Bridging the Gap between the Research Ethics Board and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

Abstract

In 2016, Dalhousie University’s Research Ethics Board created an interdisciplinary working group to identify the key ethical challenges of SoTL research, with the overarching aim of recommending best practices and communicating these to researchers in order to support and expand the conduct of ethically sound SoTL research. This essay reflects on the lessons learned through this process and shines a light on the three most contentious arenas that emerged: using class time to conduct SoTL research, integrating Students Ratings of Instruction (SRI) into SoTL, and incorporating student work as a data source.
 This essay contributes to the emerging conversation around ethical SoTL research in two important ways. First, we argue for more lenient REB protocols that encourage SoTL research by exposing how restrictive interpretations of key issues serve as obstacles for student-centered research. Second, we introduce new tools designed to address these impediments, including the first-ever interactive user guide. The overarching aims of this essay are (a) to help SoTL researchers navigate this complex terrain, and (b) to encourage other Canadian REBs to consider implementing more permissive regimes.

Understanding the impacts of intensive student internships at a campus agricultural project

“…A growing concern in the scholarship of teaching and learning is the potential for power differentials between students and faculty conducting research in their own courses (Schnurr & Taylor, 2019). The concern is that students may feel coerced to participate or filter what they share about their experiences in order to find favor with their instructor or get a good grade in the course.…”