Welcome to the ADEA Micro-credential on Developing a Teaching Philosophy!

What are ADEA Micro-credentials?

ADEA Micro-credentials are a rigorous method for assessing a knowledge and skills related to a specific topic area. The micro-credential program supports recognition of participants’ efforts toward lifelong learning, self-directed learning, evidence-based practice and focused skills development in targeted areas. Learn more about the overall program here. 

What are the goals and requirements of the "Developing a Teaching Philosophy" micro-credential? 

This micro-credential is a demonstration of the individual’s ability to develop, support and electronically post a teaching philosophy statement.

It specifically focuses on: 

• Demonstrating a set of aims, values, beliefs and/or convictions that describe a clear vision of your teaching philosophy. 
• Aligning your teaching philosophy statement with learning theories and evidence-based teaching. 
• Evaluating how your current institutional context (i.e., specific discipline culture and institution mission) and individual skill set may influence your personal teaching philosophy. 

Select the “Micro-credential Overview” and “Rubrics and Submission Template” tabs above to learn more. Each ADEA Micro-credential contains three main sections: 1.) Overview Questions, 2.) Reflection Questions, and 3.) Portfolio Artifact submission(s). Each section has an associated rubric that is pass/fail. 

How do I apply?

Select "Register" in the upper right of this page and proceed to the checkout. Once purchased, you can submit your responses and evidence at any time under the "Submit" tab. Please be sure your submission meets the "proficient" criteria as outlined in each of the three rubrics associated with this micro-credential.

When are submissions due?

Submissions are collected on Jan. 15th and July 15th for review. Any submissions received before those cutoff dates will be peer-reviewed with the results communicated approximately eight weeks later. 

• Example: A submission completed on June 1 would be included in the July 15 review cycle, with results communicated by mid-Sept. 

What do I earn if successful?

If successfully completed, each micro-credential submission will earn a verifiable digital badge that can be displayed in social media profiles, CVs and email signatures. When someone (e.g., a peer, current or prospective employer) views the meta-data, they can see when you earned the badge, what requirements it took to earn the micro-credential and even the work sample you submitted (if requested). 

Can I resubmit?

Yes! If the original submission does not meet the requirements as outlined in the rubrics, you can revise and resubmit at no extra charge. 

Note: A PDF version of this micro-credential is located at the bottom of the page. Grading rubrics and the submission template can be found in the "Rubrics and Submission Template" tab. 

Overall Goal

Develop, support and electronically post a teaching philosophy statement.

Objectives and Outcomes

Through completion of this micro-credential, you will be able to:

1. Demonstrate a set of aims, values, beliefs and/or convictions that describe a clear vision of your teaching philosophy. 
2. Align your teaching philosophy statement with learning theories and evidence-based teaching.
3. Evaluate how your current institutional context (i.e., specific discipline culture and institution mission) and individual skill set may influence your personal teaching philosophy.

Rationale and Supporting Research

Teaching philosophy statements show the ability to demonstrate a set of aims, values, beliefs and convictions that provide an organizing vision of an individual’s direction as a teacher and a rationale toward which his or her efforts are geared.

1. Coppola BP. Writing a Statement of Teaching Philosophy: Fashioning a Framework for Your Classroom. Journal of College Science Teaching, 2002; 31(7):448–453.
2. Schönwetter DJ, Sokal L, Friesen M, Taylor KL. Teaching philosophies reconsidered: A conceptual model for the development and evaluation of teaching philosophy statements/ International Journal for Academic Development. 2002; 7(1):83-97.
3. Kearns KD, Sullivan CS. Resources and practices to help graduate students and postdoctoral fellows write statements of teaching philosophy. Adv Physiol Educ. 2011 Jun;35(2):136-45. doi: 10.1152/advan.00123.2010. PMID: 21652498.
4. Medina MS, Draugalis JR. Writing a teaching philosophy: an evidence-based approach. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2013 Feb 1;70(3):191-3. doi: 10.2146/ajhp120418. PMID: 23327980.

