Pub Date : 2021-09-14DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.2.3
D. Pace
Decoding the Disciplines has emerged as one of the foremost approaches to the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) and is being used to increase learning across the globe. But it is often not recognized that the paradigm has undergone enormous changes since its appearance in 2004. The original model has been clarified and perfected, but scholars of teaching and learning have also expanded the scope of this work to include emotional, bodily, and social learning; created new roles for students in these investigations; and explored learning beyond the individual. Some of these changes have been so far reaching that they may be said to constitute a new version of the paradigm, Decoding 2.0. It is the purpose of this article to provide an overview of this paradigm’s development since it first appeared on the SoTL stage.
{"title":"Beyond Decoding the Disciplines 1.0","authors":"D. Pace","doi":"10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.2.3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.2.3","url":null,"abstract":" \u0000 Decoding the Disciplines has emerged as one of the foremost approaches to the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) and is being used to increase learning across the globe. But it is often not recognized that the paradigm has undergone enormous changes since its appearance in 2004. The original model has been clarified and perfected, but scholars of teaching and learning have also expanded the scope of this work to include emotional, bodily, and social learning; created new roles for students in these investigations; and explored learning beyond the individual. Some of these changes have been so far reaching that they may be said to constitute a new version of the paradigm, Decoding 2.0. It is the purpose of this article to provide an overview of this paradigm’s development since it first appeared on the SoTL stage. ","PeriodicalId":44633,"journal":{"name":"Teaching & Learning Inquiry-The ISSOTL Journal","volume":"40 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2021-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83294455","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-09-14DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.2.11
Maureen Vandermaas-Peeler, O. Choplin, Kirsten Doehler, A. Sturgill, Nina Namaste, Matthew Buckmaster
In this qualitative study, 26 university students reflected on their experiences in domestic or international study away programs. Utilizing a sociocultural developmental framework, we examined perceived changes in identity in relation to salient aspects of the sociocultural context and social interactions during and after study away. Students reported developing an enhanced understanding of who they really are. Their experiences navigating new environments served as a catalyst for personal growth, and, for some, participating in study away ignited new professional pathways and plans. Encountering different perspectives on policies and issues facing the United States (US) afforded opportunities to co-construct new understandings of national identities. Reentry posed particular challenges in communicating with family and friends, and some found it hard to communicate unique personal experiences within an institutional context in which the majority of students study away. The process of reflecting on questions related to identity and reentry in the focus groups was reportedly a unique and valuable intervention. The findings support the need for enhanced opportunities for guided reflection experiences before, during, and after study away.
{"title":"The “Authentic” Me","authors":"Maureen Vandermaas-Peeler, O. Choplin, Kirsten Doehler, A. Sturgill, Nina Namaste, Matthew Buckmaster","doi":"10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.2.11","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.2.11","url":null,"abstract":"In this qualitative study, 26 university students reflected on their experiences in domestic or international study away programs. Utilizing a sociocultural developmental framework, we examined perceived changes in identity in relation to salient aspects of the sociocultural context and social interactions during and after study away. Students reported developing an enhanced understanding of who they really are. Their experiences navigating new environments served as a catalyst for personal growth, and, for some, participating in study away ignited new professional pathways and plans. Encountering different perspectives on policies and issues facing the United States (US) afforded opportunities to co-construct new understandings of national identities. Reentry posed particular challenges in communicating with family and friends, and some found it hard to communicate unique personal experiences within an institutional context in which the majority of students study away. The process of reflecting on questions related to identity and reentry in the focus groups was reportedly a unique and valuable intervention. The findings support the need for enhanced opportunities for guided reflection experiences before, during, and after study away.","PeriodicalId":44633,"journal":{"name":"Teaching & Learning Inquiry-The ISSOTL Journal","volume":"31 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2021-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82322600","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-09-14DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.2.16
T. Martini, Lorenzo Frangella, Meghan Vandervlist
Though academics and employers have demonstrated increasing interest in the skills learned by university students, less is known about student perceptions of the skills developed during a degree. In the current study, we examined students’ and working adults’ beliefs about the skills learned and not learned during their first degree. We also examined each group’s ability to define four career-related skills (communication, critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership), and their self-evaluations of those skills. Data indicated very few differences in the beliefs of students and working adults about skills learned and not learned at university. In addition, the skills most frequently endorsed as “learned” and “not learned” were very similar to one another. Contrary to expectations, there were few group-based differences in the quality of skill-based definitions. In keeping with the hypotheses, there were no group-based differences in self-assessments of skills. Implications of these results for university courses and programs are discussed.
