SoTL
SoTL
What is the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL)?
SoTL is a systematic process focused on the active intellectual & emotional inquiry into teaching and learning. SoTL investigates the relationship between teaching & learning with the goal of improving student learning. The aim of SoTL isn’t only to determine “what works” in the classroom, but also to consider the educators, learners, and context of the learning. SoTL includes the intentional communication of results to contribute to the larger knowledge base.
SoTL Consultations
We offer consultations for individuals and small research teams who would like someone to support them in their SoTL work. Consultations are available for any stage of the SoTL project, even if it’s a preliminary conversation to determine whether your project or idea falls under the SoTL umbrella! Request a consultation: SoTL Consultation Request Form.
Reasons you might want to request a SoTL consultation
A SoTL consultation can help you:
- Identify whether your project would be considered SoTL research
- Generate research question(s) from your teaching experiences/interests
- Clarify the scope of a project or narrow a project’s focus
- Identify places to look for resources for your topic/project
- Align your research question(s) with your data collection measures and analysis plan
- Choose appropriate study/analysis designs to answer your question(s)
- Think about ethical considerations of your work
- Plan an IRB application for your project
- Discuss preliminary findings and their meaning
- Identify venues for sharing your work (e.g., journals, conferences, etc.)
- Prepare/edit materials for dissemination
- Frame how to discuss your SoTL work in the context of recontracting/tenure/promotion applications
- Explore cross-disciplinary collaboration
- Think about your next phase of your SoTL journey
SoTL Workshops
Upcoming workshops:
- 10/10/25 @ 12:30pm (virtual) -- Teaching Meets Research: An Introduction to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
- 12/5/25 @ 12:30pm (in person) -- Teaching Meets Research: An Introduction to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
- 12/10/25 @ 12:30pm (virtual) -- From Teaching Questions to Research Plans: Laying the Groundwork for SoTL
*The 10/10 & 12/5 workshops will be on the same topic.
What we will do: During these workshops, we’ll discuss what SoTL is, why it’s valuable, and how you can take an idea from your teaching and turn it into a project that contributes to the wider conversation about student learning.
Who should attend: Faculty, graduate students, and librarians who are curious about doing research on their teaching or exploring SoTL as part of their professional development. No experience in SoTL needed to attend!
At the end of these workshops, you’ll leave with practical tips, resources, and a clearer sense of how to begin shaping your own SoTL research.
We hope you’ll join us for a friendly and supportive introduction to SoTL research!
Register for one or more workshop: go.rowan.edu/SoTLFall25
Summer SoTL Institute
The SoTL Institute is a 4-day event designed to support faculty as they work on their SoTL projects. The Institute includes workshops, individual work time, consultations, and daily group goal-setting and discussion activities. This event is held for a week in June (Monday through Thursday) and runs all day (~9am-3pm).