Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) is about getting curious about our individual and collective impact on learning, and then sharing our thoughts, project findings, ideas and outputs with others so they can help us explore your ideas with larger/different groups. Some scholarship will lead to internal and external sharing at conferences, in journals or through other media. The desired aim of such curiosity and sharing being an individual and collective improvement in teaching and, therefore, learning.  

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) involves various scholarly activities, including: 

• Engaging with existing knowledge on teaching and learning. 
• Reflecting on personal teaching practices. 
• Sharing research and ideas about teaching and learning within and outside USW. 

SoTL encompasses a variety of forms, including research, knowledge exchange, and evaluating impact on learning. This may involve discipline-specific educational practices or broader considerations within higher education, such as student experiences and promoting equitable outcomes. 

SoTL can cover a wide range of topics, such as: 

• Curriculum and assessment design. 
• Activities to reduce differential outcomes and the awarding gap. 
• Student experience initiatives. 
• Digitally enabled education, including generative AI (artificial intelligence). 

Those involved in SoTL enhance teaching and learning by sharing insights, using reflection for improvement, and staying up-to-date on relevant research. They gather feedback to understand student experiences better and actively participate in education events and conferences. Additionally, they contribute to the field by publishing original research on teaching methodologies. 

SoTL can be approached in various ways. For instance, some might use data-driven insights to evaluate the effectiveness of active learning within a VLE (Virtual Learning Environment). Others might dive into researching how to involve students as co-creators within curriculum development, then share what they find at national or international education events. 

Scholarship activities can also create connections within and outside USW, build profiles for personal promotion, enable individual/team claims for excellence internally and externally (eg, NTFS and CATE) and support PSF recognition.

CELT Events

Attending teaching and learning events and conferences can be an excellent way to enhance your knowledge of pedagogies and scholarly practice. For all CELT events and booking information, please visit. 

Ready to explore the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning further? Join us by engaging in critical discussions, conducting research, and sharing best practices to enhance teaching and learning experiences at USW.