Elements of a Teaching Dossier

Typical length: 6-12 pages 

Maximum length including appendices: 35-50 pages

What is a teaching dossier?

A teaching dossier is a combination of documents – narrative descriptions of teaching, sample teaching materials and teaching evaluations – that highlights and summarizes your teaching experience. A strong dossier is concise and selective. It is also authentic, sincere, well-written and well-organized. An effective teaching dossier should provide a snapshot of you as a teacher that allows a reader to identify your own approach to teaching and how you value student learning. 

“University reviews will carefully evaluate a candidate’s record of excellence in teaching, using the six university-wide criteria for teaching effectiveness.”

LUMS Six Criteria for evaluating Teaching:

  1. Design and planning of learning activities 
  2. Teaching and supporting student learning 
  3. Assessment and giving feedback to students on their learning 
  4. Developing effective learning environments, student support and guidance 
  5. Integration of scholarship, research and professional activities with teaching and in support of student learning 
  6. Evaluation of practice and continuing professional development

The five schools have developed indicators and list of evidence to demonstrate teaching excellence. It highly encouraged that you look at your schools’ indicators and map your personal examples of evidence of effectiveness onto the indicators that apply to your case.

Elements of a Teaching Dossier

Biographical Overview (1/2 page)

The purpose of the Biography is to help the reader place the dossier’s information in a broader academic context. It should include: 

  • Your current overall responsibilities 
  • Mention of the type of courses you currently teach 
  • Courses you would like the opportunity to teach/develop

Teaching Philosophy Statement (1 – 2 pages)

This is simply a description of your general approach to teaching and the rationale behind it. It should include statements about interconnected aspects of your teaching including: 

  • The beliefs and values that inform your teaching 
  • Teaching approaches, learning activities and assessment methods and strategies used and purposes for supporting learning 
  • What impact your teaching has on student learning? (How do you know?) 
  • Your own perceptions of your teaching strengths, limitations, and plans for ongoing professional development

Teaching Responsibilities/Activities 

In the form of a list, this section provides information about instructional settings, level, number of students and student demographics. Subheadings might include: 

  • Course Development/Teaching Innovations 
  • Guest lectures 
  • Graduate Student Supervision/Mentorship 
  • Administrative/Committee Work (curriculum committees etc.) 
  • Educational Leadership (workshops on teaching, learning or assessment that you’ve done for your colleagues or teaching materials you’ve shared with others)

Evidence of Teaching Effectiveness 

This section is an opportunity for you to comment/reflect on the degree of your teaching effectiveness, based on the evidence you provide. You should aim to provide short reflections or explanations for the items you include as evidence, highlighting their purpose and describing the observable impact on student learning. 

Subheadings might include:

  • Products of Teaching/Evidence of student learning (students of yours who have gone on to graduate work, won academic awards, contributed to research etc.) It is important that you articulate the impact/effectiveness of your teaching (approaches, activities etc.) on student learning. 
  • Information/feedback from students 
  • Provide a summary of Course Evaluation results or emerging themes o If possible, highlight scores and student comments that represent items mentioned in your philosophy statement o Comment on how your teaching has changed as the result of feedback you’ve gotten 
  • Information/feedback from colleagues 
  • Information from Other Sources (alumni, parents, employers) 
  • Teaching Awards

Optional/Additional Headings

Professional Development 

Outlines the steps you have taken to evaluate and/or improve your teaching 

  • List any workshops, sessions, or certification that is specific to the development of teaching 
  • Identify at least one key learning/skill development that resulted from the activity

Teaching Scholarship 

List any presentations, research or publications on teaching within your discipline 

Appendices

Appendices include such things as: 

  • Sample course syllabi or course materials that you’ve developed 
  • Letters of thanks or anecdotal feedback from students 
  • Samples of student work 
  • Publication sample 
  • Course Evaluation summary pages 
  • Link to sample lecture (e.g., Zoom)

Examples

Please find attached below samples that might be helpful to you in developing your dossier: 

Sample Teaching Dossier 1 – Promotion to Teaching Professor 

Sample Teaching Dossier 2 – Promotion to Professor

Sample Teaching Dossier 3 – Promotion to Assistant Professor

We can help!

If you would like to book a consultation or need support regarding your teaching dossier, please book a consultation with the LLI: lli@lums.edu.pk