Evidence for Career

Academic portfolio

The breadth of academic activity at UOW includes teaching, research, governance and professional activity/community engagement. One of the formal requirements of probation is collection and presentation of evidence of teaching effectiveness. Unless you are in a research-only role, your academic work related to teaching may encompass many activities. For example:

  • Doctoral, Masters or Honours supervision
  • Curriculum development
  • Resource development
  • Activity design
  • Subject design
  • Mentoring of others in a teaching team
  • Subject coordination
  • Lecturing, tutoring
  • Marking

There is no standard profile of teaching. Each of these activities generates different forms of evidence that can be used for institutional probation/promotion processes. They may be put forward for teaching awards or form a significant part of your personal career management. Construction of an academic portfolio helps you to reflect on the balance and relationships among all aspects of your work and continuously refine your approach to teaching.

Requirements for Probation (continuing contracts)

Mix of Evidence for Teaching ranked highly

For staff on continuing contracts with a teaching role, see the following document for ideas on the array of evidence you might include, and an indication of how your unique profile of evidence may be influenced by level of appointment.

Staff on fixed term contracts may find the “Mix of Evidence” useful for identifying relevant evidence to gather to maximise future career options.

University Learning and Teaching (ULT) course

The University Learning and Teaching (ULT) course is offered to all University of Wollongong academic teaching staff and casual teaching staff through the Centre for Educational Development and Interactive Resources (CEDIR) at no cost.

All newly appointed academic staff (teaching on an appointment of more than 12 months) are required to complete the ULT course, unless exempt. Please contact the ULT Coordinator regarding eligibility for partial or full exemption. Exemptions are decided by a committee.

Gathering Teaching Evidence

Teacher Evaluation

When your role involves student interaction in formal UOW subjects (either within lecture/tutorial/laboratory spaces or electronic environments), the probation and promotion processes at UOW require you to conduct Teacher Evaluations.

Peer Review of Teaching

Peer review of teaching-related activities is available to academics at all career stages. It can offer feedback and constructive suggestions to help in your development as a teacher and mutual support and feedback between colleagues, as part of ongoing reflection on teaching practice. Participation in formal peer review of teaching at UOW is optional.

Reward and Recognition

Promotion – Mix of Evidence for Teaching ranked highly

For staff on continuing contracts applying for promotion, see the following document for ideas on the array of evidence you might include, and an indication of how your unique profile of evidence may be influenced by level of appointment.

Teaching Awards

Students and peers may nominate staff in recognition of their teaching, or teaching related activity.

Learning and Teaching Grants

Learning and teaching grants support staff to investigate learning and teaching issues or develop innovative solutions to discipline-specific and institution-wide challenges. The competitive selection process means the receipt of grant funding represents substantial peer recognition.

Faculty Scholars Program

Each year staff with an interest in developing teaching leadership capacity in their faculty are invited to apply for the Faculty Scholars Program. See the following link for guidelines and information on past Faculty Scholars.

ALTC Learning and Teaching Fellowships

The ALTC Fellowship scheme advances learning and teaching in higher education by supporting leading educators to undertake strategic, high profile fellowship activities in areas that support the Mission of the ALTC. For details on Teaching Fellowships and National Teaching Fellowships, see the following:

Last reviewed: 20 April, 2009

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