From Scholarly Teaching to Research
In spring 2025, the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment launched the From Scholarly Teaching to Research faculty development certification. Designed as a workshop series, the experience prepares instructors to move from scholarly teaching to their own Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) or Discipline-based Education Research (DBER). From Scholarly Teaching to Research equips practitioners with skills related to studying student learning in context using sound methodologies.
The professional development offering is led by faculty members, Courtney Koestler, Teacher Education, and Nicholas Stroup, Counseling and Higher Education. Koestler and Stroup designed the series to provide instructors with a structured pathway for a SoTL or DBER project development and implementation, encouraging participants to examine their teaching practices to improve student learning outcomes and address challenges in their teaching environments.
Instructors will leave the experience with a conference presentation proposal or a SoTL article draft to refine for submission to identified journals or other media.
From Scholarly Teaching to Research Certification Outcomes
Individuals completing the SoTL certification will be able to:
- Apply SoTL principles.
- Critically reflect on their own teaching through the lens of research positionality, considering their role and influence as educators.
- Identify and frame research questions by analyzing problems of practice within their teaching environment.
- Design a quantitative or qualitative research study that includes clear research questions, methods of data generation and data collection strategies.
- Analyze quantitative or qualitative data collected from practitioner inquiry research and draw meaningful conclusions to improve their teaching.
- Disseminate research outcomes through professional presentations and/or publications, contributing to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.
- Reflect on findings from their studies into teaching practices, fostering equitable learning opportunities for students.
Certification Requirements
- Completion of six hybrid workshops.
- A submitted or approved IRB protocol or a portfolio, which includes the following components:
- Research objective and rationale
- Procedures and methods of data collection
- Description of data to be collected
- Significance of the research
- Planned data analysis methods
- Future plans/reflection
- Appendices (i.e., data collection instruments, copies of assignments or surveys, etc.)
- A final deliverable, which may include:
- A copy of your published work
- A copy of or link to your presentation(s)
- A finalized departmental report
- A faculty development workshop proposal
Workshop Series Overview
From Scholarly Teaching to Research has as a foundation six hybrid sessions that provide scaffolded support for development of a project.
Session 1: Welcome and Overview of SoTL Certification Program
This introduction provides faculty with information on SoTL and key research methodologies in educational scholarship. Participants explore how SoTL fosters reflective teaching practices and student learning through evidence-based inquiry, while DBER focuses on discipline-specific investigations that enhance learning outcomes within distinct fields. Action Research is introduced as a practical, problem-solving approach for improving teaching and learning through iterative cycles of planning, acting, observing and reflecting. The session will also cover Systematic Review Methods, offering faculty tools to rigorously synthesize research literature in education.
Session 2: SoTL in Higher Education
This session helps faculty deepen their understanding of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) by exploring how to move from scholarly teaching to research. Participants will examine the “what, why and how” of SoTL, consider their own positionality and potential biases as researchers and refine their initial project ideas with a focus on developing effective research questions. Through guided reflection, discussion and peer feedback, faculty learn to design ethical, meaningful inquiries into their own teaching that contribute to improved student learning and the broader field of educational scholarship.
Session 3: Developing a Proposal -- Data Generation
In this session, faculty learn how to design a sound data collection plan for their Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) projects. Building on their understanding of positionality and reflexivity, participants explore different forms of quantitative and qualitative data, discuss ethical and practical considerations for gathering and storing data and identify which data sources best align with their research questions. Through reflection, peer feedback and guided discussion, faculty will develop strategies for collecting meaningful, transferable evidence that strengthens their teaching inquiry.
Session 4: Developing a Proposal -- Data Analysis
This session helps faculty move from data collection to analysis by introducing effective strategies for managing, securing and analyzing data in SoTL research. Participants learn to select appropriate quantitative and qualitative methods, balance scope and feasibility using the “iron triangle” of time, cost, and quality and apply analysis techniques—such as coding, rubric analysis and significance testing—to answer their research questions. Faculty also explore data management best practices and collaborate in small groups to refine analytic plans, preparing them to transform collected data into meaningful insights about teaching and learning.
Session 5: Library Resources and Next Steps
This workshop is designed for faculty interested in enhancing their teaching practices through SoTL by curating reading lists, digital resources and leveraging library support. This session will focus on how faculty can curate and organize resources that not only support student learning but also contribute to SoTL research.
Session 6: Celebration
This session is special celebration of faculty innovation and collaboration! Offered as a supportive platform for faculty to share their proposed SoTL research proposals with colleagues. This event offers a unique opportunity to present your ideas, receive feedback and explore potential collaborations with peers. Faculty will present brief overviews of their SoTL projects, highlighting their research questions, methodologies and anticipated impact on teaching and learning.
How to apply
Applications are accepted through a Qualtrics survey. Participants will be asked for information about their position, department and college, as well as contact information. They will also be asked to submit the following:
- A confirmation from department chair supporting participation in the certification. Alternately, the department chair is welcome to email ctla@ohio.edu to confirm support.
- A brief letter of application/statement (500 words maximum) which should include the following:
- A teaching problem, challenge or area of inquiry related to student learning of interest.
- Current familiarity with Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and/or Discipline-based Education Research. (Please note: Applicants do not have to have experience with this type of scholarship to participate.)
- Interested in quantitative, qualitative or mixed-methods research.
Applications will be accepted on a continual basis, and applicants will be notified once a completed application is received with information on when the next cohort is expected to begin.
For additional information, please contact CTLA.