Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

What is the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)?

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, often referred to as "SoTL," is a classroom-based research sector in which professors study their teaching practice, and how they can innovate to better meet their students' learning needs. We now have a program to support faculty-led classroom-based research projects at Seneca. Like all research, all it takes to start is an idea!

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning means viewing the world of the classroom as a site for inquiry, asking and answering questions about students' learning in ways that can improve one's own classroom and also advance the larger profession of teaching (Huber & Hutchings, 2005).

Why is the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning important at Seneca?

Every day, Seneca faculty use cutting edge teaching methods to help their students build and practice foundational skills. A SoTL project can help you study an element of your classroom to understand how to improve your students’ learning and set them up for success in your course and beyond. Teaching and learning at Seneca will be strengthened by this opportunity to try new things and by sharing stories of innovation along the way!

What's happening in SoTL

Fall 2024 SoTL Community of Practice (CoP) Meetings have been set!

Academic Quality invites faculty interested in conducting research in teaching & learning to attend the SoTL Community of Practice (CoP) meetings held every semester. 

  • Wednesday, October 9, 2024 11:30 am - 12:30 pm - click here to join us on Zoom
  • Wednesday, November 6, 2024 11:30 am - 12:30 pm - click here to join us on Zoom

SoTL CoP meetings are a supportive and inclusive place for thinking about research in teaching and learning, and a way to become involved in the SoTL program. All are welcome!

The next call for proposals will be in Winter 2025. Learn more here

Congratulations to the 2024-25 SoTL Grant Recipients

We are pleased to announce two new SoTL projects beginning this Fall.

Sorina Zota and David Zwick, faculty in the School of Biological Sciences & Applied Chemistry will study student evaluation in a more virtual Seneca while Lance Chang, faculty in the School of English & Liberal Studies will research the use of Microsoft Copilot in academic writing instruction. To learn more, please contact Joanna Crabtree.

SoTL at Seneca Projects 

1. Beyond the concepts: What faculty need to feel ready to teach sustainability in the classroom – a collaborative inquiry project

Primary investigator: Carmen Schlamb, PhD, Professor, School of English & Liberal Studies

Co-investigator: Nadia Kelton, PhD, Professor, School of Environmental & Civil Engineering Technology


2. The impact of scaffolded authentic assessments in Therapeutic Recreation: developing professional knowledge and practical skill in students

Primary investigator: Yvonne Ng-Gerritsen, Professor & Program Coordinator, School of Health Sciences


3. Using Trauma-Informed Educational Practices to Foster Resilient College Students

Primary investigator: Roxanne Ramjattan, PhD, Professor, School of Community Mental Health


4. Lights, camera, learning? How video cameras and body worn cameras impact behaviour, skill acquisition and retention

Primary investigator: Camie Condon, PhD, Professor & Program Coordinator, School of Public Safety

Co-investigator: Mark Tucci, PhD, Professor, School of Public Safety & Behavioural Studies


5. Do consistency and quality content matter in online learning and do they improve student engagement?

Primary investigator: Mary Sorkhabi, Professor, School of English & Liberal Studies


6. Is student groupwork achieving the goals we intend? Identifying the risks and benefits of student groupwork at Seneca and fixing what’s broken.

Primary investigator: Melissa Warner, PhD, Professor, School of Human Resources & Global Business


7. Behavioural immersion: lab school feasibility and design

Primary investigator: Laura Cavanagh, Professor & Program Coordinator, School of Public Safety & Behavioural Studies


8. Online one-on-one video discussion as an alternative evaluation to traditional pen-and-paper, in-person test in Hyflex BSAC Physics course 

Primary investigator: Sorina Zota, Professor, School of Biological Sciences & Applied Chemistry

Co-investigator: David Zwick, Professor, School of Biological Sciences & Applied Chemistry


9. Microsoft Copilot in Academic Writing Instruction: Effects on Performance and Self-Efficacy in Seneca’s COM101/111 Courses 

Primary investigator: Lance Chang, Professor, School of English & Liberal Studies

Co-investigator: Plamen Kashkiev, Professor, School of English & Liberal Studies