Call for Proposals: Banff Symposium on Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Nov 10-12 2016
- Research on teaching and learning – presentations on active or completed SoTL projects
- Involving undergraduate students in SoTL – presentations on best practices or example projects where undergraduate students are acting as co-researchers
- Teaching and learning with technology – presentations on the utility and impact of technology for teaching and learning
- Collaborating beyond the single classroom – presentations on multi-class, interdisciplinary, or cross-institutional projects
- Methodologies and innovative approaches to data gathering and analysis – presentations providing a ‘how to’ introduction to specific research methods and theoretical frameworks
- Calls for collaboration, triangulation, and development (poster session only) – poster presentations that share early-stage research questions with the objective of establishing connections with like-minded researchers
New SoTL projects supported in Fall 2015
We are thrilled to announce the recipients of our latest round of TransCanada Grants and Nexen Scholars Program applications (more details here). The projects cover topics from undergraduate research in science to humanities, and from developing students’ interprofessional skills to civic and global engagement. They will be conducted by faculty collaborating across disciplines and institutions. We’re looking forward to learning from what they learn about student learning!!
TransCanada Collaborative SoTL Inquiry Grants awarded Fall 2015
(see the Institute’s main website for project descriptions)
Interprofessional Education with Nursing and Respiratory Therapy Students: A Mixed Methods Study.
- Collaborative Research Team: Heather Russell, Margot Underwood, Marg Olfert, Liza Choi, Stephanie Zettel, Jennifer Watson, and Caroline Silen (Nursing, Mount Royal University; Meredith Patey and Jennifer Stefura (Respiratory Therapy, SAIT)
How do Students Understand Community-Service Learning?
- Collaborative Research Team: Melanie Rathburn and Roberta Lexier (General Education)
2016 Nexen Scholars and their projects
John Chik, Chemistry & Physics: REAL (Real Experience And Learning) Labs: Designing Authentic Learning Experiences in Biochemistry
Ana Colina, Biology: What is the impact of web-based pre-laboratory preparation modules on learning in the microbiology laboratory?
Lee Easton, English: Screening Identities: Exploring How Film Studies Students use Canadian Identities at/on the Border of Race, Nation and History
Heather MacLean, Nursing & Midwifery: How students experience learning in simulation from both active participant and observer roles
Teresa Merrells, Humanities: Studying Undergraduate Research in a Course on Language Acquisition
Semiyu Aderibigbe and Rita Yembilah, General Education: Using an Online Discussion Platform to Engage Students in General Education Courses about Communities and Societies
application details for upcoming Nexen Scholars Program and TransCanada Collaborative SoTL grants
Our redesigned home website will launch soon (can’t wait!) but in the meantime I wanted to get these RFPs posted as soon as possible:
2016 Nexen Scholars Program
The Nexen Scholars Program brings together faculty from a range of academic disciplines committed to investigating and documenting significant issues and challenges in teaching and learning in higher education. The central work of the Nexen Scholars is to develop course-based inquiry projects, conduct research that sheds new light on a significant aspect of student learning, and share evidence and findings publicly in an effort to influence practice in the field.
Nexen Scholars are selected for a 16-month term, participate in an off‐site residency in February, and engage in monthly collaborative activities during the time that they develop and conduct their inquiries. The Nexen donation also supports Going Public Awards for scholars to present their work at conferences, as well as an optional data analysis residencies to assist scholars in furthering their work.
2016 Nexen Program Call for Proposals (due Dec 1 2015): 2016nexenscholarsrfp
Nexen Scholars Going Public Awards: 2015-16GoingPublic
Faculty who are considering applying are encouraged, but not required, to attend the following November presentation and to browse the Institute website for resources and information about previous projects:
Nexen Program Scholars’ Showcase
Fri Nov 6 2015, 12:30-1:30 in T107
Presented by 2015 Nexen Scholars: Collette Lemieux (Bissett), Brad Quiring (Bissett), Sheri Rhodes (International Education), Joanna Szabo (Nursing), Priscilla Wamucii (General Education), and Janice Miller-Young (Institute)
TransCanada Collaborative SoTL Inquiry Grants
TransCanada Collaborative SoTL Inquiry Grants are designated for collaborative teaching and learning inquiry projects which go beyond an inquiry about teaching and learning in a single class. Note that while the Nexen Scholars Program is designed to support scholars in developing a project, the TransCanada grants require a complete research proposal including literature review, research question, methodology, data collection, and dissemination plans. (If your proposed work does not align well with this structure, please include a clear statement of theory and methods that are aligned with the proposed project.) Eligible projects must propose systematic, evidence-based study of teaching and learning and meet principles of good practice in SoTL (Felten, 2013).
