Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL)

What is SoTL?

For faculty engaging in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL)

鈥淪oTL differs from scholarly and reflective teaching in that it not only involves questioning one鈥檚 teaching or a teaching strategy, but also formally gathering and exploring evidence, researching the literature, refining and testing practices, and finally going public. The purpose of SoTL is not just to make an impact on student learning, but through formal, peer-reviewed communication, to contribute to the larger knowledge base on teaching and learning (Bishop-Clark and Dietz-Uhler, 2012).鈥� Learn More About the SoTL Journey

SoTL at 橘子视频

SoTL programs are sponsored, supported, and facilitated by Georgia Southern鈥檚 . One of the most significant ways the Faculty Center helps advance professional development is through supporting faculty research in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). The Faculty Center supports the SoTL Learning Community (FLC) for beginners and a competitive, funded Mentorship Program that conducts innovative SoTL research.

SoTL Faculty Learning Community (FLC)

SoTL Mentorship Program

Emerging SoTL Scholar Recognition

GS Nominee for the USG Regents’ SoTL Award

SoTL Commons Conference

Held annually since 2007, the SoTL Commons Conference brings together educators from around the world to present innovative research in teaching and learning. With attendees from over 90 institutions and 12 countries, the conference fosters global collaboration and practical insight into classroom success.

Learn More About the SoTL Commons Conference

SoTL Advisory Board

The Georgia Southern SoTL Advisory Board is composed of Georgia Southern faculty who are actively engaged in SoTL at the local, national, and international level. Its primary purpose is to collaborate with the Faculty Center in guiding, supporting, and assessing the 鈥淪oTL at Georgia Southern鈥� initiative.聽Learn More about the SoTL Advisory Board.

Internation Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ijSoTL)

Launched in 2007, ijSoTL is Georgia Southern鈥檚 peer-reviewed, open-access journal. It allows faculty to publish and review rigorous SoTL research with global reach. As of April 2024, the journal has:

88,725 downloads

Contributions from 22,407 institutions worldwide

鈥淚 would encourage GS faculty to consider how their disciplinary research aligns with SoTL intrinsically and develop a secondary line of scholarship. One thing that may help quell hesitancy is exploration of not only faculty involvement in SoTL at GS, but the broader, international SoTL community that continues to grow.鈥�
鈥斅�Dr. Nikki di Gregorio

History of SoTL

Founded in 2007 under the leadership of Dr. Alan Altany, 鈥淪oTL at Southern鈥� was established to support faculty in developing research-informed teaching practices. Its foundational pillars include:

These three pillars have positioned Georgia Southern as a leader in faculty development and pedagogical research.