In this section

Teaching

Course Outlines

Here are some items that may be relevant for your course outline:

  • Course Number, Name, Location, Time, and Semester(s)
  • Instructor Name, Location, E-mail, Phone, and Office Hours
  • Dates of Examinations (if any)
  • Calendar Description
  • Prerequisites (if any)
  • Course Description (possibly add a little more detail if calendar description is brief)
  • Course Objectives
  • Statement of Mutual Academic Expectations
  • Learning and Teaching Methods
  • Textbook(s), (Recommended or Required)
  • Other Recommended or Required Reference Material
  • Bibliography (Possibly Annotated)
  • Class by class, or week by week course schedule, list reading materials for each class/week
  • Assignments: descriptions, due dates, value of course mark
  • Evaluation of Assignments: criteria used
  • Policy on Attendance (Where Applicable)
  • Policy on Late papers/Extensions (Where Applicable)
  • Academic Misconduct

Notes

  • All of this information may not be relevant for all courses.
  • Some instructors prefer to negotiate certain aspects of course content with students so not all of this information may be available at the beginning of the course. Consider providing supplementary sheets that outline any agreements made during the course.
  • Think carefully about making any major changes to the outline without consulting the class. If you think that you may make changes, include information in your outline to this effect. Please note: The Statement of Mutual Academic Expectations of Instructors and Students includes the following “Instructors ensure that the value of each assignment, test or examination is clearly established in the course outline and do not alter those values without the consent of the class”.
  • Information in this checklist was developed from a checklist used in the Faculty of Social Work, University of Regina developed by Professor Mona Acker.

Standard of Teaching Required for Tenure and Promotion

For information on the standard of teaching required for tenure and promotion, please see Appendix E in the “Collective Agreement between St. Thomas University and the Faculty Association of the University of St. Thomas Policies & Agreements.

The full and part-time collective agreements are available at Administrative Offices > Human Resources >  .

Teaching Portfolios

Suggested Table of Contents

  1. Courses Taught and a Brief Description of their Aims
  2. Teaching Philosophy
  3. Information from students
  4. Teaching Awards
  5. Presentations, Research and Publications on Teaching
  6. Conclusion and Future Goals

Provided by Dr. Ian Fraser at faculty workshop on Teaching Portfolios hosted by Learning & Teaching Development Committee, October 6, 2003.