A typology for catalyzing pedagogical change: Fostering multiple pathways through SoTL

Abstract

Building on ecosystem models that examine individuals’ development within professional environments (Roxå, 2014; Hannah & Lester, 2009), we explore how campus centers for educational development and research can provide a range of experiences for faculty to learn about scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL), conduct individual or collaborative – and sometimes multi-institutional – SoTL, and go public with their work. Using extended case studies of colleagues who have become increasingly more active in SoTL, we created a typology of the experiences that supported their development. The case studies illustrate that offering a variety of educational development options at different institutional levels and with different time commitments enables developers to meet faculty where they are – and to provide growth opportunities for deepening SoTL commitments. Our typology can help educational developers prioritize among potential programs by considering the cost-benefit analysis not only for individual faculty but also for micro-, meso-, and macro-level institutional cultures.