Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

The Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL) team works closely with instructors to support research on teaching and learning at the University of Toronto. Through workshops, regular consultations on a wide range of research process topics, and by connecting faculty with others undertaking similar inquiry projects, the CTSI SoTL team connects individuals and divisions across the University to share experiences and research and encourage the rigorous pursuit of pedagogical scholarship. For SoTL metrics see Appendix D.

HIGHLIGHTS

SCHOLARSHIP OF TEACHING & LEARNING – SOTL COHORT
Since June 2018, fourteen U of T continuing appointment faculty have been working as a Cohort focused on individual SoTL projects with the core goal of enhancing student learning at our institution. During the year-long program, participants were supported by CTSI facilitators, U of T collaborators, and peer participants, building their skills in designing and implementing a research project that is situated in course experiences. Each participant presented their project as a poster at the May 28, 2019 University of Toronto Teaching and Learning Symposium. This culminating activity showcased their commitment to systematically exploring a teaching inquiry question that has sparked their interest and passion.

View the SoTL Cohort’s individual projects

LEVERAGING QUERCUS
CTSI’s SoTL team incorporated Quercus activities in the running of two programs: Peer-to-Peer Faculty Mentoring for Teaching and the SoTL Cohort. This provided opportunities for program participants to interact on specific tasks and to share their learning as they progressed through the program. These efforts modeled and reinforced the value of Quercus as an academic toolbox that offers a range of ways to support learning.

INTERSECTIONS

The CTSI SoTL team ensured that SoTL Cohort participants connected and supported one another through in-person and Quercus tasks, with the goal of building a community of teacher-scholars. Cohort participants built a stronger culture of teaching through disseminating their SoTL projects broadly in the poster session at the Teaching and Learning Symposium, connecting them with the 360 faculty, librarian and staff attendees.

CTSI’s SoTL team also provided support through consultations to a number of divisions and offices over this past year. They worked closely with UTSC to support their efforts in building a stronger SoTL community and acted as invited speakers for the UTSC’s Education Exchange series and a Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering webinar on Technology-Enhanced Active Learning (TEAL) classrooms.

The Office of the Vice-President, Research & Innovation consulted CTSI on its existing research on teaching strategy, including SoTL workshop offerings, CTSI’s SoTL Cohort model, and CTSI consultation support for faculty undertaking inquiry on teaching. Additionally, the SoTL team consulted on pathways in the My Research Applications automated system for instructors conducting SoTL and completing ethics applications, developing a tip sheet on Research Ethics Board (REB)-SoTL processes to accompany the existing resource.

“I am very grateful to the CTSI and the opportunity to be a part of the inaugural SoTL Cohort. As an education researcher I am strongly committed to the practice of transparent, iterative, education-research designs that are based on best practice recommendations. It was inspirational to share space with others who share in this commitment.”
Danielle Bentley, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Division of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine