Navigating Dual Roles to Put Student LearningFirst
The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) involves a systematic inquiry into teaching and student learning in order to improve the quality of student learning within and across post secondary institutions. This research encompasses diverse topics, ranging from students’ conceptual understanding, attitudes, and experiences to effectiveness of instructional strategies and understanding classroom dynamics. As educators who engage in SoTL, we are often required to simultaneously adopt dual roles: as teacher and researcher.
As teachers, we are responsible for facilitating learning and addressing students’ learning needs. We also wield significant power in the evaluation and assessment of student learning. As researchers, our commitment lies in enhancing educational outcomes through evidence-based inquiry. To collect data for our research, we may engage students in activities such as surveys, focus groups, interviews, or coursework analysis. When we consider the potential impact of SoTL research in classrooms and on student learning, an intriguing question emerges:
How can we balance our dual roles of teacher and researcher to ensure our SoTL projects authentically enhance student learning without compromising their educational experiences?
Putting Student Learning First
When conducting SoTL research in our classrooms, it is necessary to prioritize our students’ learning, regardless of whether students are directly involved in our research. The goal of SoTL is not merely to gather data for research purposes but to understand and enhance our students’ learning experiences while ensuring fair and equitable treatment throughout the course. Yeo, Miller-Young, and Manarin (2024) emphasize that students enroll in our courses to learn, not to serve as research participants; therefore, our research efforts must always keep student learning at the forefront.
The primary focus must be their learning in the course, even if we firmly believe that our research will improve the teaching and learning environment. In practical terms, this means that activities that seem like a normal part of teaching may have to be approached differently when viewed through the lens of research” (Yeo, Miller-Young, & Manarin, 2024, p. 11).
As a SoTL researcher and teacher, my goal is to weave research activities into a plan for my teaching without compromising the active, participatory learning environment that I try to create for my students. I find merging the two involves thoughtful consideration of the benefits and risks associated with students’ participation in classroom-based SoTL research.
Here are some key points to keep in mind to ensure we’re putting student learning first in SoTL research:
Partner with students: Consider inviting students to be equitable partners to contribute to the design, goals and direction of the research. SoTL research should aim to enhance student learning and contribute to their academic success – why not involve them in shaping these experiences?
Research Ethics Review: SoTL projects involving human participants often require approval from Research Ethics Boards (REBs). We need to be familiar with our institution’s ethics guidelines and seek REB approval when necessary.
Power Imbalance: Teachers have authority over students, which can affect their willingness to participate in research. Obtain necessary permissions by seeking informed consent for data collection and participation and ensure students feel comfortable opting in or out of research. Make sure the research process does not interfere with their learning experience.
Transparency: As both teachers and researchers, we must balance our interactions with students. Transparency about our research process and sharing how our findings will improve students’ experiences can foster a sense of community in the classroom (Mauer et al., 2021). Many students will be happy to see their voices represented in the improvements you’ve made to your teaching.
Data Privacy: Respect the privacy and confidentiality of your students. Any data used should be anonymized and securely stored.
Reflect and Adapt: Use the insights gained from your research to inform your teaching practices. Be willing to adapt and make changes based on the research findings.
(Some of the content in the above list was generated with the help of Microsoft CoPilot)
In essence, putting student learning first in SoTL research is at the heart of our dual role as teachers and researchers. Engaging in SoTL is about more than improving teaching practices; it’s about being educators who are committed to learning alongside our students. By involving students in shaping their learning experiences, we can create collaborative and transparent classroom environments that foster mutual growth and understanding. This approach not only enhances students’ learning experiences but also builds a stronger sense of community and trust in our classrooms and across our institutions.
Launa Gauthier, Ph.D. (Education) has been an educator for over 20 years. Over this time, she has worked in K-12 international schools and in post-secondary contexts in several different countries. She completed her PhD at Queen’s University. Her research areas focus teaching and learning development and student-faculty partnerships in higher education/post-secondary. Launa specializes in developing and supporting Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) research initiatives.
