Is the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning just another way to explain good teaching?
A. Yes, if your definition of good teaching includes systematic inquiry into teaching and learning issues, critical reflection on teaching/learning strategies, techniques, and possibilities, application of reflection to practice, assessment of student learning practices, peer review and self-reflection, public dissemination of research results, and creation of accessible and useable products. No, if your definition of good teaching is “excellent instructor evaluations” or “good peer evaluations,” or even “scholarly teaching.” Scholarship of Teaching and Learning goes beyond “teaching evaluations” and “scholarly teaching.” Scholarly teachers keep up on the literature and research in their fields and learn about recent pedagogical advances. Scholarly teachers foster student learning by getting feedback from students, by asking our peers to visit our classrooms and provide us with constructive criticism, by developing innovative curriculum materials, and by attending faculty development w
