Professional Growth: The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)

Depending on how one defines SoTL, I may or may not be actively participating in this initiative. Yes, I have been involved with “systematic study of teaching and/or learning and the public sharing and review of such work through presentations, performance, or publications” (McKinney, 2006, p. 39) and, yes, my work, which focuses on enhancing teaching and learning, involves research, reflection, and dissemination (see here for further definitions). However, I do not belong to formal SoTL networks.

My involvement with SoTL programs has included:

• CHES Cross-Professionals Collaborations in Health Education Scholarship Initiative. This full-day event was designed to promote discussion between individuals, with any role in health professions education at UBC, who want to apply a scholarly lens to considering an educational issue of importance across the health disciplines. November 14, 2014.
• SoTL Journal Club (CTLT). In 2013-2014, I attended when possible. I facilitated a session based on an article titled “Practising what we preach: Towards a student-centred definition of feedback” on February 11, 2014.
• Centre for Health Education Scholarship Celebration of Scholarship Day. October 17, 2013. Vancouver, BC. (I was invited [and accepted] to lead a round-table discussion on “Tips for conducting good semi-structured interviews.)
• Centre for Health Education Scholarship Celebration of Scholarship Day. October 2, 2012. Vancouver, BC.
• Surviving and Succeeding as an Early Career Faculty Member: Findings From an International Study. Presentation by Kathryn Sutherland, Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand (2010. UBC ISoTL).
• How Does one Change a University? Presentation by Torgny Roxa, University of Lund, Sweden. (November 18, 2008. UBC ISoTL)
• Learning with the Literature. Session with Margot Parkes, Post-Doctoral Fellow with the UBC Department of Health Care and Epidemiology (October 24, 2007, UBC ISoTL)
• Engaging Students Outside of Class as a Tool for Enhanced Learning. Presentation by Dan Bernstein, University of Kansas (November 22, 2006. UBC ISoTL)
• The Plight of First-Year Students: “Causes and Consequences”. Presentation by Ray Perry, University of Manitoba (October 3, 2006. UBC ISoTL)
• Linking Discipline-based Research and Teaching to Benefit Student Learning. Presentation by Mick Healey, University of Gloucestershire, UK (May 8, 2006. UBC ISoTL)
• The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and Academic Careers. Presentation by Mary Taylor Huber, The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (Friday, March 10, 2006. UBC ISoTL)

Photo by y giulia.forsythe* https://flic.kr/p/e4roar

McKinney, K. (2006). Attitudinal and structural factors contributing to challenges in the work of the scholarship of teaching and learning. New Directions for Institutional Research, 129 (Summer), 37-50.

*Creative Commons Licensed: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gforsythe/8571539827/

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