The Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL)

1. The Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL) Utilization of Action Research to enhance SoTL Module 11

2. Agenda • Pre-unit questions • Unit introduction • The Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL): Utilization of Action Research to enhance SoTL • Application questions

3. Pre-unit questions • What comes to mind when you think of effective teaching? • In your own words define the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) • How are effective teaching and SoTL similar and different? • How can action research be used to enhance SoTL?

4. The Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL): Utilization of Action Research to enhance SoTL • The overarching theme of unit 3 is to discuss how to document classroom research for publication and promotion and tenure • The purpose of this module is to illustrate how studying one’s teaching can become the scholarship of teaching & learning. • The use of Action research (see module 2 to refresh your memory) will be illustrated as a means to accomplish the above.

5. The Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL): Utilization of Action Research to enhance SoTL • SoTL Definition • “the systematic reflection/study of teaching and learning made public” (McKinney, 2007, p8) • Inherent in this definition is a research process that includes a question to be investigated, data collection and analysis, and making public findings for others to critique and build on. • Now that you have begun to think about SoTL read the narrative for more information

6. The Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL): Utilization of Action Research to enhance SoTL • Begin to think about your teaching as a research experiment **It is important to consult your institution’s Human Subjects Review Board (HSRB) before conducting any research intended for publication /dissemination.**

7. Return to your work from module 2.What issue did you study and how can it become a research study? • Look –what question do you have regarding your teaching? • Think—How can you collect & analyze data to help you answer your questions? • Act—implement changes based on your analysis and assess or “look” again at your teaching • Teaching becomes a continual process of looking, thinking, and acting. From Stringer, E. (2007). Action research (3rd ed.). Los Angeles: Sage Publications.

8. Application Questions • If developing a research study is too daunting of a task, perhaps having conversations with other faculty about teaching and learning will help you focus your ideas. • A reachable outcome for this unit is to produce or begin to produce a SoTL research proposal. • Your proposal can include: research question, enough literature to support your question, methodology (qual/quant), action steps to answer your question, & data collection and analysis procedures

9. Additional Unit Outcomes • Can you define SoTL • Can you describe how action research provides a means to engage in SoTL work? • Do you know your institution’s HSRB process regarding SoTL and action research? • Are you developing a community to engage in SoTL conversations? • The following modules will focus more on writing and publication

10. Resources • Huber, M, T, & Hutchings, P. (2005). The advancement of learning building the teaching commons. San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass. • McKinney, K. (2007). Enhancing learning through scholarship of teaching and learning the challenges and joys of juggling. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass • Shulman, L. S. (2004). Teaching as community property essays on higher education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. • Stringer, E. (2007). Action research (3rd ed.). Los Angeles: Sage Publications