Getting Started with SoTL

The goal of SoTL is to inform practice through two central avenues: 1) enhancing the teaching and learning process through improvements in methods, materials, or assessments; and 2) inspiring or changing teacher perspectives (Walvoord, 2002).

Effective SoTL research starts with a specific goal or inquiry question. Questions generally stem from academic curiousity and the desire to understand the dynamics that drive student learning. For most faculty, this emerges as a natural function of their own classroom experiences. SoTL questions examine factors such as:

• teaching strategies
• types of learners
• assessment approaches 
• classroom dynamics
• factors that impact teaching and/or learning

SoTL investigations may focus a single classroom or may encompass a range of classroom settings. Regardless of the topic or research approach, the key for an effective SoTL study is to start with a specific goal in mind (Huber & Hutchings, 2005).