Assessment of an applicant’s teaching qualifications will be a balancing of several criteria, similar to the assessment of an applicant’s research qualifications.
Assessment committees may profit from considering the questions in the guide below in the assessment of teaching portfolios in connection with appointments. The list is not exhaustive, but exemplifies relevant questions.
Guide:
- What is the breadth and scope of the applicant’s teaching experience?
- What level of pedagogical skills does the described teaching experience reflect, as per SDU’s Pedagogical Competency Profile?
Note: Breadth can, for example, be in the form of subject, institution, target group/level, teaching method and teaching language. Scope can, for example, be the number of hours taught. If the descriptions of breadth and scope are too superficial/general to be assessed, this should be mentioned in the statement.
- What formal educational training/other educational training does the applicant have?
- For example, completed Pedagogical Competence Profile, educational courses
- For example, participation in educational conferences, workshops and/or seminars
- For example, educational dissemination in the form of publications and/or oral presentations
- How does the education in the application align with SDU’s Underlying Principle of Education on activating teaching and active learning?
Note: ‘Educational approach’ refers to the lecturer’s own thoughts about teaching and/or values that are based on the lecturer’s own knowledge and experience. Occasionally, educational theories and educational knowledge can be used to describe the basic educational approach, but this is not a requirement. The educational approach is personal: As such, there is no such thing as a wrong approach, as long as it does not conflict with the values of society or the institution.
- How do the described examples of the applicant’s teaching practice align with SDU's Underlying Principle of Education on activating teaching and active learning?
- What experience does the applicant have with educational development?
- For example, curriculum development, study board work, course development, development of learning activities, etc.
- What experience does the applicant have with educational collaboration?
- For example, educational networks, educational projects, etc.
Note: If descriptions of teaching practice are absent/too rudimentary to be assessed, this should be mentioned in the statement.
- Is the documentation for key claims sufficient and relevant? Documentation may include appendices/links which:
- constitute evidence of quality from others than the applicant, such as course evaluations, statements, evidence, awards, etc.
- exhibit relevant educational products, such as course descriptions, study guides, assignments, course websites, feedback tools, etc.
- How robust is the connection between the basic educational approach, the educational practice and the documentation?
Note: If, for example, a principle of activating teaching is asserted in the basic educational approach, it is important to assess whether the principle is also reflected in the description of the applicant’s own teaching practice and sufficiently substantiated with relevant documentation (e.g. in appendices with educational products).
Laksov, K. B. (2018). Att bedöma pedagogisk skicklighet–är det verkligen så svårt?–en studie av skillnader i bedömningar mellan vetenskapligt och pedagogiskt sakkunniga. Högre utbildning, 8(2), 55-68.
Spowart, L., Turner, R., Shenton, D., & Kneale, P. (2016). ‘But I’ve been teaching for 20 years…’: Encouraging teaching accreditation for experienced staff working in higher education. International Journal for Academic Development, 21(3), 206-218.
Trevitt, C., & Stocks, C. (2012). Signifying authenticity in academic practice: a framework for better understanding and harnessing portfolio assessment. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 37(2), 245–257.
Trevitt, C., Stocks, C., & Quinlan, K. M. (2012). Advancing assessment practice in continuing professional learning: Toward a richer understanding of teaching portfolios for learning and assessment. International Journal for Academic Development, 17(2), 163–175.
Winka, K., & Ryegård, Å. (2019). Pedagogisk portfölj – för karriär och utveckling. Studentlitteratur.