Institute for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning launches new website

By emi1989 posted on December 30th, 2015

The Institute for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISoTL) has launched a new website for members of the UBC community who are interested in research and reflection on teaching and learning.

ISoTL is a research institute within the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology (CTLT) that aims to deepen engagement of faculty members and experts in educational research from across campus to evaluate evidence-based practices in higher education. The institute also advocates for an effective reciprocity between research and practice, both locally and internationally.

The Scholarship for Teaching and Learning (SoTL) is a growing movement in post-secondary education that uses systemic, deliberate and methodological inquiry into student learning to improve teaching in a way that transfers beyond a single course by disseminating findings and mobilizing knowledge.

Simon Bates, senior advisor teaching and learning and academic director of CTLT, defines SoTL as the “systematic inquiry into teaching and learning processes and their effectiveness, made public.”

In May 2004 ISoTL was established in order to support research and reflection on teaching and learning at UBC. With the creation of CTLT in 2010, the institute’s mandate was refocused and strengthened.

Today ISoTL supports faculty members in engaging in reflective practices and pedagogical research, promotes the dissemination of curriculum and pedagogical research, and provides training and professional opportunities for faculty members who seek to engage in SoTL.

The new website highlights UBC’s SoTL projects, describes potential funding opportunities, and includes a community events page for which people can submit events.

For more information on ISoTL and SoTL practices, access the institute’s new website at isotl.ctlt.ubc.ca.