Portfolio development workshops for the Faculty of the Natural Sciences at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). This workshop is an introduction to the UWC context and requirements for portfolio development.

1. Faculty of the Natural Sciences
Portfolio Development Series
Workshop I
14 May 2013
Rita Kizito

2. Introducing the purpose and
UWC framework for compiling a
teaching portfolio

3. On completion of today’s
workshop, you should be able to:
• Outline the nature and purpose of a
teaching portfolio
• Explore the UWC requirements for
compiling a teaching portfolio
• Start identifying the evidence from your
own teaching and learning experience for
inclusion in your own portfolio.

4. What is a teaching portfolio?
 “an organized collection of evidence of a
teacher’s best work that is
selective, reflective and collaborative” (
Gelfer, Xu & Perkins, 2004:128)
 Factual description of a professor’s teaching
strengths and accomplishments. It includes
documents and materials which collectively
suggest the scope and quality of a
professor’s teaching performance”
(Seldon, 1997:2)

5. What is the purpose of a teaching
portfolio?
 “to demonstrate a teacher’s
accomplishments over time and document
the variety of contexts in which the
accomplishments occur”( Shriven, 1996)
 “to assess and evaluate teacher
performance” (Gelfer, Xu &
Perkins, 2004:127)

6. From the UWC’s point of view…
• highlight on your achievements in terms of
teaching & learning at UWC
• elaborate on how you have reflected on
your own teaching practices and used
these reflections to advance the teaching
& learning agenda at UWC
• show how you have been able to establish
a context that encourages good learning.

7. 1st
5th
9th
2nd
3rd
7th
4th
6th
8th
Image from: http://graphicriver.net/item/double-helix-dna-strand/65979
Your students- who are they and what
are their learning needs?
What is your teaching philosophy?
What informs it ?
Curriculum
design and
development
Assessment - how do you know
that your planned learning goals
for students are being met?
Contribution and participation in
institutional T&L activities
Scholarship - what
scholarly works have
informed your
teaching?
Professionalization - teaching & learning
workshops presented or attended.
Infusion of
technologies
Evaluation of teaching &
learning
The Architecture of Proficient Teaching
UWC REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPILING A TEACHING PORTFOLIO

8. Group Activity (10 -15 minutes)
 Individually, jot down the kinds of
evidence that you would need to
include in your portfolio as evidence of
aspects of teaching and learning (one
item on each sticker)..
 In groups of 4 -5 , organize these
items into lists, with a heading for each
list. Share these with the bigger group.

9. What should go into a portfolio ?
 Type a detailed list of the items you needed to complete your
experiments.
 Be specific about the amounts used.

10. Procedure
 List all of the steps used in completing your experiment.
 Remember to number your steps.
 Add photos of your experiments.

11. Data/Observations
 It is easier to understand the data if it is put into a table or graph.
Create a graph in Microsoft Excel and import it here.
 Make sure all data is clearly labeled.

12. Conclusion
Type a brief summary here of what you discovered based on the
results of your experiments. You need to indicate whether or not the
data supports the hypothesis and explain why or why not.

13. Works Cited
Be sure to include print and electronic
sources and put them in alphabetical order.