Categories of scholarship of learning and teaching activity and achievements
Background
You may wish to articulate or measure your Scholarship of Learning and Teaching activities, achievements and outputs. This document will help you decide what you can include.
SCU upholds three primary Scholarship of Learning and Teaching (SoLT) activities and accomplishments categories. These categories capture the intersection between SCU promotion criteria for teaching scholarship and TEQSA descriptors of evidence of scholarly activity.
SCHOLARLY COLLABORATION AND ACTIVITY Academic Reviews, original (SoLT) research and educational activity, scholarly Teaching Practice, higher level qualifications. ENGAGEMENT AND CONTRIBUTION TO COMMUNITIES: Synthesising and communicating advances in evidence-based practice, contributions to relevant professional bodies or communities of course, active and ongoing involvement in relevant scholarly academic societies, editorial roles, or peer review. LEARNING AND TEACHING PRACTICE AND IMPACT: Teaching practice: Engaging the latest ideas, debates and issues, undertaking advanced specialised practice or scholarly secondments, fellowships and national awards. |
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Here is a clear breakdown of inclusions and potential evidence for each category:
Scholarly collaboration and activity
| Activity | Includes | Potential measurables/evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Scholarly Reviews | Peer review and benchmarking. | The number of scholarly reviews conducted, the quality of the reviews, and the impact of the reviews on course design and improvement. |
| Original (SoLT) research and scholarly activity | SSRN or other journal publications and scholarly outputs, conference presentations, and teaching-related research grants. | Research publications, such as journal articles and conference papers; the impact factor or citation count of these publications; research grants secured; collaborations established; presentations given at academic conferences. |
| Scholarly Teaching Practice | Engaging in innovative teaching practices and contributing to course development participation in accreditation processes or quality reviews in T&L. | The implementation of new teaching methods, the development of instructional materials or resources, the adoption of technology in teaching, and the development of new (constructively aligned) courses. The impact on student learning outcomes, student feedback, and student engagement and performance improvements can also be measured (iQiLT data). |
| Higher Level Qualifications | Higher degree qualification achievement and related publications. | Completing a Master's or PhD, the submission and acceptance of a thesis or dissertation, the publication of research findings from the higher degree program. |
Engagement and contribution to communities
| Activity | Includes | Potential measurables/evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Synthesising and communicating advances in evidence-based practice | Giving T&L workshops; conference presentations; webinars and seminars; podcasts or interviews; feature articles (e.g. The Conversation) | Invitations to present on SoLT work at faculty/institutional/sector/national/international events; Conference presentations on current knowledge, practice, or teaching and learning in a field. The number of workshops or seminars delivered. Podcasts or interviews produced or participated in, focusing on disseminating advances in evidence-based practice; Reach and engagement of the podcasts or interviews, such as the number of downloads, subscribers, or listener feedback. Feature articles published in relevant publications that communicate advances in evidence-based practice, their readership, or the impact factor of the publications. |
| Contributions to relevant professional bodies or communities of practice | Development of new standards, knowledge resources, and codes of practice; assurance of learning or other quality/standards projects | The development and publication of new standards, knowledge resources, or codes of practice in collaboration with professional bodies or communities of practice. The adoption and utilisation of these resources within the respective fields or communities can also be measured. |
| Active and ongoing involvement in relevant scholarly academic societies, editorial roles, or peer review | Contributions to professional bodies or communities of practice; engagement in scholarly academic societies; editorial roles; peer review for journals or conferences. | Active membership in relevant scholarly academic societies, such as professional associations or disciplinary organisations. The involvement can be measured by participation in conferences, committees, or leadership positions within these societies. Serving as an editor or editorial board member for scholarly journals or publications in the field. This can be measured by tracking the duration and extent of the editorial roles, the number of manuscripts reviewed, and the impact factor or reputation of the journals. The number of peer-reviewed articles or research papers reviewed for journals or conferences. This can be measured by the number of reviews conducted and the quality and impact of the reviewed work. |
Learning and teaching practice and impact
| Activity | Includes | Potential measurables/evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching practice: Engaging the latest ideas, debates, and issues | Teaching and learning strategies; improved pedagogies; learning processes; curricula; academic policies; learning materials, e.g. open educational resources. | Record of professional development activities and demonstrated impact on teaching practices by implementing improved pedagogical approaches or instructional strategies in the teaching practice. Measured changes in teaching methods, student feedback, or assessment results; the development and implementation of new learning processes or techniques that enhance student engagement, participation, and outcomes; student performance, course evaluations, or feedback from colleagues; The development or modification of curricula to incorporate the latest ideas, debates, and issues in the field; Tracking changes made to course content, syllabi, or assessment methods curriculum, assessment or policy work/leadership – internal and/or external to the University that has a direct impact on teaching and improving student learning; Contributions to the development or revision of academic policies related to teaching and learning; The adoption and implementation of new policies or changes in existing policies. The creation or improvement of learning materials, such as textbooks, handouts, online resources, or multimedia content; The availability and use of the materials by students and feedback on their effectiveness. |
| Undertaking advanced specialised practice or scholarly secondments | Advanced specialised practice scholarly secondments. | The completion of specialised training programs or certifications related to teaching practice. This can be measured by tracking the completion of courses, certifications, or workshops. Participating in scholarly secondments, which involve temporary placements or collaborations with other educational institutions, research centres, or organisations. The duration and extent of the secondments, publications resulting from the collaboration, or the impact of the secondment on teaching practice or professional development. |
| Fellowships and national awards | Achievement of Advance HE. Fellowships and awards, e.g. AAUT awards, OLT (Office for Learning and Teaching) Fellowships | Name of award, fellowship or achievement. |