SoTL Scholars

Proposal Deadline: May 18, 2026  

Award Amount: Up to $10,000 per project 

Eligibility: OSU full-time academic faculty at any rank who teach regularly; individual or collaborative proposals are welcome. Post-doctoral and graduate students are not eligible. 

Project Type: The SoTL Scholars Program funds research projects related to teaching and learning for in-person or hybrid course modalities. Studies related to fully online teaching should consider the Ecampus Research Fellows Program.

Program Period: The SoTL Scholars Program awards research project funding for one academic year, from September to June.

SoTL Scholars Program Overview 

The Center for Teaching and Learning invites applications for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Scholars Program, which provides funding and professional development in support of SoTL research projects about effective and innovative teaching that impacts meaningful student learning at OSU.

SoTL is a robust and growing area of research in higher education; the SoTL community has international and national organizations, peer-reviewed journals, and evidence-based best practices. In their book The SoTL Guide, Nancy Chick, Peter Felten, and Katarina Mårtensson (2025) define SoTL as “inquiry into teaching and learning for the purposes of improving teaching and learning in context and contributing to what we know about teaching and learning, in support of the broader aims of higher education” (p. 10). SoTL research is guided by similar principles, practices, methodologies, and methods as disciplinary-based research in one’s field of expertise. However, the research is driven by questions such as “what works” in teaching practices and, when we innovate in our approaches to teaching, how does that impact student learning. SoTL often transforms our hunches about what’s working and questions about what’s not working in the classroom into systematic inquiries.

OSU’s SoTL Scholars join a small cohort that will meet throughout the academic year (September through June), working through the process of honing a research question, developing a methodologically sound SoTL study, submitting an IRB application, collecting and analyzing data, and moving toward dissemination and going public with preliminary findings.

Expectations of SoTL Scholars

  • Attend and participate in regular SoTL Scholars cohort meetings throughout the academic year.
  • Submit project status updates at the end of each term.
  • Follow research ethics and standards by obtaining IRB approval or exception prior to data collection.
  • Disseminate preliminary findings either through 1) a presentation at an internal or external conference; 2) drafting a white paper that could be further developed into a peer-reviewed publication; or 3) submitting an article to a peer-reviewed publication.
  • Submit an end-of-year report that summarizes research tasks completed, documents dissemination of preliminary findings, and outlines next steps to support the project beyond the SoTL Scholars year of funding.

SoTL Research Aligned with OSU’s Priorities

In your SoTL Scholars proposal, we encourage you to engage with one or more of the following key areas: 

  • OSU’s Quality Teaching Framework, by proposing a SoTL research project that would study the efficacy of diverse, equitable and inclusive learning practices; teaching as a discipline; and/or mentorship and advising of learners;  
  • OSU’s strategic plan Prosperity Widely Shared, by proposing a SoTL research project that studies how various teaching and learning approaches at OSU support a university focused on big discoveries that drive big solutions, a university where every student graduates, and a university that fuels a thriving world.  

Proposal Requirements

Submit the following to [email protected] with the subject heading “SoTL Scholars Proposal”:

  1. A project proposal (5-page max) 
    • Title and Abstract
    • Project Goals and Research Question
    • Connection to Quality Teaching Framework and/or Prosperity Widely Shared
    • Project Plan and Timeline
    • Anticipated Impact and Plan for Dissemination
    • Budget
  2. CV
  3. Strong endorsement of your application from your unit or college leadership. (This could be a saved email from your supervisor or unit/college leadership stating they strongly support your application.)

Sample Budget Expenses

The proposed budget is for project-related expenses, including but not limited to professional development or conference attendance, equipment, licenses, student support, course buy-out, or stipend. Funding for the proposed project may not exceed $10,000, and it is likely that some projects will be funded under the maximum. To increase the number of projects we can support, proposers may be asked to revise elements of the submitted budget. Final decisions about the budget that impact workload will need to be negotiated with the unit/college/department.

Selection Process and Criteria

SoTL Scholars will be selected using the criteria below. A selection committee comprised of staff from the CTL will review applications and make recommendations to the Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Excellence, who will make final selections and extend offers. Applicants will be notified before the end of the academic year. 

  • Clarity and significance of SoTL research question
  • Alignment with OSU priorities
  • Feasibility of project plan and timeline
  • Dissemination plan and potential impact on teaching and learning at OSU and beyond
  • Budget clarity, appropriateness and justification related to project goals

Questions

 Please email AVP for Faculty Excellence Ashley Holmes with questions. 

Reference

Chick, N. L., Felten, P., & Mårtensson, K. (2025). The SoTL guide: (Re)orienting the scholarship of teaching and learning. Center for Engaged Learning, Elon University.