{"title":"What Skills are Learned at College?","authors":"T. Martini, Lorenzo Frangella, Meghan Vandervlist","doi":"10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.2.16","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.2.16","url":null,"abstract":"Though academics and employers have demonstrated increasing interest in the skills learned by university students, less is known about student perceptions of the skills developed during a degree. In the current study, we examined students’ and working adults’ beliefs about the skills learned and not learned during their first degree. We also examined each group’s ability to define four career-related skills (communication, critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership), and their self-evaluations of those skills. Data indicated very few differences in the beliefs of students and working adults about skills learned and not learned at university. In addition, the skills most frequently endorsed as “learned” and “not learned” were very similar to one another. Contrary to expectations, there were few group-based differences in the quality of skill-based definitions. In keeping with the hypotheses, there were no group-based differences in self-assessments of skills. Implications of these results for university courses and programs are discussed. ","PeriodicalId":44633,"journal":{"name":"Teaching & Learning Inquiry-The ISSOTL Journal","volume":"157 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2021-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"77754899","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-09-14DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.2.10
L. Scharff, J. Draeger, Sarah Robinson, L. Pedro, Charity S. Peak
Metacognitive instructors incorporate awareness and timely self-regulation in their teaching practice to support their current students’ learning. This exploratory study, using mixed methods, gathered empirical data to extend the work on student metacognition by documenting teacher experiences with metacognitive instruction, the impact of instructor use of a guided journal on the development of metacognitive instruction practices, and students’ perceptions of instructor responsiveness to their learning and engagement. Journal Intervention (N = 40) and Control (N = 33) instructors from five institutions and their students (N = 796) responded to multiple questionnaires throughout a semester. Data revealed significantly more baseline familiarity with and engagement in reflective teaching than metacognitive instruction for both groups. Within the Intervention group, qualitative data consistently suggested a positive impact from engagement with the journal, especially with respect to an increased focus on learning objectives and student engagement (rather than on content coverage) in pre-lesson planning, and on being aware of how students were achieving the learning objectives. Significant positive correlations were found between instructor use of the journal and student ratings of instructor responsiveness to their learning and engagement, and instructor use of effective instructional practices. Although instructors were enthusiastic overall about using the journal and incorporating metacognitive instruction, they did report barriers including time, existing habits, and uncertainty about alternate instructional practices. Based on our findings, we share strategies for using our journal prompts as a tool to facilitate faculty development of metacognitive instruction.
{"title":"Developing Metacognitive Instructors through a Guided Journal","authors":"L. Scharff, J. Draeger, Sarah Robinson, L. Pedro, Charity S. Peak","doi":"10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.2.10","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.2.10","url":null,"abstract":"Metacognitive instructors incorporate awareness and timely self-regulation in their teaching practice to support their current students’ learning. This exploratory study, using mixed methods, gathered empirical data to extend the work on student metacognition by documenting teacher experiences with metacognitive instruction, the impact of instructor use of a guided journal on the development of metacognitive instruction practices, and students’ perceptions of instructor responsiveness to their learning and engagement. Journal Intervention (N = 40) and Control (N = 33) instructors from five institutions and their students (N = 796) responded to multiple questionnaires throughout a semester. Data revealed significantly more baseline familiarity with and engagement in reflective teaching than metacognitive instruction for both groups. Within the Intervention group, qualitative data consistently suggested a positive impact from engagement with the journal, especially with respect to an increased focus on learning objectives and student engagement (rather than on content coverage) in pre-lesson planning, and on being aware of how students were achieving the learning objectives. Significant positive correlations were found between instructor use of the journal and student ratings of instructor responsiveness to their learning and engagement, and instructor use of effective instructional practices. Although instructors were enthusiastic overall about using the journal and incorporating metacognitive instruction, they did report barriers including time, existing habits, and uncertainty about alternate instructional practices. Based on our findings, we share strategies for using our journal prompts as a tool to facilitate faculty development of metacognitive instruction.","PeriodicalId":44633,"journal":{"name":"Teaching & Learning Inquiry-The ISSOTL Journal","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2021-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74811607","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-09-14DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.2.12
M'Balia Thomas, Marta Carvajal Regidor
This paper presents a case study on the measurable impact of a decolonized approach to the Slow Movement on student learning in a graduate seminar. The study operationalizes principles of Being Lazy and Slowing Down (BLSD)—that is, to make peace with not doing or being productive, to de-privilege the need for a result, and to decenter the mind as the primary source of knowledge in order to make space for the body and spirit. The study then examines the uptake of these principles into the seminar’s instructional approach, curricular design, and semester-long project. Textual analysis of the project shows minimal adoption by students of the principles of BLSD. However, student feedback obtained through semi-structured oral interviews provides insight into this minimal impact: it suggests that even a decolonized approach to BLSD is a privileged position not afforded to all.
