Reflections from SoTL Scholar Vivian Finch

Posted by on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 in News.

The SoTL Scholars Program introduces participants to the principles and practices of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, an international, multidisciplinary field of disciplinary specialists studying student learning. SoTL (pronounced “sō-tul” in the U.S.) is a synthesis of teaching, learning, and research in higher education that aims to bring a scholarly lens—the curiosity, the inquiry, the rigor, the disciplinary variety—to what happens in the classroom. SoTL is highly valued professional work on many college and university campuses, particularly those that prioritize teaching. Read reflections from Vivian Finch (German) below:

“Participating in a group of scholars from across campus provided me with valuable insights on my own research and approaches, culminating in a well-thought out project that I hope will contribute to existing discourse on my project’s topic.”

The SoTL Scholars Program encouraged me to explore aspects not only of my own teaching, but also of my students’ learning in ways I hadn’t previously thought to consider. Moreover, participating in a group of scholars from across campus provided me with valuable insights on my own research and approaches, culminating in a well-thought out project that I hope will contribute to existing discourse on my project’s topic. The program has given me the tools to conduct future research and become a constant contributor to the SoTL field as well as my own field. Most importantly, the program has taught me to be more mindful about what it is we do as instructors in the classroom and what we can do as instructors when we work together.

The CFT invites applications for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Scholars Program for the 2014-15 academic year. Deadline for applications is Monday, August 25th. For more information and to apply, visit the SoTL Scholars Program web page.