Scholarship of teaching and learning: how does it perceive by engineering lecturers?

Abstract

Scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) refers to an active, conscious and continuous act of research in teaching by lecturers with specific aims to share it with other fellow lecturers later on through scholarly writing or publication [24]. It is proposed that scholarship of teaching and learning is fundamental to improve the teaching practice of lecturers which will influence students' learning [1]. The scholarship of teaching and learning is highly contextualised because it involves the culture of disciplines in which it is applied [25]. Therefore, it is important to investigate the conceptions of scholarship of teaching and learning that lecturers held in which it might influence their effort in engaging in any activity related to the scholarship of teaching and learning such as research in teaching which can be done through action research. Findings from a study showed that unfamiliarity with the concept of scholarship of teaching and learning by lecturers might lead to their indifference attitude toward the practice of scholarship of teaching and learning [26]. Therefore, this study aims to examine the conceptions and practice in scholarship of teaching and learning in various institutions of higher education in Malaysia especially in the scientific and technological based faculties. This article describes a preliminary study using a case study approach in which two lecturers from an engineering faculty will be selected as the respondents. Purposive sampling will be used as sampling design to investigate the conceptions and practice of teaching and learning that Malaysian lecturers held in which it might influence their effort and engagement in any activity related to the scholarship of teaching and learning such as by two lecturers of a scientific and technological based faculty i.e. engineering faculty. They will be selected based on the different experiences that they have in teaching and also working in the industry. For data analysis, the researchers will use thematic analysis to analyse qualitative data. The findings of this study might uncover the perceived importance of the practice of teaching and learning that Malaysian lecturers held in which it might influence their efforts and engagements in any activity related to the scholarship of teaching and learning such as by two engineering lecturers. In addition, the findings of this study will be used to prompt future research in which the emerging themes could be used as constructs in constructing questionnaire items that explore the practice of teaching and learning that Malaysian lecturers held in which it might influence their efforts and engagements in any activity related to the scholarship of teaching and learning such as using quantitative method.