Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation
HERDSA Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Modules

HERDSA Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Modules

23 February 2026 10:45am–30 November 2026 1:45am
 
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Registration: 
23 February 2026–30 November 2026

Course Description

The HERDSA Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Modules are a fully online, self-directed course designed to build your capability and confidence as a scholarly, evidence-informed educator.

These modules introduce you to the nature, purpose, and process of SoTL, providing a capacity-building resource to help you develop and refine your SoTL knowledge and skills. It all begins with a simple “I wonder?”—a question that can spark greater student success and open new opportunities for your professional growth.

Throughout the course, you’ll follow a group of educators who are new to SoTL as they move from first curiosity to real impact. Along the way, you will engage with interactive challenges, guided reflections, and practical examples that bring every concept to life.

The module series takes you on a rich and engaging learning journey:

  • Why SoTL Matters – Explore the purpose and value of SoTL in higher education.
  • Becoming an Evidence-Based HE Educator – Learn to ground your teaching practice in research.
  • Foundations of Producing SoTL – Investigate ethics, scope, feasibility, and project planning.
  • SoTL Research Methods – Build methodological knowledge across action research, surveys, observations, interviews, and more.
  • Theoretical Frameworks for SoTL – Connect your inquiry to broader scholarly conversations.
  • Designing & Implementing Your Project – Conceptualise your SoTL project and navigate real-world data-collection challenges, learning from others’ hurdles and roadblocks.
  • Analysing & Interpreting Data – Transform raw data into meaningful insights that inform teaching practice.
  • Disseminating Your Findings & Achieving Greater Impact – Share your results in ways that influence colleagues, inform policy, and spark lasting change.

Each module is structured around four interconnected phases—Discover, Explore, Engage, and Connect—with opportunities to delve deeper into each topic if you choose. The combination of real-life scenarios, practical activities, and step-by-step guidance ensures you not only understanding but also the momentum to design and conduct your own SoTL inquiry.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  1. Explain the nature, purpose, and value of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) within higher education.
  2. Identify and articulate a meaningful SoTL inquiry question, beginning from an initial “I wonder?” moment.
  3. Apply evidence-informed approaches to strengthen and justify their teaching and learning inquiry.
  4. Plan a feasible SoTL project, including considerations of scope, ethics, methodological choices, and theoretical frameworks.
  5. Select and use appropriate SoTL research methods such as action research, surveys, interviews, and observations.
  6. Collect, analyse, and interpret data to generate insights that inform teaching practice.
  7. Evaluate the potential impact of findings on student learning, curriculum enhancement, or educational policy.
  8. Communicate SoTL outcomes effectively to colleagues and wider audiences through appropriate dissemination strategies.

Schedule

The HERDSA SoTL Modules are self-paced.

Registration

Access to the HERDSA SoTL Modules is provided by HERDSA. To register, please complete this short form. ITaLI will then pass your details on to HERDSA to provision access. This will occur on the second and fourth Monday of each month.