Collaborative SoTL projects are expected to be in the range of $5,000-$10,000 (i.e. bigger than what an internal research grant would reasonably support) and may be conducted over one or two years.
TransCanada grant application guidelines (due October 31): Collaborative-Research-Grant-guidelines-updated Sept2015
To apply for TransCanada Collaborative SoTL Inquiry Grant, Principal Investigators must use the Office of Research Services web-based application, which requires the completion of a Research Tracking Form, description of the project, co-investigator team and dissemination plan, and the uploading of a complete research proposal.
MRU scholars presenting at #STLHE2015
A number of us from MRU are presenting at Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education conference next week. Looking forward to the generative conversations that will occur!
Wed June 17, 12:00 pm, Seymour Room
Tuning in on Tacit Knowledge
Jennifer Boman, Genevieve Currie, Ron MacDonald, Janice Miller-Young, Michelle Yeo, Stephanie Zettel
Thurs June 18, 11:30 am, Seymour Room
Creating SoTL Concertos for Institutional Impact
Michelle Yeo representing MRU on a panel with colleagues from University of Calgary, University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, McMaster University, Western University, Brock University, and University of Waterloo
Fri June 19, 8:30 am, Salon 2
Tuning in to Original Undergraduate Research in Classroom Contexts
Karen Manarin, April McGrath, Miriam Carey
Fri June 19, 8:30 am, Cypress 1 Room
Writing and publishing your Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
Janice Miller-Young on a panel with other CJSoTL editors Shannon Murray, Marilou Bélisle, and Beth Marquis
**also see the SoTL Canada blog for a schedule of other SoTL presentations and the SoTL Canada AGM
2015 Nexen Scholars
Looking forward to our first meeting of the 2015 Nexen Scholars cohort today!!
This year’s cohort and their projects:
Depicting Suffering: The Student Experience, Pat Kostouros, Child Studies and Social Work
Concepts over Calculations; Context over Computations: Incorporating Case Studies in Business Statistics, Brad Quiring and Collette Lemieux, Bissett School of Business
Exploring Arts-Based Approaches to Developing Leadership in Senior Nursing Students, Joanna Szabo, Nursing
Developing Student Noticing with the Use of Recorded Speech Samples in the ESL Classroom, Sheri Rhodes, International Education
“Continuing in SoTL” Community of Practice
Last year, a number of us got together to form a community of practice for those who were looking for continued support in SoTL after finishing the Nexen Scholars program.
Communities of practice are groups whose members “share a passion for something they know how to do and who interact regularly to learn how to do it better” (Wenger, 2006).
All MRU Nexen Scholars who are interested in continuing their SoTL scholarship are invited to join the group this year, but for the purposes of a developing conversation, must be able to commit to the fall meeting times.
Fall meeting times:
Fridays, 3:00-4:00
Oct 10, Nov 14, Dec 12
Room TBA (hopefully the Faculty Centre so that we can cruise into AA…)
If you’re wondering exactly what this group might want to talk about, well, that will be for the group to decide in its first meeting. Last year we read articles together, discussed research approaches and learning theories, workshopped each other’s projects, and talked about strategies for developing a line of research, carving out time for scholarship and writing, etc.
Learning Theories
Our SoTL CoP will be launching into a discussion of learning theories at our next meeting. As it happens, there was also a recent request for resources on adult learning theory on the STLHE LinkedIn group. A few websites were recommended in that discussion. They are listed below, with some comments from Michelle:
I. Categories
The following two sites try to organize the learning theories into broad categories, as we will do next meeting. You will notice they do so in slightly different ways, for example, some people would categorize constructivism as a type of cognitivism, while other people would give constructivism its own category.
Index of Learning Theories and Models
http://www.learning-theories.com/
Learning Theories Site Map
http://www.lifecircles-inc.com/Learningtheories/learningmap.html#!