{"title":"From “Slow” to “Being ‘Lazy’ and Slowing Down” and the Impact on Student Learning","authors":"M'Balia Thomas, Marta Carvajal Regidor","doi":"10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.2.12","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.2.12","url":null,"abstract":"This paper presents a case study on the measurable impact of a decolonized approach to the Slow Movement on student learning in a graduate seminar. The study operationalizes principles of Being Lazy and Slowing Down (BLSD)—that is, to make peace with not doing or being productive, to de-privilege the need for a result, and to decenter the mind as the primary source of knowledge in order to make space for the body and spirit. The study then examines the uptake of these principles into the seminar’s instructional approach, curricular design, and semester-long project. Textual analysis of the project shows minimal adoption by students of the principles of BLSD. However, student feedback obtained through semi-structured oral interviews provides insight into this minimal impact: it suggests that even a decolonized approach to BLSD is a privileged position not afforded to all.","PeriodicalId":44633,"journal":{"name":"Teaching & Learning Inquiry-The ISSOTL Journal","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2021-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78814834","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-09-14DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.2.15
D. Henry, Edward J. Brantmeier, A. Tongen, Ashley Taylor Jaffee, O. Pierrakos
Faculty are increasingly interested in engaging in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) across disciplines, necessitating educational development support. While many institutions utilize one-time workshops and faculty communities offering professional development funding, the case study presented in this article takes a different approach. The aim of the Engaged Teacher-Scholar (ETS) program is to support faculty growth in a process of becoming ETS leaders across the university campus. ETS leaders advance an individual SoTL research project and are trained to develop a plan for and offer professional development events to their department, college, and university related to SoTL. The article presents an overview of the program’s objectives, organization, and outcomes over four years of implementation. The article concludes with implications for implementation at other institutions.
{"title":"Faculty Empowering Faculty","authors":"D. Henry, Edward J. Brantmeier, A. Tongen, Ashley Taylor Jaffee, O. Pierrakos","doi":"10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.2.15","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.2.15","url":null,"abstract":"Faculty are increasingly interested in engaging in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) across disciplines, necessitating educational development support. While many institutions utilize one-time workshops and faculty communities offering professional development funding, the case study presented in this article takes a different approach. The aim of the Engaged Teacher-Scholar (ETS) program is to support faculty growth in a process of becoming ETS leaders across the university campus. ETS leaders advance an individual SoTL research project and are trained to develop a plan for and offer professional development events to their department, college, and university related to SoTL. The article presents an overview of the program’s objectives, organization, and outcomes over four years of implementation. The article concludes with implications for implementation at other institutions.","PeriodicalId":44633,"journal":{"name":"Teaching & Learning Inquiry-The ISSOTL Journal","volume":"92 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2021-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75702810","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-09-14DOI: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.2.2
N. Chick, Sophia Abbot, Lucy Mercer-Mapstone, Christopher P. Ostrowdun, Krista Grensavitch
Citing is a political act. It is a practice that can work both sides of the same coin: it can give voice, and it can silence. Through this research, we call for those contributing to the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) to attend to this duality explicitly and intentionally. In this multidisciplinary field, SoTL knowledge-producers bring the citation norms of their home disciplines, a habit that calls for interrogation and negotiation of the citation practices used in this shared space. The aim of our study was to gather data about how citation is practiced within the SoTL community: who we cite, how we cite, and what values, priorities, and politics are conveyed in these practices. We were also interested in whether any self-selected categories of identity (e.g., gender, career stage) related to self-described citation practices and priorities. Findings suggest several statistically significant relationships did emerge, which we identify as important avenues for further research and writing. We conclude with 10 principles of citation practices in SoTL.
