The Scholarship of Teaching
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Within the ETAD 991 course we took the time to investigate the scholarship of teaching. When it comes to teaching this quote captures beautifully what it means to be a teacher:
"Teaching, like parenting, does not come with a detailed how-to manual. Teaching, like parenting, is not a science governed by a set of rules one can learn and then apply to all students in all classes. Teaching is a complex set of social practices fraught with uncertainty and predictable only at a global level. Every class produces situated experience and learning through engagement in action and interaction with others who bring an individual history and culture to that setting."
The Scholarship of Teaching and Self-Study in Teacher Education: Walking the Walk by: Crafton, Linda
Over the past decade of teaching this has been quite evident, even from the very first day in the classroom. No matter how well you are prepared, the very nature of teaching and interacting with students means no two instructional classes are ever the same. As with any teacher, I found myself reflecting on my teaching practice and determining how I can be better prepared and better meet the needs of my students.
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"Professions (like teaching) deal with that part of the universe where design and chance collide. One cannot resolve that uncertainty by writing new rules. The way forward is to make that collision, that unpredictability in our fields, itself an object of individual and collective investigation."
The Scholarship of Teaching and Self-Study in Teacher Education: Walking the Walk by: Crafton, Linda
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At the start of this course I was struck by what exactly does the scholarship of teaching mean? Over the course of the term, through discussions and presentations from colleagues, we began to piece together what it means to ourselves. I came across a great quote that that resonated with me as to what the scholarship of teaching is, and how it applies to, and can even seem to conflict with, our teaching beliefs and general practice.
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"In scholarship and research, having a "problem" is at the heart of the investigative process; it is the compound of the generative questions around which all creative and productive activity revolves. But in one's teaching, a "problem" is something you don't want to have, and if you have one, you probably want to fix it. Asking a colleague about a problem in his or her research is an invitation; asking about a problem in one's teaching would probably seem like an accusation. Changing the status of the problem in teaching from terminal remediation to ongoing investigation is precisely what the movement for a scholarship of teaching is all about."
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Randy Bass (1998)
I like to think of myself as a problem solver. One who when is confronted with a problem happens to work quickly and efficiently to rectify the problem. As I have taken this course, and my overall Masters, I have come to accept that there is not always a quick fix-it to every problem encountered in education. Nor should there be. More often than not, there are questions that go straight to the core of who we are as teachers and highlight not only the core principles we work to uphold ourselves but also the teaching profession. Being a scholar is someone who asks those soul bearing questions, who commits to a field of study and pursues ways to enhance and contribute to the field. In the scholarship of teaching we are looking at how we will not only contribute to our own practice, but also enhance the field of teaching. While the exact definition is still evolving, and unlikely to ever be set in stone, I came across the following definition from The Society of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education which states the following:
"As Poole and Simmons (forthcoming) write,
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“The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) involves post-secondary practitioners conducting inquiry into teaching and learning processes in higher education contexts.” As McKinney (2006) describes, ‘the scholarship of teaching and learning … involves systematic study of teaching and/or learning and the public sharing and review of such work through presentations, performance, or publications’ (p. 39). Hutchings and Shulman (1999) further clarify that SoTL ‘requires a kind of “going meta”, in which faculty frame and systematically investigate questions related to student learning’ (p. 13). The overall intention of SoTL is thus to improve student learning and enhance educational quality."
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As I did more research into the area I came across a couple of key points that stuck with me.
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â–º Those who practice the scholarship of teaching carefully design ways to examine, interpret, and share learning about teaching. They contribute to the scholarly community of their discipline.
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â–º Faculty that practice the scholarship of teaching are curious about the ways in which students learn and the effects of certain practices on that learning.
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â–º The scholarship of teaching has characteristics that make it different from other forms of scholarship, but it also has characteristics that encompass the dimensions of the scholarship of discovery, integration, and application.
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Over the entire Masters of Educational Technology and Design Program I have been on a path in defining and taking part in the scholarship of teaching. I have, on a personal level, been working to learn how to design instruction, integrate technology, deliver effective teaching media and critically evaluate my teaching practice. I have helped my colleagues to improve their practice through discussions, peer reviews and collaborative group work. Through the projects, research proposals and assignments that I have completed, I have added my little piece to enhancing the educational system. While I have not undertaken a thesis or major project in the completion of my Masters, where those items would be published and shared with individuals in the field of educational technology, I have done a small part to improve the education field. One of my most notable contributions is the development of the Hearing, Technology and Education paper that helps educators to meet the needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing students.
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More importantly the scholarship of teaching has helped to sharpen my teaching skills and enhance my overall practice. I have become a slightly wiser and more experienced teacher from my experience and this course, with others in the program, have broadened my understanding of the educational field, how technology can enhance learning, and how I can contribute to it.
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With the completion on my Masters this journey will not end... instead I plan to continue to learn, and work to improve my teaching practice. If I ever decide to move ahead with a PhD in Education, I know that whatever I choose will need to be something that I am passionate about. Perhaps the area of Educational Technology for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals will be one where I can contribute further to the field. That is a discussion for another day.
In conclusion, the scholarship of teaching is about a lifelong commitment to learn, improve and become a better teacher / instructor than you were.