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News Release

Last modified: Monday, February 17, 2003

Fact sheet on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Program

• The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) is a faculty-driven program that helps to improve undergraduate learning through systematic research and research-based activity aimed at deepening and broadening the foundation of teaching practice. Faculty members apply research skills to questions of how students learn in their classes; they create new research knowledge related to higher education practices in different disciplines; and they are committed to sharing the knowledge with colleagues through traditional, formal research presentations.

• The program was initiated in 1998 when a faculty committee led by Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculties Moya Andrews began to explore how to build on existing efforts at the university to encourage faculty development that would foster the greatest improvements in undergraduate learning. Kickoff was February 1999.

• SOTL is a joint initiative of the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculties and the Office of the Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School.

• More than 2,000 faculty, including 24 percent of all tenured and tenure-track faculty, have participated in SOTL. Graduate students represent 18 percent of total attendance.

• Research seed grants of $2,500 ($1,000 at the start of the program) are available. Between 1999 and 2002, $25,000 has been awarded.

• Thirty-four local scholars from 22 different departments have presented results at colloquia.

• Lee Shulman, president of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, has referred to Indiana University Bloomington as the flagship institution for the scholarship of teaching and learning.

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