Instructional Resources

Providing Evidence of Teaching Effectiveness

This resource is designed to help you identify and record the various elements of your teaching practice. It can be used as a guide in selecting items that describe your teaching practice and its impact, such as those required for academic hiring processes, promotion and tenure, and teaching award nominations.

Adapted from Kenny et al. (2017), this resource outlines five primary facets of teaching expertise. Each facet is connected with a list of teaching activities and ways in which you can document them and provide evidence of their effectiveness, including “Possible Items for a Teaching Dossier” from section 3.2 of the CAUT Teaching Dossier (2018) guide[1].

The five facets of teaching expertise are:

  • Teaching and supporting learning;
  • Supervision and mentorship;
  • Professional learning and development;
  • Educational leadership; and
  • Research, scholarship, and inquiry (Kenny et al., 2017).

There is some overlap in the facets of teaching activity and categories of evidence, and not all activities will apply to your teaching practice. Choose the most relevant activities and supporting evidence given your particular context.

Teaching and Supporting Learning

Teaching that places learning at its centre involves creating experiences and environments that empower students to engage, learn deeply, and become self-directed learners (Trigwell, Prosser & Waterhouse, 1999; Weimer, 2013). Teaching organized around student learning also recognizes that understanding and improving learning is an ongoing process, hence, teaching expertise is developed over time and always evolving (Hendry & Dean, 2002; Kreber, 2002). A commitment to setting clear expectations for both teaching and learning, regularly providing and gathering feedback, and critically reflecting on one’s teaching practice and philosophy guides practitioners in a learning-focused teaching framework (Lizzio, Wilson & Simons, 2002; Nichol & Macfarlene-Dick, 2006; Tigelaar et. al, 2002).

Teaching and Learning Activities  

Activity Examples

Evidence from Self

Evidence from Students

Evidence from Colleagues/Peers

Supervision and Mentorship

Supervision or mentorship is characterized as a positive, respectful, mutually-beneficial relationship that supports the teaching and academic development of both mentor and mentee (Mathias, 2005). Mentoring relationships foster self-exploration, career advancement, intellectual development, enhanced confidence and competence, social and emotional support, academic citizenship and socialization, information sharing, and professional identity formation (Foote & Solem, 2009; Johnson, 2007; Schlosser et al., 2011). Mentorship typically occurs between an experienced faculty member and a less experienced colleague, student or postdoctoral scholar, but can also occur in a group context. Developed formally (i.e., structured programs) or informally, mentorship focuses on topics most relevant to the mentor and mentee.

Supervisors are mentors and more. “Supervisor” means a qualified individual, who is normally an Academic Staff Member, who serves as the primary mentor to a Graduate Student, oversees the Graduate Student’s academic progress, and serves as chair of the Graduate Student’s supervisory committee, where applicable. Supervision is a professional relationship which includes an aspect of accountability for both supervisor and supervisee. Supervisors not only provide academic supervision (research and writing), they are also expected to mentor students in career development (securing funding, dissemination, professional and collaborative skills) (CAGS, 2008).

Supervision and Mentorship Activities  

Activity Examples

Evidence from Self

Evidence from Students

Evidence from Colleagues/Peers

Professional Learning and Development

Professional learning and development is a key component of expert practice and contributes to teacher reflective practice. Reflective practice and participation in formal and informal professional development is linked to improved student learning outcomes and engagement as well as improved experiences for teachers (Carmichael, 2012). Professional development includes engaging in formal processes such as conferences, seminars, workshops, courses, or programs on teaching and learning, and collaborative learning among members of a community. Professional learning can also occur in informal contexts such as discussions among work colleagues, independent reading and research, observations of a colleague’s work, or other learning from a peer (Arthur, 2016).

Professional Learning and Development Activities

Activity Examples

Evidence from Self

Evidence from Students

Evidence from Colleagues/Peers

Educational Leadership

Educational leaders influence change and implement initiatives to strengthen teaching and learning practices, communities, and cultures (Keppell, O’Wyer, Lyon & Childs, 2010; Mårtensson & Roxa, 2016). They share their expertise to inspire and help others strengthen their teaching practices; implement strategic programs, initiatives and policies to improve teaching and student learning; advocate for positive change; and lead institutions, faculties, and committees to continuously improve postsecondary education (Creanor, 2014; Mårtensson & Roxa, 2016; Taylor, 2005).

Educational leadership is demonstrated through formal leadership roles (e.g., committee chairs, department heads), structures and responsibilities, and through leadership activities that may not be formally identified as part of one’s teaching responsibilities (Creanor, 2014; Jones, Lefoe, Harvey & Ryland, 2012; Mårtensson & Roxa, 2016).

Educational Leadership Activities  

Activity Examples

Evidence from Self

Evidence from Students

Evidence from Colleagues/Peers

Research, Scholarship, and Inquiry

One way in which teaching expertise is both developed and expressed is through research, scholarship, and inquiry—terms that reflect the variations of this activity across different contexts (Poole, 2013). These practices are commonly grouped under the title Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL).

Teaching and learning have a complex relationship that invites teachers to develop “pedagogical content knowledge” (Shulman, 1986), or an understanding of how learning happens (or doesn’t) within specific disciplines and subject areas. Research, scholarship, and inquiry play a key role in developing this knowledge. Expert teachers consult relevant existing research to build a strong foundation for designing, implementing, and assessing effective learning experiences for students (Shulman, 2004). Expert teachers may also conduct and share their own pedagogical research, scholarship, or inquiry not only to advance their own understanding, but also to contribute to the larger body of knowledge about effective teaching and learning (Felten 2013; Shulman, 1993).