{"title":"Naming is Power","authors":"N. Chick, Sophia Abbot, Lucy Mercer-Mapstone, Christopher P. Ostrowdun, Krista Grensavitch","doi":"10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.2.2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.2.2","url":null,"abstract":"Citing is a political act. It is a practice that can work both sides of the same coin: it can give voice, and it can silence. Through this research, we call for those contributing to the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) to attend to this duality explicitly and intentionally. In this multidisciplinary field, SoTL knowledge-producers bring the citation norms of their home disciplines, a habit that calls for interrogation and negotiation of the citation practices used in this shared space. The aim of our study was to gather data about how citation is practiced within the SoTL community: who we cite, how we cite, and what values, priorities, and politics are conveyed in these practices. We were also interested in whether any self-selected categories of identity (e.g., gender, career stage) related to self-described citation practices and priorities. Findings suggest several statistically significant relationships did emerge, which we identify as important avenues for further research and writing. We conclude with 10 principles of citation practices in SoTL. ","PeriodicalId":44633,"journal":{"name":"Teaching & Learning Inquiry-The ISSOTL Journal","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2021-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75244792","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-03-08DOI: 10.20343/TEACHLEARNINQU.9.1.12
A. Owens, Angela Daddow, Georgia Clarkson, D. Nulty
{"title":"What Price Excellence in Learning and Teaching? Exploring the Costs and Benefits for Diverse Academic Staff Studying for a GCHE Supporting the SoTL","authors":"A. Owens, Angela Daddow, Georgia Clarkson, D. Nulty","doi":"10.20343/TEACHLEARNINQU.9.1.12","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20343/TEACHLEARNINQU.9.1.12","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":44633,"journal":{"name":"Teaching & Learning Inquiry-The ISSOTL Journal","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2021-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48075001","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-03-07DOI: 10.20343/TEACHLEARNINQU.9.1.20
Jennifer L. Hill, Kathy Berlin, J. Choate, Lisa Cravens-Brown, L. McKendrick-Calder, Susan F. Smith
Summative assessments tend to be viewed as high-stakes episodes by students, directly exposing their capabilities as learners. As such, receiving feedback is likely to evoke a variety of emotions that may interact with cognitive engagement and hence the ability to learn. Our research investigated the emotions experienced by undergraduate students in relation to assessment feedback, exploring if these emotions informed their learning attitudes and behaviours. Respondents were drawn from different years of study and subject/major. A qualitative approach was adopted, using small group, semi-structured interviews and reflective diaries. Data were analysed thematically and they revealed that receiving feedback was inherently emotional for students, permeating their wider learning experience positively and negatively. Many students struggled to receive and act upon negative feedback, especially in early years, when it was often taken personally and linked to a sense of failure. Negative emotional responses tended to reduce students’ motivation, self-confidence, and self-esteem. Some students, especially in later years of study, demonstrated resilience and engagement in response to negative feedback. By contrast, positive feedback evoked intense but fleeting emotions. Positive feedback made students feel cared about, validating their self-worth and increasing their confidence, but it was not always motivational. The paper concludes with recommendations for instructors, highlighting a need to communicate feedback carefully and to develop student and staff feedback literacies.
{"title":"Exploring the Emotional Responses of Undergraduate Students to Assessment Feedback: Implications for Instructors","authors":"Jennifer L. Hill, Kathy Berlin, J. Choate, Lisa Cravens-Brown, L. McKendrick-Calder, Susan F. Smith","doi":"10.20343/TEACHLEARNINQU.9.1.20","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20343/TEACHLEARNINQU.9.1.20","url":null,"abstract":"Summative assessments tend to be viewed as high-stakes episodes by students, directly exposing their capabilities as learners. As such, receiving feedback is likely to evoke a variety of emotions that may interact with cognitive engagement and hence the ability to learn. Our research investigated the emotions experienced by undergraduate students in relation to assessment feedback, exploring if these emotions informed their learning attitudes and behaviours. Respondents were drawn from different years of study and subject/major. A qualitative approach was adopted, using small group, semi-structured interviews and reflective diaries. Data were analysed thematically and they revealed that receiving feedback was inherently emotional for students, permeating their wider learning experience positively and negatively. Many students struggled to receive and act upon negative feedback, especially in early years, when it was often taken personally and linked to a sense of failure. Negative emotional responses tended to reduce students’ motivation, self-confidence, and self-esteem. Some students, especially in later years of study, demonstrated resilience and engagement in response to negative feedback. By contrast, positive feedback evoked intense but fleeting emotions. Positive feedback made students feel cared about, validating their self-worth and increasing their confidence, but it was not always motivational. The paper concludes with recommendations for instructors, highlighting a need to communicate feedback carefully and to develop student and staff feedback literacies.","PeriodicalId":44633,"journal":{"name":"Teaching & Learning Inquiry-The ISSOTL Journal","volume":"16 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2021-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78463151","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}