Creating and Maintaining a
Teacher’s Portfolio
Eva Aagaard, MD
University of Colorado Academy of
Medical Educators
Adapted from Alex Mecaber, MD Shobhina Chheda, MD, MPH & Karen Szauter, MD
Paritosh Kaul, MD
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
University of Colorado School of Medicine
Session Objectives
• Recognize why the Teacher’s Portfolio is
important
• Identify the components of the Teacher’s
Portfolio at the University of Colorado
• Effectively document educational
contributions via a Teacher’s Portfolio
University of Colorado Faculty
• 2001 Survey
• 532 responses:
– 40% career not progressing satisfactorily
– 42% considering leaving academia within 5 years
Lowenstein SR, Fernandez G, Crane L. BMC Medical Education 2007
Predictors Of “Intent To Leave”
• School does not adequately recognize innovative
and high quality teaching
• My department does not foster and reward
teaching excellence
• My department lacks an effective program for
faculty development
• My department has not evaluated my academic
progress regularly
Recommendations
SUGGESTION
• Revise academic promotion
guidelines
LOCAL OUTCOME
• New promotion criteria &
matrix
– Initial response
– Update 2013 including new
pathway
• Recognize and reward
faculty members for jobs
they are asked to do
• Academy of Medical
Educators
TASK
Write down all activities that you do
that are directly related to teaching
and education
How Can You Capture?
Quantity
Quality
Alignment
& Impact
Accomplishments
What is a Teacher’s Portfolio?
…a set of materials documenting teaching
activities in the broadest use of the word
“teaching” that includes not only teaching
performances and skills but instructional
design, mentoring, educational administration
and many other areas.
• From the Un of Miami document on portfolio prep
Curriculum Vitae vs Portfolio
• Curriculum Vitae = what you do
• Portfolio = evidence of excellence
• Simpson D, Fenzel K MedEdPORTAL 2007
Why develop a Portfolio?
• Self reflection
Performance Assessment
• Follow growth as an
teacher
• Annual review
• Refinement of skills as
an teacher
• Advancement, promotion
and tenure
Stop and Reflect – how might these look different?
Developing A Teacher’s Portfolio
HOW
Essential Elements (CU)
1. Teaching Philosophy or Statement
2. Direct Teaching Activities
1.
2.
3.
Classroom
Clinical
Outreach (national presentation,s visiting professorships)
3. Curriculum Innovation and Scholarship
4. Educational Administration and Leadership
1.
Can include national service and leadership
5. Mentoring and Advising
6. Self-improvement
Simpson D, Fincher R, Hafler J, et al Advancing Teachers and Education: Defining the Components
and Evidence of Educational Scholarship 2006
Draft a Teaching Philosophy
TASK
• Why do you teach?
• What is your teaching style?
• Describe specific goals / methods / strategies in your
teaching
• Describe how your thoughts about teaching have
been developed
• Discuss the work of others that has informed /
influenced your teaching
Direct Teaching
Any activity that fosters learning, including
direct teaching and creation of associated
instructional materials.
– Lecture
• Powerpoints
– Clinical teaching
• Orientation documents, handouts
– Workshop or Symposium
• Handouts, slides, worksheets
Criteria for Excellence
Direct Teaching:
• Regularly assumes greater than average share
of teaching duties
• Consistently receives outstanding teaching
evaluations or teaching awards, recognition as
an outstanding role model for students
Teaching
Year
Taught
Title or
topic of
activity
Teaching
strategy
or context
200914
Inpatient Rounds
Gen
with
Med
bedside
teaching
Amount Type of learner
4 weeks
3rd yr Medical
students
residents
#
learners
per year
40
Quantity vs. Quality
Teaching Evaluation Grid
Who and how
many evaluated
you? (e.g., 25
learners, 2 peers
or educational
experts)
Describe the process for
40
Residency program and
School of medicine sends
evaluating your teaching
List evaluations/
evaluation
summaries
included
in Appendix XX:
out standardized on line
forms
1
Teaching
Year
Taught
Activity
Teaching
Type Of
Strategy Or Learner
Context
Learners
Per Year
Overall Teaching
Effectiveness
5=Best
2009-12
Inpatient
Gen Med
Rounds With
Bedside
Teaching
3rd & 4th Yr
Medical
Students
12
09-10
10-11
11-12
4.8
4.9
4.9
Representative Comments: One of the most effective attending physicians I have had. She
balances her roles as leader, teacher, mentor and friend with finesse and grace. Her skill at
communicating to and teaching every member of the team should be emulated. She is a role
model for a ward attending.