Sample Resources

Articles on Teaching Statements:

• “Writing the Teaching Statement” by Rachel Narehood Austin, Science Magazine
• “How to Write a Statement of Teaching Philosophy” by Gabriela Montell, The Chronicle of Higher Education
• “What’s Your Philosophy on Teaching, and Does it Matter?” by Gabriela Montell, The Chronicle of Higher Education
• “A Teaching Statement” by Jeffrey Marcus, The Chronicle of Higher Education
• “Everything But the Teaching Statement” by Jeremy S. Clay, The Chronicle of Higher Education
• “Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement” by Helen G. Grundman, Notices of the American Mathematical Society

Additional Institutional Resources:

• From the University of Michigan
• From University of California Berkeley
• From University of Pennsylvania

Electronic Portfolio Hosting Sites:

The electronic portfolio is a way to showcase your accomplishments, skills, and philosophy on the internet. You can write a personal profile; post your CV, resume, research statement, teaching philosophy statement; give links to published articles, work samples, etc.; and post photos and other images. You can continually update it as you progress through your studies and your career. It is readably available for potential employers to see.

Sites that Host Electronic Portfolios:

• Interfolio (fee-based)
• Google Sites (free)

Workshops and Institutes

• Emerging Leaders Program – American Dental Education Association (ADEA)
• Institute for Teaching and Learning (ITL) – Academy for Advancing Leadership

Submission Criteria and Evaluation Guidelines

Section 1: Overview Questions (See Grading Rubric for Evaluation Criteria)

1. Motivation – Why is this micro-credential meaningful for you? Please discuss the value this micro-credential has for your professional work and practice. Specifically, explain how this micro-credential supports or enhances your professional development within dental education.
   
   [Please provide your answer in text format (500-750 words) OR in a video format (2-3 minutes).]
2. Training – Provide the three most significant or impactful resources used to support your development of relevant knowledge and skills in this area (activities, training, courses, learning experiences, individual study of important literature or other formal or informal professional development). Describe each activity or resource and explain how it supported your learning in this area. You must include three examples and citations or links for any resources that you cite. To the extent possible, demonstrate variety in the format or type of learning experiences you discuss.  
   
   [Please provide your answer text format with a maximum of 1,000 words] 
3. Key Features: From your research and/or training, what would you describe as the common components and characteristics of a teaching philosophy document? Are there any portions that are essential? Are there any which are optional? Which of them required the most development and reflection for you? 
   
   [Please provide a specific example for each question in the prompt. Please provide your answer in text format with a maximum of 1,000 words.]
4. Adaption: Do teaching philosophies need to change with different generations of students or different teaching settings? Describe one scenario where you have already addressed this question or anticipate it may come up in the future. 
   
   [Please provide your answer in text format with a maximum of 1,000 words.]  
5. Institutional Setting: Does your institution have any specific requirements for writing a teaching philosophy? If yes, what are the requirements? 
   
   [Please provide your answer in text format with a maximum of 300 words.]
6. Community Engagement – Provide evidence of community engagement within the topic of developing a teaching philosophy. Acceptable evidence consists of attendance to a relevant conference, workshop, webinar or educational session on the topic, participation in an ADEA Connect discussion board, or engagement with a community partner in this topic area.
   
   [You may include written descriptions and/or links as evidence of your participation in these activities.]

Section 2: Reflection Questions (See Grading Rubric for Evaluation Criteria)

1. Critical Assessment of Portfolio Artifacts – Provide a self-assessment of your submitted portfolio artifacts. Structure your reflection to address the following:
   a. What was your primary purpose or goal in creating the teaching philosophy? Who is the intended audience for this work and what is the intended use or application?
   b. How is your teaching philosophy informed by current information, literature and practices in this topic area?
   c. How have you been able to (or how will you) assess the effectiveness or impact of your teaching philosophy? Are there any limitations to this assessment? 
   d. How does your supporting documentation demonstrate the application of this teaching philosophy?
   
   [Your response must be text based and a maximum of 1,000 words.]
2. Relevant Ethical Considerations – Provide a summary and description of how your teaching philosophy communicates your personal code of ethics. 
   
   [Your response must be text based and between 500-1,000 words]
3. Supporting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – How can a teaching philosophy be developed so that it supports diversity, equity and inclusion efforts within a dental education setting? Provide one to two examples of how your teaching philosophy was developed to meet the needs of a diverse student population.
   
   [Your response must be text based and between 500-750 words.]

Section 3: Portfolio Artifact (See Grading Rubric for Evaluation Criteria)

Submission Criteria: Provide a hyperlink to your personal teaching philosophy statement included within an e-portfolio or similar electronically published format. At least one hyperlink to additional supporting documents should also be provided. Supporting documentation should demonstrate your application of the teaching philosophy statement through such methods as peer-reviewed manuscripts, lesson plans, learning activities, learning session materials (files or recordings), learner assessments, videos, presentation recordings, case studies, case materials for use in educational settings, workshop materials. The teaching philosophy statement and supporting material should be the focus of your previous responses in Sections 1 and 2.