Toward a framework of studying scholarship of learning and teaching in higher education in a digital technology era

Abstract

The Scholarship of Learning and Teaching (SoLT) has the chief goal of improving student learning, which can be achieved through scholarly inquiry, reflection, and dissemination of research findings on learning and teaching. The idea originates from the report written by Boyer (1990), who suggested that teaching in higher education should be regarded as a serious intellectual work similar to research. Researchers after Boyer have further elaborated and clarified the concept, no matter in the names of Scholarship of Teaching (SoT), Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), or, less frequently, SoLT, with more emphasis on learning. The concept has been implemented in higher education institutions around the world, and there are research reports exploring the different aspects related to its implementation. In this chapter, building on previous models of SoLT as well as empirical studies, we put forward a holistic conceptual framework that takes into consideration the higher education institution, teaching staff and students altogether. Our framework highlights four important themes: (1) staff professional development; (2) enhanced student learning experience; (3) assessment; and (4) digital technology. Digital technology is especially a theme less studied in the literature on SoLT, but should be included in the framework of SoLT in a digital technology era.