Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)

This study starts with the widely held beliefs that increasing instruction does not always translate into students learning more, and that universities prefer to prioritise research over instruction. The notion of scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) has been selected by the authors to address issues pertaining to teaching and learning. The paper discusses the history, relevance, features, and models of SoTL. In addition, it elaborates on best practices, SoTL-related frameworks, and its ramifications.
SoTL refers to a methodical examination of a problem related to teaching and learning that is shared for evaluation, communication, and potentially some kind of action that modifies what is done in the classroom. Boyer’s famous book Scholarship Reconsidered: Priorities of the Professoriate (1990) marked the official beginning of SoTL. SoTL practitioners are more likely to encourage in-depth learning in their pupils. Learning partnerships, communal property, artistic expression, and a certain level of “going meta” are characteristics of SoTL. There are two proposed SoTL models: the practice-focused model by Trigwell and Shale (2004) and the nine components of SoTL by Kreber and Cranton (2000).
The spectrum of researchers across the entire continuum, from classroom inquiry to serious educational research, is made possible by the principles of good practice. The frameworks associated with SoTL include Discipline-Based Educational Research, Decoding the Disciplines Approach, Signature Pedagogies, 4M framework, and Professional Societies for Teaching and Learning. The scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL), which is based on inquiry and engagement, reframes teaching as a continuous, intellectual process with a focus on enhancing student learning.
The paper’s conclusion is that it’s critical to recall that higher education’s teaching across disciplines is just as varied as the subjects themselves.