Research, Scholarship, and Inquiry Activities  

Activity Examples

Evidence from Self

Evidence from Students

Evidence from Colleagues/Peers


[1] With permission from CAUT, items are identified in example activities and evidence by the corresponding item number in brackets.

References:

  • Arthur, L. (2016). Communities of practice in higher education: professional learning in an academic career. International Journal for Academic Development, 21(3): 230-241. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2015.1127813
  • Canadian Association of Graduate Studies (2008). Guiding principles for graduate student supervision. Canadian Association of Graduate Studies https://cags.ca/documents/publications/working/Guiding%20Principles%20for%20Graduate%20Student%20Supervision%20in%20Canada%20-%20rvsn7.pdf
  • Carmichael, D. L., and Martens, R. P. (2012). Midwestern magic: Iowa’s statewide initiative engages teachers, encourages leadership, and energizes student learning. Journal of Staff Development 33(3). 22-26. midwestern-magic.pdf (learningforward.org)
  • Creanor, L. (2014). Raising the profile: An institutional case study of embedding scholarship and innovation through distributive leadership. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 51(6), 573-583. https://doi.org/10.1080/14703297.2013.796716
  • Felten, P. (2013). Principles of good practice in SoTL. Teaching & Learning Inquiry, 1(1), 121-125. https://muse.jhu.edu/article/504206
  • Foote, K. E. & Solem, M. N. (2009). Toward better mentoring for early career faculty: Results of a study of US geographers. International Journal for Academic Development, 14(1), 47-58. https://doi.org/10.1080/13601440802659403
  • Hendry, G. D. & Dean, S. J. (2002). Accountability, evaluation and teaching expertise in higher education. International Journal of Academic Development, 7(1), 75-82. https://doi.org/10.1080/13601440210156493
  • Johnson, B. (2007). Transformational supervision: When supervisors mentor. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 38(3), 259-267. DOI: 10.1037/0735-7028.38.3.259
  • Jones, S., Lefoe, G., Harvey, M., & Ryland, K. (2012). Distributed leadership: A collaborative framework for academics, executives and professionals in higher education. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 34(1), 67-78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2012.642334
  • Kenny, N., Berenson, C., Chick, N., Johnson, C., Keegan, D., Read, E., & Reid, L. (2017, October). A developmental framework for teaching expertise in postsecondary education. Poster presented at the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Conference, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Retrieved from: http://connections.ucalgaryblogs.ca/2017/11/04/developing-a-learning-culture-a-framework-for-the-growth-of-teaching-expertise/
  • Keppell, M., O’Dwyer, C., Lyon, B., & Childs, M. (2011). Transforming distance education curricula through distributive leadership. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 15(4), 9-21.
  • Kreber, C. (2002). Teaching excellence, teaching expertise, and the scholarship of teaching. Innovative Higher Education, 27(1), 5-23.
  • Lizzio, A., Wilson, K., & Simons, R. (2002). University students’ perceptions of the learning environment and academic outcomes: Implications for theory and practice. Studies in Higher Education, 27(1), 27-52. DOI: 10.1080/03075070120099359
  • Nicol, D. J., & Macfarlane‐Dick, D. (2006). Formative assessment and self‐regulated learning: A model and seven principles of good feedback practice. Studies in Higher Education, 31(2), 199-218. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075070600572090
  • Mathias, H. (2005). Mentoring on a programme for new university teachers: a partnership in revitalizing and empowering collegiality. International Journal for Academic Development, 10(2), 95-106. https://doi.org/10.1080/13601440500281724
  • Mårtensson, K., & Roxå, T. (2016). Leadership at a local level–Enhancing educational development. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 44(2), 247-262. DOI: 10.1177/1741143214549977
  • Poole, G. (2013). Square one: What is research? In K. McKinney (Ed.), The scholarship of teaching and learning in and across the disciplines (135-151). Indiana University Press.
  • Schlosser, L. Z., Lyons, H. Z., Talleyrand, R. M., Kim, B. S. K., & Johnson, W. B. (2011). Advisor-advisee relationships in graduate training programs. Journal of Career Development, 38(1), 3-18. DOI: 10.1177/0894845309358887
  • Shore, B. M., Foster, S. F., Knapper, C. K., Nadeau, G. C., Neill, N., & Sim, V. W. (2018). CAUT Teaching Dossier. Canadian Association of University Teachers.      https://www.caut.ca/sites/default/files/caut-teaching-dossier_2018-11_online_version.pdf.
  • Shulman, L. S. (2004). Lamarck’s revenge: Teaching among the scholarships. Teaching as Community Property: Essays on Higher Education (164-172). Jossey-Bass.
  • Shulman, L. S. (1993). Teaching as community property: putting an end to pedagogical solitude. Change, 25(6), 6-7. https://doi.org/10.1080/00091383.1993.9938465
  • Taylor, K. L. (2005). Academic development as institutional leadership: An interplay of person, role, strategy, and institution. International Journal for Academic Development, 10(1), 31-46. https://doi.org/10.1080/13601440500099985
  • Tigelaar, D. E. H., Dolmans, D. H. J. M., Wolfhagen, I. H. A. P., and Van Der Vleuten, C. P. M. (2004). The development and validation of a framework for teaching competencies in higher education. Higher Education, 48, 253-268.
  • Trigwell, K., Prosser, M., & Waterhouse, F. (1999). Relations between teachers’ approaches to teaching and students’ approaches to learning. Higher Education, 37(1), 57-70.
  • Weimer, M. (2013) Learner-centred teaching: Five key changes to practice (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.

Resource created by: Melanie D.

Originally Published: July 12, 2024