ISU SoTL Network

What is the SOTL NETWORK?
The SoTL NETWORK is a faculty development and research opportunity consisting of a group of Illinois State University faculty members, students, and staff members interested in the scholarship of teaching and learning (“the systematic reflection/study on teaching and learning made public”). The members of the network will be involved in reading, conducting, sharing, and applying SoTL work to enhance the learning of ISU students. SoTL NETWORK members will both advise, as well as receive support from, others in the group on any aspects of SoTL in which they are interested. The NETWORK is sponsored by the Office of the Cross Chair in SoTL (http://sotl.illinoisState.edu). Activities and opportunities being considered include the following:

• presentations on SoTL work by ISU and external speakers,
• SoTL literature reviews or bibliography exchanges,
• mini-workshops on aspects of conducting SoTL work,
• discussion groups for SoTL books or articles,
• design groups to plan SoTL studies and work on IRB protocols,
• working groups to draft representations of SoTL work to be made public,
• competitive travel grants to support sharing of work at SoTL conferences,
• competitive small grants for SoTL projects related to civic engagement, service learning or learner autonomy, and
• assistance improving the value of SoTL in annual review, and tenure & promotion processes.

What are the benefits to participation?
The primary benefit is that membership in the SoTL NETWORK will facilitate SoTL projects and application that will enhance the learning and development of ISU students. Additional benefits include the following:

• growing your networks with members of the ISU community who have similar interests,
• providing opportunities for feedback on work in progress,
• providing opportunities to practice presentations,
• increasing your expertise about SoTL,
• obtaining resources such as SoTL books or minimal compensation for certain activities, and
• having the opportunity to apply for mini-travel or research grants related to SoTL open only to active NETWORK members.
• working toward a SoTL certificate.

How can I be involved?
Level of individual involvement in the NETWORK can vary but an active and consistent level of participation will be required to receive the label of SoTL NETWORK member and to be eligible for the concrete resources described above. If you are interested in this group, please send an email message to kmckinne@ilstu.edu and you will be added to an email list (for announcements only). You will then be contacted about preliminary meetings.