SoTL
The CTE is proud to organize and support university-wide faculty who are anywhere in the process of developing, conducting, or writing about the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL).
The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) refers to research and writing specifically focused on instructional practices in the higher education setting. SoTL research informs best practices for our instruction as faculty, and the Center for Teaching Excellence supports our faculty who carefully examine higher-ed teaching practices through research to share with the broader teaching community.
See topics and samples of SoTL research by ETSU faculty in Digital Commons.
SoTL Scholars Co-op
Applications are open each November for faculty to be considered as part of an inter-disciplinary team that designs and conducts its own study about teaching and learning in their classes at ETSU. Positions in the Co-op (of up to 5 faculty members per cycle) are stipended.
Learn more on our Co-op page.
SoTL Writing Group
For the 2024-2025 academic year, the CTE will schedule and host regular monthly "SoTL Writing Group" meetings for any faculty to join. During the scheduled Zoom sessions, those attending will first update others on their current SoTL project and goals for the writing time. Then, for approximately 1.5 hours, attendees will turn off cameras to focus on writing or other SoTL progress (during this time, consultations with CTE staff about SoTL development can occur). Attendees will reconvene at the end of the time to update others on their progress.
Attendees of the writing group support one another in their SoTL research endeavors and provide accountability for each members’ writing goals.
Fall 2024 SoTL Writing Group Schedule (Zoom)
Register below to receive Zoom meeting links (Fall registrants will continue to receive invitations for Spring). Join us for any or all dates that work for you. (In Outlook or by email, please cancel accepted meetings if you are unable to attend, so we know who to expect.)
Please be sure your writing projects are related to SoTL for this group.
Monday, September 9th, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Wednesday, September 25, 8:30 - 10:30 AM
Monday, October 7th, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Monday, November 4th, 2:00 - 4:00 PM
Friday, November 22, 8:30- 10:30 AM
Monday, December 2nd, 2:00 - 4:00 PM
Need SoTL help but can't make our scheduled times? Contact us for a consultation!
Register to Join Our SoTL Writing Group Sessions
Process Objectives of the SoTL Writing Group
The CTE will…
- Provide dedicated time for working on a SoTL project
- Provide resources and support specific to SoTL, as needed, to group members
- Through created resources
- Through cultivated links
- Through individual or small group conference/consultation
The Writing Group will…
- Provide a source of support and encouragement to one another, wherever they are in the SoTL process
- Provide accountability for progress from others in their SoTL journey
- Provide assistance, as able, to one another as re: SoTL
Past Members’ Progress
- Based on work completed with the SoTL Writing Groups, Dr. Caroline Abercrombie was invited to do a virtual oral presentation for the procedural and a virtual poster for the telehealth training at SACME (a continuing professional development associations conference). The procedural project was invited for a publication in a conference follow-up. As of May 2021, she has three projects submitted and three more planned:
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- Enhancing High Risk Procedural Skills Training through Active Learning, Emerging Technology & Simulation
- Excellence in Telehealth Training through the Application of SimZones
- In Fall 2020, Dr. Melanie Richards prepared a manuscript for journal submission to Teaching Journalism & Mass Communication (TJMC), which is the official academic journal of the Small Programs Interest Group
within the Association for Education in Journalism & Mass Communication (AEJMC). This
SoTL piece is focused on the digital skills gap currently present in the media and
communication industry and how higher education programs can better prepare students
to fill this need upon graduation via experiential teaching and learning practices.
Because she pulled from two past student efforts (i.e., an honors thesis and master's
capstone paper) in completion of this submission and heavily edited and added to these
works, the two student authors and her department chair (who also chaired the previous
honor's thesis) are listed as co-authors on this manuscript.
Past Members’ Comments about the SoTL Writing Group:
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Dr. Mimi Perreault
“Being involved in the SOTL Group this past year has changed the way I think about research, and teaching. It has been beneficial way to engage with scholars about SOTL across the university and with other disciplines. I have worked on seven projects this year as part of this group. I have participated in the virtual group from a variety of locations and settings, but always felt engaged in the group. While none of my projects are complete, it is great to have developed a pipeline of research at different phases and be working towards publication with some of them for later this year. I plan to continue to engage in this group in the next year as I am able.” -
Dr. Melanie Richards
“The SOTL workgroup has been very helpful to me as I have moved this work toward completion. [The project I worked on] was a project that was always a "backburner" effort for me, and therefore I had made little progress in close to two years on it prior to joining this workgroup. The SOTL workgroup's monthly meetings and dedicated writing time enabled me to complete the manuscript and finally get it formally submitted for review. Other workgroup members helped by suggesting specific reference literature and cheering on my efforts. While working together, we also discovered new ideas for future writing collaborations. I am grateful for the benefits of this group and would highly recommend it for faculty interested in SOTL research (which can directly apply to teaching any subject area at ETSU).” -
Dr. Caroline Abercrombie
“I had decided to pair a simulation project for an instructor course with this workshop to allow me to ensure the project would have associated scholarship. COVID limiting in person contact made me change my project last minute and start from scratch. Having the mentorship through the design process, the IRB application process, implementation, and now as we begin to write and submit manuscripts, helped move the new project forward and even gave me hope to stay with what I had on the original project.
The dedicated time to work, the resources I was exposed to, and the insight into scholarship at the front end of the project design moved these projects ahead faster and more efficiently than I thought possible and has sparked the rest of my team to ask, "How do we get in the group?". The community created helped provide a place to share, vent, and inspire one another."
Register to Join our SoTL Writing Group Sessions
See more topics and samples of SoTL research by ETSU faculty in Digital Commons.