- Definition
- SoTL Steering Committee, 2002-03
- Teaching and Learning Scholars Program
- Application Form for Teaching/Learning Scholars
- Mentoring Program for Teaching/Learning
- Consultation with National Leaders
- Campus Conversations 1998-99
- Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Workshops
Related (off-site) Links:
- SoTL Journals for all disciplines
The Scholarship of Teaching is public discourse conceptualizing teaching:
- Public is making our work accessible to others for critical review and use.
- Discourse includes such varied contexts as curriculum committees, faculty development presentations, Web publications, teaching portfolios, or journal articles.
- Conceptualizing teaching involves more than good teaching; it requires careful thought, analysis and self-reflection about teaching.
- Teaching cultivates the exchange of ideas among teachers, students and others in and out of the classroom.
The scholarship of teaching and learning opens the classroom door and creates a culture that values teaching. Like traditional research, it is made public, subjected to peer review and used by other members of the scholarly community.
SoTL Steering Committee, 2002-03
Dr. Paul Lakey, chair
Raye Lakey
Dr. Mark McCallon
Dr. Kim Pamplin
Dr. Nancy Shankle
Lymeda Singleton
Dr. Debbie Williams
Teaching and Learning Scholars Program
Teaching/Learning Scholars make a year long commitment to take a project from an idea to a published work. Scholars receive the following benefits:
- Monthly Training Sessions
- $200 Stipend for Materials and Research
- Videoconferences
- Peer Support and Feedback Faculty members interested in beginning a teaching/learning project may apply for a stipend to help with project expenses. They may request a mentor or choose a mentor or work independently.
Click here to download the application form.
Mentoring Program for Teaching/Learning
The mentoring program allows current teaching/learning scholars at ACU to receive a small stipend of $200 for mentoring another faculty member in conducting a teaching/learning project. Current scholars with projects that have been published or presented at national/international conferences qualify to serve as mentors. The $200 stipend is a voucher that can be applied toward any professional expenses like conference travel or registration, purchase of books or journals, or purchase of professional tools for teaching or scholarship (does not apply toward hardware or equipment).
Consultation with National Leaders
The Steering Committee offered workshops conducted by Dr. Samuel Thompson in April 2000, to help ACU faculty members learn how to conceive projects that fit the category of the scholarship of teaching and learning. Following Thompson's workshops, the committee conducted a videoconference, providing opportunity for teaching and learning scholars to discuss their individual projects with Dr. Thompson.
In 2001 the committee conducted a videoconference with Dr. Laurie Richlin to assist new teaching/learning scholars with project conceptualization and continuing teaching/learning scholars with project development and publication ideas. The committee continued the consultation opportunities, conducting another videoconference with Dr. Samuel Thompson in 2002.
Campus Conversations at ACU is part of a national initiative through the American Association for Higher Eduation and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. This national initiative seeks to improve the quality of student learning and raise the status of teaching through the development of a discourse community focused on the scholarship of teaching and learning.
Members of the Campus Conversations Steering Committee met with all academic units on campus to gather information and develop a campus-based definition for the scholarship of teaching and learning. The most common problems expressed by faculty concerned the lack of motivation and training for doing the scholarship of teaching at ACU. Many faculty also voiced frustration with heavy teaching loads that limit the time faculty can spend on research.
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Workshops
On April 24, 2000, Dr. Samuel Thompson from Indiana University-Bloomington conducted "From Coffee Conversation to Scholarly Products: Promoting the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning at ACU."
Dr. Thompson explained how faculty can turn teaching effectiveness into the scholarship of teaching. More than 25% of ACU's faculty and administrators attended to learn more about models of good scholarship and classroom-based research. Dr. Thompson helped faculty frame research questions, develop methodologies, outline assessment strategies, and identify sources of funding and avenues for publication.
This workshop met faculty needs by training faculty to acquire the skills and knowledge needed to do scholarship of teaching and learning projects.