II. Comprehensive Lists
The following two sites list broad arrays of theories.
Learning Theories – this site does not categorize but just lists a variety of theories alphabetically
http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/index.html#!
This site is the one recommended in the Kanuka article – it is interesting in the sense that it groups theories that are related under the original theorist, such as B.F. Skinner. But then it also has categories like Behaviorism – it is a bit overwhelming I’d say. 🙂
http://www.emtech.net/learning_theories.htm
III. Andragogy
Andragogy is a theory of adult education that some people like to distinguish from pedagogy (if you consider pedagogy to be related to children – also up for debate). A good summary of Malcolm Knowles’ work on by Gayla Keesee can be found here (and browse the site for more): http://teachinglearningresources.pbworks.com/w/page/30310516/Andragogy–Adult%20Learning%20Theory#!
IV. A visual representation of everything – just for fun
A Visual Guide To Every Single Learning Theory – at Edudemic
http://edudemic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/learningtheories-full.jpg
CSL Research group – save the dates!!
Arrangements are coming together for two upcoming CSL research group events! (If you’re interested in only receiving CSL Research Group news, add a comment below requesting to be added to the email distribution list.)
12:00 Thurs Nov 28: presentation by Melanie Rathburn and Roberta Lexier, research design-in-progress for their upcoming GenEd CSL trip to Honduras
all day Thurs Jan 30: CSL-SoTL workshop presented by Patti Clayton, co-author and co-editor of two books on Research on Service Learning
Research on Service Learning: Conceptual Frameworks & Assessments
More details coming soon!!
And by the way, here’s a recent, brief article on service learning from Faculty Focus:
What Makes Service Learning Unique: Reflection and Reciprocity
CoP on advancing your SoTL practice – next meeting Nov 1
A group of faculty, who have either been through the Nexen Scholars program or have conducted a SoTL project, are working as a Community of Practice this year to support ourselves in furthering our SoTL work. For those who are interested but can’t make our meetings, we’ll post brief summaries here.
As a group, we decided that one of our goals was to explore different methodologies in order to expand our perspectives on what kinds of research questions can be asked in SoTL. At our second meeting on Oct 18, Michelle gave us a nice “big picture” summary of qualitative research which included examples, interests, disciplines, and common terms and features. I particularly enjoyed how she summed up her presentation as follows:
Empirical Qualitative – the truth is out there
Naturalistic Descriptive – rich description, researcher needs to be keenly observant
Interpretive the context is the story
Critical Theory – interested in power, emancipatory goals
Post-modern, Post-Structuralist – the jazz of qualitative research
Thanks Michelle!
We had such a great discussion that we didn’t quite get to discussing data analysis yet, so to get ready for our next meeting, Michelle has suggested this reading:
Title: Analyzing Qualitative Data
Author(s): Margaret D. LeCompte
Source: Theory into Practice, Vol. 39, No. 3, Getting Good Qualitative Data to Improve Educational Practice (Summer, 2000), pp. 146-154
Publisher(s): Taylor & Francis, Ltd.
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1477546
See you next week, Friday Nov 1, at 2:00 in T195.
CoP on advancing your SoTL practice
A group of faculty, who have either been through the Nexen Scholars program or have conducted a SoTL project, are developing a Community of Practice to support themselves in furthering their SoTL work. For those who are interested but can’t make our meetings, we’ll post brief summaries here.
At our first meeting last month, 4 main themes emerged from our discussion about what kinds of support everyone was looking for:
- sharing expertise on conducting collaborative projects
- exploring methodologies
- strategizing personal trajectories and developing research programs
- being a sounding board for members to discuss their current projects
We decided our next meeting would begin with a brief survey (courtesy of Michelle Yeo) of 4 qualitative research paradigms: “empirical” qualitative, interpretive, critical and postmodern. We thought a discussion of these paradigms might help to broaden our perspectives of what kinds of research questions can be asked in SoTL. We’ll also be discussing the following article:
Kanuka, H. (2011). Keeping the Scholarship in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 5(1).
http://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/int_jtl/252/
Looking forward to seeing where this discussion takes us!
Reminder: our next meeting is Friday Oct 18 at 2:00.