Engaging in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
As an instructor, you have the potential to contribute to our scholarly understanding of effective teaching and learning in higher education; one way you can do so is by conducting research in your own classroom. You may hear this work called Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), discipline-based education research (DBER), teaching-as-research, etc. Explore the resources below to get started.
Collections
What is SoTL?
The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) is the systematic study of teaching and learning made public, such as through publication in an education research journal or at a conference. This collection will introduce you to this type of classroom-based research.
Getting Started with Discipline-Based Education Research
Discipline-based education research (DBER) is the scientific study of teaching and learning via a combination of disciplinary expertise and social sciences methodology. Use this guide for help getting started with DBER. Some resources also cite the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL).
Developing SoTL Research Questions
Developing a strong research question is a critical first step in conducting a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) project. This collection offers guiding frameworks and practical strategies to help you move from a general topic of interest to a well-defined SoTL inquiry.
Navigating SoTL Ethics and the IRB
Navigating ethical considerations and institutional review board (IRB) processes is a critical part of SoTL. This collection offers practical guidance and examples on what qualifies as research, how to prepare an IRB application, and how to uphold ethical standards in classroom-based research.
Conducting SoTL Literature Reviews
Conducting a literature review is essential to any SoTL project, but it can be challenging to know where to begin. This collection offers practical tools and strategies to help you search for, organize, and engage with SoTL literature—whether you're using traditional methods, AI tools, or both.
Reflective Writing in SoTL
Reflection is valued in teaching practice, so it should come as no surprise that reflective writing is valued in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). Learn more about reflective writing in SoTL and peruse a few of my favorite examples from a range of approaches and perspectives.
Collaborative Writing in SoTL
Whether you're new to SoTL co-authorship or refining your approach, this collection offers resources to help you navigate collaborative writing. You'll find resources on authorship expectations, productive workflows, and models for structuring your work together.
Supporting Faculty Engagement in SoTL
This collection contains resources for educational developers interested in supporting faculty engagement in Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL).