What Is SoTL? The Definitive Guide To The Scholarship Of Teaching And Learning And Its Modern Meanings
Understanding the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)
The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, widely abbreviated as SoTL, represents a systematic and reflective inquiry into student learning and teaching practices within higher education. Unlike traditional educational research, which is often conducted by external specialists, SoTL is performed by educators across all disciplines who investigate their own classrooms. These practitioners use their subject-matter expertise to formulate research questions about how students comprehend specific concepts, where learning bottlenecks occur, and how specific pedagogical interventions alter learning outcomes.
The ultimate goal of SoTL is to transform classroom insights into public knowledge. By documenting, peer-reviewing, and sharing these discoveries, educators contribute to a collective repository of pedagogical wisdom. This process elevates teaching from a private, isolated activity to a highly collaborative and scholarly endeavor. Through SoTL, an organic chemistry professor or a classical history instructor can apply the same rigorous research standards to their teaching methodology as they do to their primary disciplinary research.
In practice, SoTL investigations employ a diverse array of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method approaches. Researchers might analyze student portfolios, conduct focus groups, track exam performance before and after a curriculum change, or design longitudinal surveys to evaluate long-term knowledge retention. This adaptability ensures that SoTL remains highly relevant to different academic environments, whether in large-scale lecture halls, intimate seminars, or virtual classrooms.
The Historical Context: How Ernest Boyer Revolutionized Higher Education
The conceptual foundation of SoTL was established in 1990 by Ernest L. Boyer, the president of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, in his seminal report titled Scholarship Reconsidered: Priorities of the Professoriate. Boyer argued that the traditional definition of scholarship in academic institutions was too narrow, heavily favoring discovery (basic research) over other vital academic contributions. To rectify this imbalance, he proposed a broader, four-part framework of scholarship: the scholarship of discovery, integration, application, and teaching.
Boyer’s work challenged universities to recognize that teaching is not merely a routine delivery mechanism for knowledge, but a dynamic, intellectually demanding act that requires continuous inquiry and refinement. He asserted that excellent teaching must be treated as a form of scholarship that involves preparation, execution, evaluation, and dissemination. This landmark shift provided faculty members with a legitimate pathway to pursue pedagogical research without jeopardizing their tenure and promotion prospects.
Over the subsequent decades, Boyer’s vision evolved into the global SoTL movement we see today. Specialized centers for teaching and learning (CTLs) have emerged at universities worldwide, offering grants, fellowships, and workshops specifically designed to support faculty-led classroom research. International organizations, such as the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSOTL), now host global conferences and publish peer-reviewed journals dedicated exclusively to this academic niche.
Core Principles and Methodologies of SoTL Research
For a classroom investigation to be recognized as authentic SoTL, it must adhere to several fundamental principles. First, the study must focus specifically on student learning, going beyond simple teacher satisfaction or course evaluations. Researchers must seek to understand the cognitive processes, conceptual shifts, or skill acquisitions that students experience during their educational journey. This student-centric focus ensures that the research yields practical, actionable insights for improving actual learning outcomes.
Second, the inquiry must be methodologically sound and aligned with the norms of the investigator’s own discipline or established educational research paradigms. For instance, a humanities scholar might use qualitative text analysis of student essays, while a social scientist might employ quasi-experimental pre- and post-test designs. Regardless of the specific method chosen, the research design must be transparent, ethical, and subject to institutional review board (IRB) approval when human subjects are involved.
Finally, the findings must be made public and subjected to peer review. This peer evaluation is what distinguishes private reflection or "scholarly teaching" from true "scholarship of teaching." Sharing results through peer-reviewed journals, academic conferences, or digital repositories allows other educators to critique, adapt, and build upon the findings. This iterative cycle of public critique and adaptation is what drives continuous improvement across the global higher education landscape.
How to Get Started with SoTL: A Step-by-Step Guide for Educators
Embarking on a SoTL project requires a structured approach that transitions your daily classroom observations into a formal research agenda. The process begins with identifying a "problem" or a point of curiosity in your teaching practice. This might be a recurring topic that students struggle to grasp, an observable drop in engagement during specific units, or a desire to test a new technology or active learning strategy. Framing this challenge as a research question is the crucial first step.
Once you have defined your research question, the next phase involves designing the study and gathering evidence. You must determine what types of data will best answer your question and how you will collect them ethically. This could involve using existing student work (such as exams or reflection journals), administering surveys, or recording classroom discussions. It is essential to consult your institution’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) early in this planning phase to ensure student privacy and ethical consent guidelines are strictly observed.
After collecting and analyzing your data, the final step is to share your findings with the broader academic community. You can start small by presenting at departmental meetings or local university teaching symposiums. As your research matures, consider submitting your work to dedicated SoTL journals such as the Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (JoSoTL) or discipline-specific pedagogical journals. This publication phase closes the loop, establishing your work as a recognized contribution to educational scholarship.
