Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)

Faculty who engage in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) conduct research about student learning and/or their own teaching practices -- and then share their findings and/or reflections publicly through presentations or publications.

Peter Felten (2013) argues that there are five principles of good practice in SoTL:

Inquiry focused on student learning

Grounded in scholarly and local context

Methodologically sound

Conducted in partnership with students

Appropriately public

On this page, you can learn more how to engage in your own SoTL research, see SoTL publications by Eastern faculty, or get access to publications focused on SoTL.

Resources for Getting Started

What is SoTL?: Elon University provides videos, written guidance, and links to journal articles defining the key characteristics of the scholarship of teaching and learning.

Doing SoTL: Vanderbilt University offers a step-by-step guide on all aspects of conducting SoTL research, including doing a literature review, planning the project design, and sharing the results.

Getting Started with SoTL: George Mason University offers guidance on developing research questions, identifying research methods, and analyzing results.

Hopscotch 4-SoTL: Developed by researchers at Kennesaw State University, Hopscotch is a web-based tool that guides researchers through the steps of the research design process. Their SoTL tool is designed to support faculty who are newer to SoTL research.

Getting Started with Discipline-Based Education Research (DBER): The University of Virginia provides a curated list of resources for faculty interested in the scientific study of teaching and learning using a combination of disciplinary expertise and social sciences methodology.

Teaching Conferences Directory: Kennesaw State University maintains a comprehensive list of conferences focused on college teaching.

For further reading and guidance throughout the process of designing a SoTL project and disseminating the results:

References:
Cruz, L. (2023). Asking new questions in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). In A. ELCi (Ed.), Professional Development of Faculty Members During- and Post-Crisis State (pp.238-242). Ataturk University Publishing House.
Felten, P. (2013). Principles of good practice in SoTL. Teaching & Learning Inquiry: The ISSOTL Journal, 1(1), 121-125.
Hutchings, P. (2000). Opening lines: Approaches to the scholarship of teaching and learning. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

School of Education and Professional Studies

Maximova, A., Muchiri, S., & Paraschiv, M. (2023). A stroll down the dollar street: Teaching per-capita GDP using internationally comparable photographs. Journal of Economics Teaching, 8(2), 87-113.
Muchiri, S., Paraschiv, M., & Wooten, J. (2022). Teaching economics with Breaking Bad. Journal of Economics Teaching, 7(1), 74-91.
Muchiri, S., & Paraschiv, M. (2019). Where do rebounds go? Using balls to teach price elasticity of demand. Journal of Economics Teaching, 4(2), 60-75.
Duncan, D., Muchiri, S., & Paraschiv, M. (2019). The economics of Breaking Bad: A concept guide. Journal of Economics and Finance Education, 18(2), 15-42.

School of Arts and Sciences

Diller, J. W., & Brewer, A. T. (2022). Supporting meaningful student outcomes in the online environment. In A. Brewer, M. Elcoro, & A. Lippincott (Eds.), Behavioral pedagogies and online learning (pp. 34-50). Hedgehog Publishers.
Ferruci, S. & DeRosa, S. (2019). Multimodality, transfer, and rhetorical awareness: Analyzing the choices of undergraduate writers. In S. Khadka & J.C. Lee (Eds.), Bridging the multimodal gap: From theory to practice (pp. 201-222). Utah State University Press.
Heenehan, M. E., & Khorami, M. (2016). Students' reactions to the homework assessment system WeBWork. Mathematics & Computer Education, 50(1), 42-51.
Krebs, C. A., Kuhn, S. A. C., Brewer, A. T., & Diller, J. W. (2021). Using interteaching to promote online learning outcomes. Journal of Behavioral Education, 32, 76-89.
Kuhn, S. A. C., Krebs, C. A., Diller, J. W., & Brewer, A. T. (2022). Active student responding to increase student engagement in an online university course. In A. Brewer, M. Elcoro, & A. Lippincott (Eds.), Behavioral pedagogies and online learning (pp. 73-91). Hedgehog Publishers.
Lanagan-Leitzel, L. K., & Diller, J. W. (2018). Teaching psychological critical thinking using popular media. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 4(2), 120–125.
Linares-Gray, R. H., Newman Carroll, S., & Smith, E. K. (2022). The stories we tell: Engaging with authority in critical health pedagogy. Communications in Information Literacy, 16(2), 4.
Newman Carroll, S., Mombourquette, A., Boxer, M., Williams, R., & Brewer, S. (2021). Indigenous empowerment through community-engaged health education curriculum: Health promotion in a commercial tobacco cessation campaign. Pedagogy in Health Promotion, 7(4) 358-365.

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)

Resources for Getting Started

SoTL and Other Pedagogy-Focused Publications by Eastern Faculty