Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL)
The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) at Western Carolina University (WCU) is a university-wide initiative focusing upon the mission and aspirations of the university.
The purpose of SoTL at Western is to:
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- Improve student learning
- Renew faculty teaching and professional development
- Deepen collegiality among all sectors of the university community
- Feature WCU’s mission as the epitome of academic life at the university, thereby enhancing WCU’s reputation for excellence in educational enthusiasm, experience, and outcomes
SoTL Faculty Learning Community
The SoTL FLC is led by April Tallant and CFC Faculty Fellows Darby Hallyburton and Darby Harris. For Spring 2025, the FLC meets on February 7, February 14, February 21, March 21, and on one date in April (TBD). Reach out to April Tallant if you want to find out more.
SoTL Resources
Introductory Readings
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- Encouraging the Use of Collaborative Learning in Higher Education, Theodore Panitz & Patricia Panitz
- Starting Where the Students Are, Judi Hetrick
- The Scholarship of Teaching, Eileen Bender & Donald Gray
Publication Outlets
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- SoTL Research Database
- Academic Exchange Quarterly
- Academic Writing: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Communication Across the Curriculum
- College Teaching
- Innovative Higher Education
- Inventio: Creative Thinking About Teaching and Learning
- Journal of Excellence in College Teaching
- MountainRise
- Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice
- Teaching in Higher Education
- The Journal of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (JoSoTL)
- The Journal of Student Centered Learning
- The National Teaching & Learning Forum
- The Technology Source
Human Subjects and SoTL Research
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- Federal Regulations on Human Subject Research
- The Belmont Report on Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the Protection of Human Subjects of Research
- Institutional Review Board Guidebook (Office for Human Research Protections)
- Ethical and Legal Aspects of Human Subjects Research on the Internet
- Ethics in Research
CFC SoTL Blog Posts
SoTL Scholar Feature: Geraldine Riouff
The SoTL Scholar Feature highlights the work of WCU faculty participating in the SoTL (Scholarship of Teaching and Learning) Academy, a program sponsored by the Coulter Faculty Commons. Our current SoTL Scholar Feature focuses on Geraldine Riouff, a faculty member...
2025 SoTL Design Institute Ignites Faculty Innovation
In May, the Coulter Faculty Commons hosted the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Design Institute at the Waynesville Inn & Golf Club, bringing together faculty from across disciplines to explore how classroom questions can become publishable research....
Apply to be a SoTL Scholar
The SoTL Institute is a key component of the SoTL Academy, designed to strengthen WCU’s ongoing commitment to excellence in teaching and learning. At the Institute, SoTL Scholars will develop research questions, design studies, and identify dissemination outlets....
Faculty Publishing Opportunity: Submit to JECT
Call for Manuscripts: Journal on Excellence in College Teaching Are you interested in sharing your teaching insights with a wider audience? We wanted to highlight this opportunity for faculty to submit manuscripts to the Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, a...
Save the Date! Summer Institute for Teaching & Learning (SITL) 2025
Mark your calendars for the 2025 Summer Institute for Teaching & Learning! The theme for this year’s institute is Renaissance of Teaching: A Summer Faire of Ideas, Innovation, and Inspiration. The event will be held May 14 & May 15. Call for proposals will...
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Faculty Learning Community
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Faculty Learning Community Interest Meeting Friday, Jan 24 | 2:30 – 3:30 pm | Hunter Library 166 Coulter Faculty Commons is thrilled to announce the launch of a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Faculty Learning...