The purpose of the scholarship of teaching is the development and improvement of pedagogical practices (Braxton et al, 2002). The traditional benchmark for scholarship has been limited to research & discovery, resulting in publications. In his influential book "Scholarship Reconsidered: Priorities of the Professoriate" Ernest Boyer (1990) proposed that scholarship be broadened from research & discovery to include three additional domains: integration, application, and teaching. Examples of professional behaviors that have been proposed as scholarly activities (Braxton et al., 2002) include:
The Scholarship of Application:
- Service on a curriculum committee
- Self-study conducted for one's department
- Service on a committee engaged in institutional preparation for accreditation review
- Study conducted to formulate departmental or institutional policy
Unpublished Scholarly Outcomes
- Development of an innovative technology
- Development of a new process for dealing with a problem of practice
- Study conducted to help solve a community problem
Publications
- An article that outlines a new research problem identified through the application of the knowledge & skill of one's academic discipline to a practical problem
- An article that applies new disciplinary knowledge to a practical problem
- An article that proposes an approach to the bridging of theory & practice
The Scholarship of Discovery
Unpublished Scholarly Outcomes
- A paper presented that describes a new theory or research findings developed by the author
Publications
- Book chapter or refereed journal article reporting findings of research designed to gain new knowledge
The Scholarship of Integration
Unpublished Scholarly Outcomes
- A talk on a current discipline related topic at a local, regional or national meeting
Publications
- A review of the literature on a disciplinary or interdisciplinary topic
- An article or book chapter on the application of a theory borrowed from an academic discipline outside one's own
The Scholarship of Teaching
Scholarly activities
- Student research projects
- Preparation of a syllabus for a new course
- Development of exam questions that require higher-order thinking skills
- Development of a new set of lectures or learning activities
- Development of a new course
Unpublished Scholarly Outcomes
- Presentation of new instructional techniques to colleagues
- Construction of a novel examination or testing practice
- Experimentation with new teaching methods
- Trying a new instructional practice & refining it until it is successful
- Creation of a strategy to help students think critically about course concepts
Publications
- Publication on the use of a new instructional technique
- Publication on examples, materials, or assignments that help students learn difficult concepts
A "How to" Guide for Developing a Scholarship of Teaching Project
- O'Loughlin VD: A "how to" guide for developing a publishable scholarship of teaching project. Adv Physiol Educ 30:83-88, 2006.
References
- Boyer EL. "Scholarship Reconsidered. Priorities of the Professoriate". Carnegie Foundation For the Advancement of Teaching. San Francisco, CA. 1990 (ISBN 0-7879-4069-0)
- Braxton JM, Luckey W, Helland P. "Institutionalizing a Broader View of Scholarship Through Boyer's Four Domains". ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report. Wiley Periodicals. 2002 (ISBN 0-7879-5841-7)
