Pop quiz: What is scholarly teaching?
A. Thinking about your work as an educator and talking about teaching and learning with colleagues.
B. Consulting with an educational developer and other resources (newsletters, peer-reviewed research, blogs) about your teaching practice or student learning.
C. Designing course elements that are evidence-informed.
D. All of the above.
If you chose D – All of the above – you are correct!
Want to know more? Check out the Teacher-Scholar Inspiration Day website for the full schedule!
Teacher-Scholar Inspiration Day, hosted by Coulter Faculty Commons on July 28, 2026, offers an opportunity to explore and engage in scholarly teaching. Participants will have a chance to reflect, re–energize and connect teaching with evidence–based inquiry that benefits students, faculty and instructional staff.
Provost Starnes will welcome participants and Dr. Laura Cruz, Research Professor at Penn State University’s Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence, will serve as the keynote speaker and facilitator for this professional development experience. Teacher-Scholar Inspiration Day also includes concurrent sessions around the following three tracks:
- High-Impact Practices (HIPs) Made Practical: HIPs that Fit Your Course
- From One Course to the Next: Sustaining Student Learning Over Time
- Teaching Students to Think and Talk: Facilitating Meaningful Dialogue
Another highlight of the day will be a panel of WCU faculty members who will share reflections on their Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) journeys, highlighting their growth from early inquiry to deeper scholarly engagement.
Unable to attend but interested in learning more? Watch Elon University’s SoTL vs. Scholarly Teaching video interview with renowned SoTL scholars, stop by Coulter Faculty Commons to chat with a member of the CFC team, or set up a time to meet with April Tallant that works with your schedule.