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

SoTL Report 2022-26

The SoTL team is pleased to release a report on SoTL activity between 2022 and 2026.

2026-27 SoTL Grant Recipients

Thank you to everyone who attended the information sessions and joined the SoTL Community of Practice this year. Your engagement made this year’s competition especially meaningful. While only a limited number of projects could be selected, every application was strong and deserving of recognition.

Please join us in congratulating this year’s recipients:

Tricia Hylton and Katarina Ohlsson (Faculty of Arts)
Consulting partners: Leigh Simpson-Ahwanaquot, Mark Solomon, and Eric Zwicker

Will the Development of an EDI and TRC Measurement Tool Help to Increase Student Knowledge of and Broaden In-class Discussion Around EDI and TRC in Business and Technical Communication Courses?

Mana Shahriari and Jacky Lau (Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering Technology)
A Cultural Shift: AI as a Junior Engineer

Preety Wadhwa (Seneca Business)
Developing Students’ Ability to Evaluate AI-Generated Outputs in Analytics Learning

Alice Zhao (Faculty of Community and Health)
Evaluating AI-Based Role-Play in Counselling Skills Training

These projects explore timely and important topics that speak directly to the future of teaching and learning in higher education. We look forward to hearing updates from these project teams along the way as they explore these worthwhile areas over the coming year.

SoTL at Seneca Projects 

Deadline Detox: The Effect of Self-Paced Progression on Student Achievement, Academic Stress, and Self-Efficacy in Introductory Degree-Level Psychology Courses

Co-investigators: Holly Clayton, Professor, School of English & Liberal Studies & Alexander Shaw, Professor, School of English & Liberal Studies


Reducing Cognitive Overload and Enhancing Executive Function in Assignment Design: A Framework for Inclusive and Equitable Learning

Primary investigator: Jamelia Gay, Professor, School of Early Childhood Education


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


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

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


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


Behavioural immersion: lab school feasibility and design

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


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


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


Using Trauma-Informed Educational Practices to Foster Resilient College Students

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


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


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