Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
At the heart of the IJ-SoTL lies a shared belief that teaching, when approached as scholarly inquiry, transforms both educators and learners. The following reflection captures the theoretical foundations that guide our journal's mission. It traces the core principles of SoTL—its emphasis on inquiry, community, accessibility, and reflexivity—and highlights the values that continue to shape the work of contributors around the world.
Anchored in inquiry and engagement, the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) reconceptualizes teaching as an ongoing and scholarly process with an emphasis on improving student learning (Huber & Morreale, 2002). SoTL is distinguished from other endeavors by four characteristics. First, it treats teaching "as a form of inquiry into student learning" (Huber and Morreale, 2002, p. 9). Second, it views teaching as public and community oriented, not as private practice (Huber and Hutchings, 2005). Third, in order to qualify as scholarship the work should be subject to review and evaluation, and last, it should be accessible to others in one's field (Bass, 1999).
- SoTL's existence rests on individual and collective desire to improve student learning and the contexts in which teaching and learning occur. Often this means systematically assessing and evaluating the impact of our own teaching on students' learning.
- SoTL inquiries are initiated by faculty for the purpose of improving their own teaching and their students' learning. However, administrative support for and recognition of SoTL as a legitimate scholarship can help to make it count in Tenure and Promotion.
- Part of SoTL's appeal is that it functions as a rich text forum through which works from different fields, interests, philosophical orientations, and methodologies find space and thrive. These works converge in their focus on improved student learning.
- Embedded within SoTL, the ethic of reflexivity asserts that we are responsible for the applications and ramifications of our works in both our specific context and in society.
This theoretical grounding continues to inspire IJ-SoTL's editorial vision. We encourage authors, reviewers, and readers to view SoTL not only as research but as a form of academic citizenship—one that values openness, collaboration, and continual growth. As the field evolves, IJ-SoTL remains committed to amplifying voices that question, refine, and expand what it means to teach and learn through scholarly inquiry.
References
Gilpin, L. S. (2011). Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Trades. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 5(2).
Gilpin, L. S. (2007). Unearthing the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Self and Practice. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 2(1).