About Us

Why Is SoTL Important?

SoTL is an international, cross-disciplinary form of scholarship. SoTL research provides an evidence-base for the choices we make as course instructors in an effort to maximize student learning. So, whether using SoTL as a consumer to inform a scholarly approach to teaching or as producer of SoTL research engaged in this form of scholarship, SoTL is valuable to all teachers and students at ISU.

ISU Values SoTL

ISU is one of the few universities in the world with a campus unit dedicated solely to the support of SoTL for faculty and students. SoTL is specifically mentioned in Educating Illinois and aligns with our institutional definitions of scholarship and of research as a form of discovery and/or integration. Thus, SoTL should be rewarded in the ASPT process as meritorious scholarship since the products of SoTL (presentations, publications, videos, performances, etc.) are clearly listed under Evaluation Guidelines and Criteria for Scholarly and Creative Activity.

The Office of the Cross Endowed Chair provides the following to support new and established faculty and students at ISU:

• Workshops and other learning opportunities to introduce SoTL or expand on existing knowledge of this form of scholarship.

• Resources to support the engagement of faculty and students in SoTL research.

• Funding for travel to present research/attend SoTL conferences locally, nationally, and internationally.

• Support for the implementation/creation of SoTL research.

• An internal annual SoTL publication.

• Recognition for campus SoTL scholars.

National and International

SoTL is not a short-term or local initiative or line of scholarship. There are journals, conferences, institutes, grants, etc. on SoTL at the national and international levels. These structures and activities are embedded both in specific disciplines (most disciplines have a peer-reviewed, college-level pedagogical journal, for example) and in organizations that cut across disciplinary borders such as The International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSOTL), the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE), the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and many other higher education institutions around the world. Federal governments in Canada, the UK, and Australia have funded SoTL initiatives.

What SoTL Can Do for You and Your Department, School, or College

SoTL can help you and your department/school/college in the following ways:

• Help with program assessment
• Be used in program review and accreditation
• Revitalize some senior faculty members
• Create new networks and partnerships among faculty, staff, and students
• Provide research opportunities for students
• Bring in outside funding
• Help meet University mission, values, and goals
• Add scholarly achievements to faculty accomplishments
• Provide opportunities to be involved in a national/international higher education initiative
• Be used to strengthen budge requests for additional operational or personnel funds
• Be added to graduate student training and preparing future faculty
• Encourage life-long learning by instructors
• Increase faculty and department/school visibility in the discipline more broadly
• Increase faculty credentials for major internal and external teaching awards
• Demonstrate to job candidates that you value teaching
• Improve teaching and student learning in your department, school, and college