Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)
What is SoTL?
“[SoTL] is a kind of going meta in which faculty frame and systematically investigate questions related to student learning – the conditions under which it occurs, what it looks like, how to deepen it and so forth – and do so with an eye not only to improve their own classrooms but to advancing practice beyond it.” (Hutchings & Shulman 1999)
The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) generally entails the study of student learning and the public sharing of these investigations. Many faculty take a scholarly approach to teaching such as reading the higher education pedagogical literature, reviewing and making changes to teaching based on course evaluation data, or attending teaching-related professional development workshops.
SoTL Writing Cohort Program: Apply by April 17
This SoTL Writing Cohort Program (Summer Intensive) is designed for instructors to write up their SoTL project. The program is a reciprocal, peer-driven offering facilitated by the CTSI-SoTL team. Over the course of ten weeks (May 9-July 20, 2023), you will participate in both in-person and remote sessions as part of a larger cohort of instructors working in groups of three, guided by an evidence-based writing structure. We invite instructors and librarians from our U of T SoTL community to participate in this intensive professional development opportunity.
From a participant in the 2021-2022 Writing Cohort Pilot Program: “Thank you so much for your kind facilitation, organization, and support! I really appreciate the opportunity to participate.”
U of T SoTL Showcase
Project: Community-engaged Learning (CEL): Integrating Anthropological Discourse. The project focused on the course Anthropology and Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island in Canada (ANT241).
Goals: Guided by the Indigenous Action Group at UTM, this project integrated Indigenous methodologies at each stage. Answering the Call, Wecheehetowin: The entire community bears a responsibility for action, but Indigenous people must be at the centre of decision-making, with full agency and not as people being acted upon (UofT Steering Committee, 2016, p. 31).
Data collection: Existing course materials; pre and post surveys; interviews with students.
Results: In-progress
View our webinar, “Qualitative Methods in SoTL Research” (enrol in the Hub for access) to learn more about this project.
SoTL Community at U of T
SoTL Hub
Access SoTL resources and receive news and updates.
Consultations
Meet with a SoTL team member to discuss your research project.