SCHOLARSHIP OF TEACHING AND LEARNING IN THE COMPOSITION CLASSROOM Or Faculty Journeys Down the Rabbit Hole of SoTL Janice Kelly Instructor, ASU Department of English Judy Grace ASU Center for Learning and Teaching Excellence

Chasing the Rabbit

Session Overview Definitions – Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Examples of SoTL projects Outcomes / benefits Challenges and strategies Where do you go from here?

Through the Keyhole

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Defined: Starts with questions of student learning Requires systematic, disciplined inquiry Results in products that can be shared with others and used in subsequent research and future applications Earnest Boyer Scholarship Reconsidered, 1990

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Goals: In 1998, The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching launched an initiative known as CASTL: the Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning [which] aims to advance the development of a scholarship of teaching and learning that will 1.foster significant, long-lasting learning for all students; 2.enhance the practice and profession of teaching; and 3.bring to faculty’s work as teachers the recognition and reward afforded to other forms of scholarly work. Pat Hutchings

One Pill Makes You Taller

Central Questions within the SoTL Movement: WHAT WORKS? Do my students learn better this way, and how would I know? WHAT’S POSSIBLE? What happens if I try this in a whole new way? WHAT IS? What is actually going on when my students are trying to learn? Randy Bass and Dan Bernstein Georgetown University – University of Kansas

Guidelines for SoTL Research Investigates how and under what conditions student learning can be fostered Can be implemented within the classroom Can be measured / documented Relevant to and extends the scholarship of teaching and learning in a discipline Has implications beyond an individual classroom

One Pill Makes You Small

Example SoTL Projects: English – First Year Composition Civic Engagement Writing Programs Outcomes Teaching Logical Fallacies

SoTL Project Example 1: English 101 Civic Engagement Classroom Research Relevant Research Question: Can I impact student attitudes about civic engagement? Research Design: Three assignments (informative essay on an issue; argument essay about the same issue; and a letter to a civic leader about that issue) and a pre-post survey developed for Service Learning research

SoTL Project Example 1: English 101 Civic Engagement Classroom Research Research results: Pre-post survey showed a significant shift in some attitudes Research application: Based on the limited evidence, I can impact student attitudes about civic engagement in the short term; you can expect similar results if you do similar types of assignments

SoTL Project Example 2: English 102 – First Year Composition Writing Programs Outcomes –Relevant Research Question: Can Writing Program outcomes be used to provide evidence of teaching effectiveness? –Research Design: Students complete a pre/post Likert scale survey rating their skills in each area

SoTL Project Example 2: English 102 – First Year Composition Writing Programs Outcomes –Research Results: Students self-report consistent skill increases in all areas –Research Application: Data shared with Program Director and other Instructors. Proposed as an additional Instructor / Program evaluation method

SoTL Project Example 3: English 102 – First Year Composition Teaching Logical Fallacies –Relevant Research Question: Does the Learner Centered activity I designed increase student knowledge about logical fallacies? –Research Design: Assign textbook reading, conduct pre-test on definitions, engage students in the activity, conduct post-test on definitions during the next class session

SoTL Project Example 3: English 102 – First Year Composition Teaching Logical Fallacies –Research Results: Student scores increased significantly—from 33% (section 1) and 34% (section 2) correct to 61% correct definitions –Research Application: Poster session at LCE conference; continued classroom use

The Tea Party

SoTL Project Example 4: ENG Writing for the Professions: One Course - Two Sections Relevant Course Outcome: to understand and use strategies appropriate to a particular professional discourse Relevant Research Question: What are the dependent variables associated with gains in student learning?

SoTL Project Example 4: ENG Writing for the Professions: One Course - Two Sections Research Question: Does providing additional models and explanations on assignments enable students to meet expectations? (Two parallel courses with identical characteristics and instructional strategies) Measure: grades, self-reflection in final memo, other?

SoTL Project Example 4: English 301 – Writing for the Professions –Research Design: Rubrics to describe the degree to which students have met goals –Research Results: Additional explanations, models, coaching helped student meet but not exceed expectations –Research Application: Poster session at LCE conference; continued classroom use

The Red Queen

Outcomes / Benefits of SoTL Enhances student learning Increases accountability Provides opportunities for merit: professional development / publications / presentations Influences administrative decisions

Challenges of SoTL Focus of undergraduate education is on teaching not research Resource intensive –Takes up teachers’ time –Takes up course time Lack of expertise Restrictions in methodology –Lots of variables, apple to oranges comparisons –Claims based on small sample sizes How and where to share results

Challenge for Discussion #1 What is one thing in your teaching that presents a challenge? (Choose a relevant research question) What’s one possible strategy for addressing this issue? How would you measure the effectiveness of your strategy? (What’s a viable research design?)

Challenge for Discussion #2 What opportunities exist for: –implementation –dissemination –publication How can our department support you in these efforts?

Where Do You Go From Here? SoTL Examples On the Web Center for Teaching and Learning, University of Kansas, Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship, Georgetown University, Peer Review of Teaching Project/Course Portfolio repository, Visible Knowledge Project, online galleries, Carnegie Foundation’s Gallery of Teaching and Learning, look for the K-12 research collection,