Scholarship of learning and teaching in a digital era: The way forward

Abstract

The improvement of student learning is the chief goal of higher education institutions all around the world and is the ultimate purpose of scholarship of learning and teaching (SoLT). The chapters in this book contribute to the four interrelated themes of SoLT, namely staff professional development, enhancement of student learning experience, assessment, and digital technology, as put forward in the framework in Chap. 1. In chapters under the theme of staff professional development (PD), a strong connection between staff PD and student learning is articulated, and digital technology is employed as a means for effective PD as well as the objective of PD. With the coverage of a wide range of disciplines, chapters under the theme of enhancement of student learning experience indicate that in addition to the knowledge aspect, student learning involves other aspects such as attitudes, behaviours, self-awareness, self-regulated learning, suggesting that SoLT research is better not to focus too narrowly on formal classroom teaching and learning. Chapters under the theme of assessment show that with an appropriate design, assessment, no matter at the classroom level or institutional level, can play a facilitative role in student learning. Moreover, digital technologies, such as ePortfolios and instant feedback systems, can be employed as assessment tools for facilitating student learning. Overall speaking, these chapters signify a shift of focus from teachers' teaching towards students' learning, which is the ultimate goal of SoLT.