How Experienced SoTL Researchers Develop the Credibility of Their Work

Abstract

Teaching and learning research in higher education, often referred to as the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), is still relatively novel in many academic contexts compared to the mainstay of disciplinary research. One indication of this is the challenges those who engage in SoTL report in terms of how this work is valued or considered credible amongst disciplinary colleagues and in the face of institutional policies and practices. This paper moves beyond the literature that describes these specific challenges to investigate how 23 experienced SoTL researchers from five different countries understood the notion of credibility in relationship to their SoTL research and how they went about developing credibility for their work. Semistructured interviews were facilitated and analyzed using inductive analysis. Findings indicate that notions of credibility encompassed putting SoTL research into action and building capacity and community around research findings, as well as gaining external validation through traditional indicators such as publishing. SoTL researchers reported a variety of strategies and approaches they were using, both formal and informal, to develop credibility for their work. The direct focus of this paper on credibility of SoTL work as perceived by experienced SoTL researchers, and how they go about developing credibility, is a distinct contribution to the discussions about the valuing of SoTL work.

Digital assessment – how does it challenge local practices and national law? A Norwegian case study

“…Teaching and learning are scholarly activities, and both are closely related to assessment and understanding. As Felten (2013) argues, knowledge about, and experiences from such scholarly activities need to be shared in order to be understood as significant intellectual work in academia (see also Billot et al 2017). There is, of course, an alternative and quite legitimate view saying that changes are most effective if and when they are implemented at a general level.…”

SoTL in the Margins: Teaching-Focused Role Case Studies

“…SoTL practitioners still bemoan the scarcity of time and resources, the difficulty in finding like-minded colleagues, particularly within their own institutions, and the lack of recognition and value attributed to SoTL work. In addition, Billot, Rowland, Carnell, Amundsen, and Evans (2017) indicated that the expectations around SoTL research at tertiary institutions were not always clearly defined and that participants struggled with the perceptions of the lack of credibility mirrored to SoTL work. Along with the barriers of being a SoTL researcher, participants also reported significant hurdles when attempting SoTL including a lack of funds, the time to complete applications, and finding scholarly journals to publish SoTL research.…”

Scholarship and academic capitals: the boundaried nature of education-focused career tracks

“…SOTL credibility has previously been found to be linked to publications and citations (Billot et al 2017) despite it offering a seemingly limitless range of outlets and opportunities to display impact. This has led to ongoing uncertainty around the appropriate means for sharing SOTL work (Felten 2013).…”

“…The ambiguity in definition and understanding of scholarship (Fanghanel et al 2016) leads to differences in perception of the nature and evaluation of scholarship work (Billot et al 2017), impacting both career progression and orientation of scholarship activities. As education-focused academic roles continue to grow as a share of the academic workforce (HESA 2021a), role descriptions and promotion criteria have been developed to provide full career pathways from entry-level to professor.…”