Abstract:
Teaching portfolios in higher education are used for the purpose of reflecting on the lecturer’s practice to
improve student learning. Significant to academic development is the need to encourage staff to engage
in scholarly writing about their teaching and student learning as a critically reflexive practice through the
development of teaching portfolios. It was noted through the implementation of an academic development
programme at a university of technology across faculties that not many lecturers were in possession of
teaching portfolios and for the few who were, their main reason for developing them was for promotion
or to participate in teaching awards. This paper is about exploring the use of teaching portfolios for
critically reflecting on one’s teaching to enhance student learning, underpinned by Schon’s reflection
on- and in- action principle. The study used qualitative interpretive research design to determine the
awareness of university teachers on the purpose and importance of teaching portfolios. It was found that
19 participants were aware of the reflective purpose of the portfolios while 11 compiled them out of
compliance. This outcome implies that more lecturers need to be engaged in developing critically reflexive
teaching portfolios for enhanced teaching and student learning, as well as for increased participation in
the scholarship of teaching and learning.
