Searle Teaching-As-Research (STAR) program
A classroom-based research initiative designed to improve learning and teaching in STEM and social science disciplines.
Scholarship of Teaching & Learning
Instructors conduct a research study to answer questions about student learning in their course/program and share the findings via conferences or publications.
Overview
Commonly referred to by its acronym, SoTL, the scholarship of teaching and learning aims to improve student learning by discovering better ways to teach. Using rigorous qualitative and quantitative methods, instructors ask questions about teaching approaches and activities and collect evidence about their effectiveness. By sharing findings via conferences and publications, they contribute to the learning and teaching knowledge base, allowing other instructors and scholars to benefit from them.
Definitions of SoTL and its scope vary, extending from research projects on individual classrooms to cross-campus collaborations. There is also some overlap between SoTL and other forms of disciplinary scholarship on learning and teaching such as Disciplinary Based Education Research (DBER) and Scholarship of Educational Development (SoED). At its heart, SoTL provides instructors with the opportunity to reflect on their teaching and their students’ learning in a deep, sustained way. They become more familiar with the literature on teaching in their discipline and methods for assessing learning and gathering evidence of efficacy. Conducting SoTL research can enhance instructors’ teaching skills, strengthen their sense of satisfaction with teaching, and contribute to departmental efforts related to assessment and accreditation.
At the Searle Center, we support instructors at all career stages who would like to engage in SoTL by conducting research on learning and teaching in their own classrooms, programs, or departments. We work with instructors to develop research questions, select research methods, collect and analyze data, and write publishable manuscripts and conference abstracts. We are particularly interested in working with instructors who would like to address research questions related to equity and inclusion.
Programs
Our programs offer the Northwestern community a variety of ways to develop teaching skills, enhance student learning, and find community. The following programs will spark your curiosity about SoTL.
SOTL at Northwestern
A program to introduce Northwestern faculty to SOTL and support them in designing and conducting a SOTL study.
Learning & Teaching Guides
Guides created by or in collaboration with the Searle Center to help educators engage and advance Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.
Check back for forthcoming guides.
In Our Library
A curated list of recommended books related to SoTL available at the Menges Library, located in the Searle Center.
Campus Progress: Supporting the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
Barbara L. (ed.), 2004
Classroom Research: Implementing the Scholarship of Teaching
Cross, K. Patricia
Disciplinary Styles in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning : Exploring Common Ground
Huber, Mary Taylor & Morreale, Sherwyn P. (eds.), 2002
Evaluating Teaching and Learning: A Practical Handbook for Colleges, Universities and the Scholarship of Teaching
Kember, David, 2012
Learning Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Faculty
Barkley, Elizabeth F., 2016
The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Reconsidered: Institutional Integration and Impact
Hutchings, Pat, 2011
Further Resources
Our current recommendations for both foundational and leading-edge content related to SoTL.
Awards & Grants
Northwestern University recognizes educators and researchers doing innovative work. The following list includes opportunities which we believe dovetail with work related to SoTL.
Calendar of Events
Below are all of our upcoming events related to scholarship of teaching and learning
There are no upcoming events at this time.
Contact Us
Reach out to us at teach@northwestern.edu.