Comparative Analysis: SoTL vs. Traditional Educational Research vs. Scholarly Teaching
Understanding the boundaries between different forms of educational inquiry is vital for any researcher. While they all aim to improve education, their audience, scope, and methodologies differ significantly. The following table provides a comparative breakdown of these distinct approaches to educational improvement.
| Attribute | Scholarly Teaching | Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL) | Traditional Educational Research |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Goal | Improve one's own teaching practice in the classroom. | Advance the collective understanding of student learning. | Develop generalized theories of education and learning. |
| Inquirer | Individual classroom instructor. | Classroom instructor (often collaborative/interdisciplinary). | Educational psychologists, sociologists, or policy researchers. |
| Context | Specific to a single course or classroom. | Grounded in a specific course context but shared publicly. | Broad, often generalized across multiple schools or systems. |
| Dissemination | Private reflection or informal discussion with peers. | Peer-reviewed publications, conferences, and public portfolios. | Specialized educational journals and policy whitepapers. |
| Methods Used | Informal feedback, course reviews, grading trends. | Structured qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods. | Large-scale statistical trials, longitudinal studies, global analyses. |
Scholarly teaching is something every dedicated educator should practice daily; it involves staying up-to-date with pedagogical literature and applying best practices to one's own courses. However, it only transitions into SoTL when the educator systematizes their classroom interventions, collects empirical evidence of student learning, and subjects those findings to peer review.
Traditional educational research, on the other hand, is typically conducted by specialists who study educational systems from an external perspective. While highly valuable, these studies can sometimes feel disconnected from the immediate, day-to-day realities of a specific chemistry lab or literature seminar. SoTL bridges this gap by combining the academic rigor of systematic research with the intimate, contextual expertise of the classroom practitioner.
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The Alternative Meaning: What is SOTL in Cigar Culture?
While the academic community recognizes SoTL as a cornerstone of modern pedagogy, the acronym has a completely different and highly prominent meaning in a lifestyle niche: "Sisters of the Leaf." In the historically male-dominated world of cigar smoking, SOTL serves as a powerful unifying term for female cigar enthusiasts worldwide. This movement celebrates women who share a passion for premium tobacco, culture, and camaraderie, fostering an inclusive community where women can connect without judgment.
The rise of the SOTL movement has significantly influenced the tobacco industry over the past decade. Historically, cigar lounges and marketing campaigns were tailored almost exclusively to men. Today, dedicated SOTL groups organize international meetups, charity events, and educational tasting seminars. This demographic shift has prompted manufacturers to diversify their product lines, marketing strategies, and lounge environments to be more welcoming and sophisticated for all cigar lovers.
Online platforms, social media communities, and specialized podcasts have further amplified the SOTL voice. These digital spaces allow female cigar enthusiasts to share reviews, discuss pairing options, and recommend female-friendly lounges. In this context, SOTL is more than just an acronym; it is a badge of honor, community, and empowerment that has successfully redefined the modern social landscape of the cigar industry.
Frequently Asked Questions About SOTL
What are some common journals that publish SoTL research?
There are numerous interdisciplinary journals dedicated to SoTL, such as the International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (IJ-SoTL), the Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (JoSoTL), and Teaching & Learning Inquiry (TLI). Additionally, almost every academic discipline has its own specialized pedagogical journal, such as the Journal of Chemical Education or Teaching Sociology, which welcome SoTL studies.
Does SoTL count toward academic tenure and promotion?
Yes, but the weight given to SoTL varies by institution. Many modern universities, particularly those focused on teaching excellence, have updated their promotion and tenure guidelines to formally recognize peer-reviewed SoTL publications as equivalent to traditional disciplinary research. It is important to review your specific institution's faculty handbook to understand how pedagogical scholarship is valued.
What is the difference between BOTL and SOTL in cigar culture?
In the cigar community, "BOTL" stands for "Brothers of the Leaf," which is an inclusive, traditional term for male cigar enthusiasts. "SOTL" stands for "Sisters of the Leaf," representing female cigar enthusiasts. Both terms are used affectionately to denote mutual respect, shared passion, and a sense of family among premium cigar smokers worldwide.
Do you need a degree in education to conduct SoTL research?
Absolutely not. One of the defining characteristics of SoTL is that it is conducted by disciplinary experts (e.g., historians, engineers, mathematicians) who apply scholarly inquiry to their own classrooms. You do not need formal training in educational theory to get started; many universities offer support through their Centers for Teaching and Learning to help faculty learn basic educational research methodologies.
Is IRB approval required for all SoTL projects?
In most cases, yes. Because SoTL involves collecting data from human subjects (your students) to share publicly, it falls under the jurisdiction of institutional review boards (IRBs). Even if your study is determined to be "exempt," you must still submit your project proposal to your university’s IRB office before you begin collecting data to ensure ethical standards are met.
Elevate Your Practice and Join the Conversation
Whether you are a university educator looking to transform your classroom dynamics through systematic pedagogical research, or an enthusiast celebrating community in a unique lifestyle niche, understanding the rich dimensions of SoTL opens doors to collaboration and growth. Embracing scholarly inquiry allows us to move beyond assumptions, ground our actions in empirical evidence, and build communities of practice that benefit everyone involved.
Ready to take your educational practice to the next level? Connect with your campus Center for Teaching and Learning, explore current pedagogical literature, and start designing your first classroom inquiry project today. By sharing your unique insights, you help shape a more reflective, inclusive, and effective future for learners everywhere.
