Assessing Teaching Portfolios

TLTC Guidelines: Evaluating Teaching Portfolios at The University of Maryland

Teaching Portfolios are required elements of promotion application packages for instructional faculty at the University of Maryland. Broadly, they are intended to document the teaching activity, reflection, and growth of faculty. Although there are suggestions from the Teaching and Learning Transformation Center and the Office of Faculty Affairs on what instructors might include in their Teaching Portfolios, there is no firm policy on what must be included, or how they must be evaluated by departments and colleges. 

To ensure equitable assessment in evaluation across promotion candidates, the TLTC recommends that departments proactively develop their teaching portfolio evaluation plan, and share this plan with instructors who may be up for promotion in the coming years. This plan should include:

1. The qualities of teaching the department values. 
2. Suggestions for how instructors can document these values (e.g., templates).
3. Clear rubrics for assessing these values. 
4. A process for providing clear feedback to the applicant. 

Here is an example of an assessment plan that can be modified at the department or college level. If you would like support building your own assessment plan, please send a request to tltc@umd.edu