Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

A Brief History

The scholarship of teaching and learning and its implications were first introduced by Ernest Boyer in the early 1990’s. For over a decade, despite a growing body of literature on this subject, the term remained an ill-defined concept, varying from emphases on action research, reflective practice, teaching effectiveness; professional development; and, discovery and advancement of knowledge (Cunsolo, Elrick, Middleton, & Roy, 1996; Kreber & Cranton, 2000; Schön, 1987). Recent attention in the higher education literature, however, has provided greater clarity with respect to the theoretical concepts, principles, research and practice implications related to scholarly approaches to, and the scholarship of curriculum and pedagogy in diverse higher education settings (full bibliography and SoTL Leadership resources available for registered program participants). At the very heart of this process is an approach to academic work that integrates research, teaching, and student learning.

The scholarship of curriculum and pedagogical practices are key for understanding student learning; for developing responsive and integrated curricula; for enhancing the quality of student learning experiences; for assessing which practices are effective in specific circumstances; and equally important, for providing practice-based inquiry and the dissemination of localized curriculum and pedagogical research to a broader scholarly community.

Taking this level of practice-based research to another level of rigour, SoTL leadership is undertaken by nominated institution-level educational leaders and builds on the scholarship of educational practice (e.g., SoTL, SoCP), However, greater attention is placed on the depth and breadth of leadership and scholarship expertise (e.g., fostering and engaging communities of practice; SoTL Leadership literature, inquiry, research design, methodology and dissemination), as well as organizational impact expectations (Bryk et al, 2011; Hubball, Clarke & Pratt, 2013; Hubball, Pearson & Clarke, 2013; Hubball, Lamberson & Kindler, 2012; Hubball, Clarke, Webb & Johnson, 2015). Thus, an institutional commitment to research, far from being a barrier to improving the quality of undergraduate and graduate education, can in fact be brought to bear in strategic approaches to the scholarship of educational practices.