SoTL Scholars Program
Program Overview
Across the country, post-secondary institutions are actively engaged in systematic training of educators in the area of the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). To support teaching effectiveness, scholarly teaching, and evidence-based practice, the SoTL Scholars Program seeks to develop and recognize individual’s efforts to enhance their teaching practice and engage in the teaching and research nexus, ultimately creating pathways of sustaining and supporting the enhancement of teaching and learning at ±«Óătv. The SoTL Scholars Program is grounded in Kenny et al.’s (2017) Teaching Expertise Framework in Postsecondary Education and is structured to provide a scaffolded and cohort-based experience. The SoTL Scholars Program interweaves three foundational tenants into its delivery - i) a focus on expertise in teaching and learning, ii) professional learning and development, and iii) research, scholarship and inquiry – and supports participants working through a developmental continuum of exploring, engaging and expanding (Figure 1).
Figure 1. The SoTL Scholars Program framework (Kenny et al. 2017; Kenny & Watson, 2016).
The purpose of the Program is to provide participants with the foundational knowledge of SoTL, support them in developing a SoTL project and fully participating in the process of collecting and analyzing data and sharing their findings with their peers. Participants who complete the SoTL Scholars Program will:
- Be confident with the basic theories of SoTL and familiar with a range of SoTL and disciplinary-based journals and apply that scholarship to their research question.
- Be able to articulate and identify ethical issues in conducting SoTL.
- Be able to apply relevant and appropriate methods and methodologies to answer questions about teaching and learning.
- Design and complete a SoTL project to address a research question related to their teaching and learning.
- Reflect upon their engagement in the SoTL process and its impact on their teaching practice.
- Participate in the sharing and dissemination of their project and SoTL findings.
- Be able to engage with, and foster, a community of peers interested in SoTL.