If Possible…
• Provide data on how your teaching
evaluations compare to those of your peers
– e.g. personal mean score vs. mean scores of other
departmental faculty
Teaching awards
Name
Date
Received
Sponsoring
Organization
Level of
award
Criterion for
award
Dr. Generic
Award
11/2014
SHM
National
Given to the
outstanding
teacher
covering
challenging
topics
Narrative
• How did the information obtained through
your teaching activities and their evaluation
change your educational practice?
TASK: Jot Down Your Core Teaching
Activities
What information
are you missing in
your files/
records?
Where can you get
it?
Curriculum Innovation and
Scholarship
• Curriculum: A longitudinal set that is more than one
teaching session or presentation of designed
educational activities
– Has learning objectives/ goals across set
– Includes evaluation
Criteria for Excellence
• Develops innovative teaching methods such as
educational software, videotapes, packaged
courses or workshops, etc.
• Writing syllabi, textbooks
Curriculum Development
Curriculum Type
Topic and
and # of
Type
learners
Implemented? Where is it
Your degree of
implemented? responsibility
Seminar series
(3-1 hour
sessions) on
discharge
summaries
yes
12 PGY 2
residents
Department
Development leader and
instructor
Curriculum Development
Choose 1-2 curricula as examples of your best
effort, and describe:
–
–
–
–
–
Goals and Objectives
Needs assessment of learners
Teaching /Learning Methods
Learner Assessment and Feedback
Curriculum/Program Evaluation
Impact
• How did the information obtained change
your curriculum, impact your department,
school, etc?
TASK: Complete Curriculum Section
What information
do you need to
complete the
table?
Where can you get
it?
Educational Products
What are some examples you can think of?
• Syllabi
• Instructor’s Manuals
• Lab exercises
• Cases for PBL or Small Groups
• CD-ROMs, Videos
• Online Modules
• Evaluation Tools
Educational Scholarship
• Any products that were
– peer reviewed
– presented or published
– adopted for use in other programs
• Written and disseminated work
– Workshops
Get letters from others
– Posters/ presentations
that use your stuff!
– Papers
– Education grants
Educational Administration &
Leadership
• Achieving results through others
• Transforming organizations demonstrated
through
– ongoing evaluation
– dissemination of results
– maximization of resources
Criteria for Excellence
• Provides educational leadership by assuming
an administrative role
• Consistent participation in national
educational activities
Educational Leadership and
Administration
Title or program
course you have
directed
Name of
Educational
Committee you led
Name of
educational
committee on which
you have been a
member
Role
Duration in
years
Outcomes or
Achievements
Alignment/ Understanding
• Why did you take on these challenges?
• What did you learn or how did you change to
facilitate change , growth or improvement?
TASK: Complete Educational
Leadership & Administration Section
What information
do you need to
complete the
table?
Where can you get
it?
Mentoring and Advising
MENTOR
• a sustained, committed
relationship
• both parties obtain
reciprocal benefits
ADVISOR
• more limited relationship
• usually occurs over a
shorter time period
• Serves as a guide
Criteria for Excellence
• Mentoring & Advising:
– Trains students, residents, fellows or junior faculty
who pursue outstanding academic careers
Mentoring and Advising
Name of
mentee or
advisee
Period of
advising
Sally Smith 2009-12
Their
Advising
position topic
at time
of
advising
Current
position
Advisee
achievements
Resident
Associate
Program
Director
Leading
Educational
Innovations
Project on
Quality
Improvement
Academic
career
development
Mentoring for Research
Student, Resident
or Fellow
Degree (Date)
Thesis Title
Mentee’s
Publications,
Presentations,
Awards
Mary Ann Jones,
RN
MS, School of
Nursing
(1989)
Lack of Utility of
Orthostatic Vital
Signs in Emergency
Department
Patients
Annals Emerg Med,
1991
1989
Emergency Nursing
Scientific Assembly,
1989
ENA/Micromedex
Best Original
Research Award
WHAT MIGHT BE IN YOUR NARRATIVE
TO HELP CREATE SHARED
UNDERSTANDING?
TASK: Complete Mentoring & Advising
Section
What information
do you need to
complete the
table?
Where can you get
it?
Self-Improvement
• Examples anyone???
– Teaching Courses
– Workshops
– Certificates (AKA Teaching Scholars)
– Reflection!
Challenges?
Tips for making it happen
• Keep track….
– Calendar
– Paper file folders (keep everything!)
– Electronic file folders
• Block time..
– Pre-schedule portfolio “maintenance”
appointment
• Actively plan for your own career
• Get at least one mentor!
Key Points
Key Points
• Teachers Portfolios are about:
– Quantity
– Quality
– Impact
– Alignment
Questions