The Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL) is getting a lot of attention from academics and administrators as a way for educators to measure, evaluate, and disseminate teaching practices. It’s often promoted by offices devoted to faculty development, educational technology, and instructional design at universities, including here at NYU. Further, SoTL research is increasingly considered valuable for tenure and promotion, which has likely contributed to its growth. Despite all the buzz around SoTL, there’s still disagreement about what constitutes an effective SoTL project, as well as a healthy skepticism about its effectiveness.
The first question one might understandably ask is: what is SoTL? In his generative essay on the subject, David Pace defines SoTL as the “systematic creation of rigorous knowledge about teaching and learning.” This scholarship is meant to be conducted by educators from all disciplines throughout higher ed, and is grounded in the instructor’s interest in improving an aspect of teaching and learning. SoTL’s focus on specific classroom application by higher education practitioners is part of what makes it different from discipline-based educational research (DBER). SoTL is not meant to generate theoretical knowledge or be widely applicable beyond a specific teaching method; the focus is on application.
Before undertaking a project, the educator-researcher usually consults previous SoTL literature related to the teaching and learning method they wish to study before trying out this new method on unsuspecting students. Data collection and analysis methods for SoTL research can vary wildly depending on the goals of the project and can include various qualitative and quantitative methods. However, it’s been argued that a well written reflective piece is just as legitimate for understanding teaching and learning and that researchers should not dismiss reflective inquiry. If you are looking for a place to begin thinking about how to design a study, New Directions for Teaching and Learning, Number 136, is a great place to start.
This does not mean everyone is fully on board the SoTL bandwagon. In a recent Chronicle of Higher Education article, Beth McMurtrie points out that while SoTL has grown considerably, many faculty remain skeptical of its applicability to their teaching. This is understandable in that many studies focus on a sample size as small as a single class and involve a pedagogical approach or assignment relevant to a particular discipline. While a focused small study has value, many instructors want to see a more reliable track record of success before tackling a new teaching approach. Skepticism towards using the latest unproven teaching fad is certainly prudent, but the need for additional research can also be viewed as a call to action and an opportunity to collaborate with colleagues on a wider study.
If a review of the existing SoTL research on a particular teaching practice yields limited studies, then this presents an opportunity for either a replication study or a larger scale study involving multiple sections, instructors, or institutions. In order to take advantage of these kinds of opportunities, faculty need the support of university research, teaching and learning, and educational technology resources. Fortunately, these resources exist at NYU in various forms, although navigating them isn’t always easy.
For faculty of Arts & Science, the FAS Office of Educational Technology remains available to assist with SoTL projects from their initial stages through publication. The Arts & Science Teaching Innovation Series presentations have shown us that scholarly teaching is happening all the time, so it follows that scholarship of teaching and learning should happen as well.