The Praxis of SoTL

The scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) is reflective, reflexive, and recursive.

• Reflective: SoTL requires contemplation (analysis) of context and variables.
• Reflexive: SoTL requires ethical and moral thinking – who would benefit from the study? in what ways? who would not benefit?
• Recursive: SoTL comes full circle as the context shifts (unlike controlled studies)

Discussion during and after this session focused on challenges and rigors of the qualitative method, the value of reflecting on process and publishing in journals on such processes.

Brian, who said he had been a “classical statistics” person, explained that he had shifted perspective to seeing the value in qualitative studies. He mentioned that the process and product of Einstein’s thinking would not have been considered as worthy of publication by many journals. Others are beginning to realize the importance of that type of scholarship, too.

There are standards that fit well with the study of what works in authentic contexts of teaching and learning. The group seemed to conclude that the standards of research in SoTL need to be communicated and met as we look at the evidence of what works in the teaching and learning process.

Presenter: Lorraine Gilpin, Georgia Southern University

Reference: Gilpin, L. (2007). Unearthing the scholarship of teaching and learning in self and practice. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 1(2), 125-135.