Becoming A scholarship in teaching and learning scholar - book overview

The Centre for Engaged Learning at Elon University, North Carolina has published an open access book - Becoming a SoTL scholar.

The book is edited by Janice Miller-Young and Nancy L. Chick.

After the introductory chapter (Chapter 1) - developing sustained SoTL journeys and identities by the editors, the book has 17 more chapters, organised into 4 sections. 

Section 1 has chapters on 'beginning a SoTL-centric career. There are 5 chapters in this section. Each worth reading. with one chapter (chapter 6) set in an Australian context.

Section 2 covers 'shifting focus towards a SoTL agenda'. This section has 5 chapters including a chapter (Chapter 9) by H.L. Marsh and E. De Courcy on - from industry to SoTL: Making the case for taking the leap.

Section 3 - sustaining SoTL engagement has 4 chapters detailing the challenges and supports required to engage in SoTL through the academic career.

Section 4 - becoming a SoTL scholar has 2 chapters. The book closes with the last chapter as an editors' epilogue.

The book is worth dipping in and out of. Although much of the work is in the North American contexts and with Westernised perspectives, there is much across the many chapters in the book to inform the development and nurturing of SoTL practices. Of note is how many academics 'fall into' SoTL, gain interest and passion from the processes of SoTL'. There is also need to have formalised and planned support for SoTL has in doing, SoTL leads to enriched academic careers, enhanced outcomes for learners, and contributes much to our understanding of learning and development.

ako aotearoa academy symposium - day one - afternoon

Two main sessions this afternoon. The first one is three discussion groups to produce position papers for the academy. These are on teaching excellence (facilitated by Pip Lynch & Juliet Gerrard), Scholarship of teaching (with Peter Mellow) & quality enhancement process in education (with Karl Dodds & Rachel Fewster). I chose to attend the session on scholarship of teaching as a continuation of my project on "perspectives of trades tutors." Group discussed the definition of 'scholarship' which has various connotations depending on teaching subject and institution.various papers put by Peter on to the Ako website were discussed with expectation of others to put more papers on plus need to perhaps do a literature review of the field. group then organised to work out how it will work together towards producing a position paper by December!!

After afternoon tea, Welby Ings, facilitated a session on 'challenging some debilitating myths', using story telling as a method to elicit our philosophies on teaching & learning. Welby modelled the power of story telling by firstly narrating a story to us. Group work then followed on using narratives in teaching. A good session which provided a good opportunity to explore the deeper issues related to using narratives in enhancing learning, especially metacognition and attitudinal transformation.