By Linda Crockett
What is the significance of the Scholarship of Teaching and
Learning (SoTL) approach? I found out in May when I attended the SoTL
Academy in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This three-day
conference is directed toward increasing scholarly practices in teaching. Much
information about the practices of the most accomplished teachers remains
private, isolated in a particular classroom or with a particular teacher. Through public dialogue, and through
formulating appropriate questions, this knowledge can be examined and shared
publicly for a wider audience of teachers and students.
One example of a SoTL project was demonstrated in a
presentation called the “Close-up Classroom.” The theatre department collaborated with other
departments to demonstrate teaching styles as short dramas. They enacted scenarios in a classroom, using
real-life examples from inexperienced teachers. These mini-dramas showed the
audience the teaching style and thoughts of the teacher, plus illustrated
student thoughts and reactions. It
depicted what it is like to be a new faculty, along with some common
pitfalls—all treated with some humor. This
viewing would be a great learning experience for new teachers.
Another presentation described an annual dialogue process at
Western Washington University. Each
year, participating faculty and students develop a study question. The group meets twice per month for
discussion. Sessions are open to all
students, faculty, and staff. Students have
the option to register and earn credit by attending all sessions. The discussion findings are shared at local,
national, and international events. Sample questions that have been formulated
include:
- What do we mean by reflective learning and how might we strengthen reflective learning practices at WWU?
- What if we envisioned the most creative WWU we could imagine? What would it look like?
- How can we engage and connect multiple voices to strengthen WWU as a 21st-centry liberal arts university?
An example of SoTL activity at another college included an
experiential learning project. Faculty
developed a guidebook to help students to establish group-based service
learning projects in the community. These
guidelines gave students a tool for
setting up their projects in a way that would make them valuable contributors
in a project . As service learning opportunities are
increasing with the bachelor’s programs, this type of document could serve as a
useful tool.
These few examples illustrate the power of SoTL, and the
possibilities are open. SoTL practices
would fit nicely with Colorado Mountain College’s community of teachers and
learners. It gives us the opportunity to
reflect on what we do best, and expand learning opportunities for the future.
Note: I just found on the web that if you type "ijsotl" into a search engine, you will find a variety of articles from SoTL’s
international journal.
