What is the SoTL Scholars Program?
The SoTL Scholars Program will consist of two small cohorts of faculty from various disciplines who will receive ongoing support from the Center for Teaching to design, implement, and disseminate their SoTL studies. Additional scholarly opportunities for the SoTL Scholars cohorts include:
- Sharing their SoTL study process and outcomes with the campus community at the University of Iowa SoTL Institute.
- Engaging with national and international SoTL experts and learning about SoTL advancements.
- Participating in the SoTL faculty community, which is open to faculty interested in learning about SoTL or who are planning to conduct a SoTL study in their teaching practice.
How to participate
Instructors interested in participating in the SoTL Scholars Program should submit their SoTL study proposals to the Center for Teaching. They may outline their ideas or plans to conduct a systematic inquiry into their teaching practices to better understand and enhance students’ learning experiences. Therefore, the SoTL Scholars proposal can either present a teaching idea that the faculty wishes to explore through a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) study or provide an outline of the study procedures to address the applicants' teaching and learning inquiry. Upon acceptance, the SoTL Scholars will receive funding and Center for Teaching expert support to design, conduct, analyze, and disseminate their SoTL studies.
SoTL Scholars are also required to participate in the SoTL Faculty Community sponsored by the Center for Teaching. The community meets virtually once a month.
Eligibility
- The SoTL Scholars Program is open to University of Iowa instructors from all tracks and disciplines who are interested in researching their teaching practices. We encourage all Tenure Track, Instructional Track, and Clinical Track faculty to apply.
Application
If you’re interested in applying for the SoTL Scholars program, please fill out this online form. The deadline to apply has been extended to Friday, Nov. 15.
The application will require you to briefly outline your SoTL project topic, idea, or plan, as well as ask you a few questions about your insights and previous engagement with scholarly teaching and SoTL.
If you have questions while completing the application, please contact us at teaching@uiowa.edu.
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) is a systemic inquiry into teaching and learning in which instructors leverage their research expertise to enhance students’ learning experiences and refine their own teaching strategies.
The Center for Teaching, in partnership with campus stakeholders, offers support for instructors interested in conducting SoTL studies.
Funding and Support
The SoTL Scholars Program is funded through the SPARC Strategic Initiatives Fund for FY24. It aims to advance support and develop the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning at the University of Iowa, aligning with the university strategic plan priority of excellence in teaching and learning.