Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL): Transformative Professional Development for Teachers
Jana Hunzicker, EdD, Bradley University
Suggested Citation
Hunzicker, J. (2019). Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL): Transformative professional development for teachers. InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching, 14, 9-12. https://doi.org/10.46504/14201900hu
Overcoming Gender Bias in STEM: The Effect of Adding the Arts (STEAM)
Clara Wajngurt, PhD, City University of New York, and Pessy J. Sloan, PhD, Daemen College
Suggested Citation
Wajngurt, C., & Sloan, P. J. (2019). Overcoming gender bias in STEM: The effect of adding the arts (STEAM). InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching, 14, 13-28. https://doi.org/10.46504/14201901wa
This study investigated female students who attended a STEM course with the Arts (STEAM) in comparison to a traditional STEM course and the impact it had on desire to pursue a STEM degree. An independent-samples t-test was conducted to compare female to male students’ interest in pursuing STEM degrees. In addition, follow up data for registration in STEM subjects was calculated. The participants (N = 58) consisted of college students (35 female students and 23 male students) attending a postsecondary institution in the northeastern United States. The study found significant differences (p < .05) between the groups and a larger percentage of female students from the STEAM course than from the traditional STEM course enrolled in another STEM course at follow up. These results support the positive relationship between female students attending a STEAM course and desire to pursue a STEM degree. The implications and results of adding interdisciplinary elements to traditional STEM courses for female students are discussed.
Collaborative Pedagogy in a Design Thinking Education Course
Rosetta Marantz Cohen, EdD, and Lucy Mule, PhD, Smith College
Suggested Citation
Marantz Cohen, R., & Mule, L. (2019). Collaborative pedagogy in a design thinking education course. InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching, 14, 29-42. https://doi.org/10.46504/14201902ma
This article describes a co-taught course that mobilized a Design Thinking approach in the service of creating a prototype for an actual girls’ boarding school in Kenya. The goal of the class was to allow students to engage collaboratively with faculty, with their peers, and with experts “on the ground” to develop the various parts of the school, from the mission to the curriculum to the building design. The article describes the rewards and complexities of this kind of hands-on pedagogy in a higher education context.
Learning Analytics in Higher Education: A Reflection
John Zilvinskis, PhD, Binghamton University, State of New York, and James E. Willis, III, PhD, University of Indianapolis
Suggested Citation
Zilvinskis, J., & Willis, J. E., III. (2019). Learning analytics in higher education: A reflection. InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching, 14, 43-54. https://doi.org/10.46504/14201903zi
The idea of learning analytics has become popularized within higher education, yet many educators are uncertain about what is entailed when implementing these technologies into practice. The following article serves as an overview to the field of learning analytics for faculty, educators for whom the expectations to use these technologies continues to increase. We additionally argue that those who work directly with students need a functional understanding of the learning analytics landscape in order to exercise their own expertise.
Strengthening Field Education: An Integrated Model for Signature Pedagogy in Social Work
Debra Olson-Morrison, PhD, Tami Radohl, PhD, and Geri Dickey, PhD, Park University
Suggested Citation
Olson-Morrison, D., Radohl, T., & Dickey, G. (2019). Strengthening field education: An integrated model for signature pedagogy in social work. InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching, 14, 55-73. https://doi.org/10.46504/14201904ol
Disciplines that incorporate field education into their curriculum face similar challenges around fidelity and tracking of the integration of course work, field learning, and attainment of educational competencies. In social work curriculum, field education is identified as its signature pedagogy (CSWE, 2015), underscoring the importance of in-vivo learning. In this paper, the author’s explore challenges associated with integration and assessment of competencies reflective of signature pedagogical principles through a social work lens. The authors propose a model for upholding field education as signature pedagogy through a combination of utilizing a faculty field liaison, housing field education within a course, and by instituting a comprehensive field education learning plan. While specific to social work, the model may generalize to other disciplines struggling to uphold quality in clinical and field education experiences.
SoTL’s Impact on Teaching Goals: A Case Study from a Regional University
Kelley Shaffer, PhD, James E. Gentry, EdD, and Sarah Maben, PhD, Tarleton State University
Suggested Citation
Shaffer, K., Gentry, J. E., & Maben, S. (2019). SoTL’s impact on teaching goals: A case study from a regional university. InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching, 14, 74-87. https://doi.org/10.46504/14201905sh
This study reviewed the impact of a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) program offered at a university. While there is a plethora of literature available that addresses the impact on scholars’ teaching methods and classroom research, few publications address SoTL’s impact on teaching goals. Twelve faculty scholars participated in the cohort-based program and completed the Angelo and Cross'(1993a) Teaching Goals Inventory (TGI) before and after participation in SoTL. Statistically significant increases with medium to large effect were noted for two TGI clusters. Faculty scholars’ quotes provided evidence of how their practice changed after this SoTL program.
Constraints on Innovative Teaching in British Universities: An American Perspective
David M. Schultz, PhD, University of Manchester
Suggested Citation
Schultz, D. M. (2019). Constraints on innovative teaching in British universities: An American perspective. InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching, 14, 88-98. https://doi.org/10.46504/14201906sc
Effective teaching is often difficult to achieve because institutional frameworks and inertia – unique to the British educational system – inhibit teachers from being innovative. These challenges to more innovative teaching are the relatively short length of time to a degree, and the heavy institutional oversight of degree programs and individual courses. Also, the tradition of lack of regular feedback and failures in the supervision and marking of undergraduate dissertations also lead to a less-than-ideal educational experience. Fortunately, some of these challenges can be overcome and provide a better learning experience for students.
Exploring the Co-Teaching Experience in a Graduate-Level, Principal Preparation Course
Jafeth E. Sanchez, PhD, University of Nevada, Kelly Humphreys, PhD, Rita Cannan Elementary School, and Kevin Carroll, MEd, Sparks High School
Suggested Citation
Sanchez, J. E., Humphreys, K., & Carroll, K. (2019). Exploring the co-teaching experience in a graduate-level, principal preparation course. InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching, 14, 99-112. https://doi.org/10.46504/14201907sa
This article presents a case study conducted by three co-instructors (one faculty member and two practicing principals) who examined their experiences co-teaching a newly revised, graduate-level, principal preparation course. Three themes were identified through their experiential stories: strengths of the co-teaching model, supports and needs, and hindrances. These primary themes, along with notable subthemes are detailed. A discussion on coteaching as an innovative teaching method in higher education is provided with a particular focus at the graduate level. Implications for practice and suggestions for future research are discussed in light of these unique findings on co-teaching experiences.
Using Student Perceptions of Collaborative Mapping to Facilitate Interdisciplinary Learning
Michele C. Everett, PhD, Coastal Carolina University
Suggested Citation
Everett, M. C. (2019). Using student perceptions of collaborative mapping to facilitate interdisciplinary learning. InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching, 14, 113-129. https://doi.org/10.46504/14201908ev
This article reports on a study that investigated student perceptions of the effectiveness of collaborative mapping as a teaching strategy to facilitate interdisciplinary learning. Forty-five students enrolled in an introduction to interdisciplinary studies course participated in the study. Qualitative data, collaborative maps and student evaluations were analyzed using content and thematic analysis. Findings provide new understandings about using student perceptions of learning experiences to inform classroom practice. These understandings have implications for addressing the increasing pressure to demonstrate teaching effectiveness and learning outcomes in higher education.
