What is teaching and learning research?
Teaching and learning research is the systematic investigation of teaching and/or learning, which includes exploring a specific research question, engaging with the literature, collecting data, and sharing the results publicly (Bernstein & Ginsberg, 2009; McKinney, 2006).
Examples of teaching and learning research include evaluating the impact of a new teaching strategy or assessment method on student learning, examining the challenges students face in learning specific content or techniques, or generating new frameworks to describe the learning process.
How we can help
CTE provides support to students, faculty, and staff who are interested or engaged in conducting research on teaching and learning. CTE staff are available to help you throughout the research process, from discussing preliminary research ideas to disseminating your results.
Contact Crystal Tse, Instructional Developer - Research and Consulting, Kristin Brown, Educational Research Associate, or the CTE Liaison for your Faculty, for support at any stage of the research process.
We can help you:
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Determine an appropriate study design and methodology for collecting data.
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Identify relevant resources on campus and in the literature.
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Discuss potential strategies for overcoming challenges in your project.
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Plan opportunities for disseminating the results of your project to the University of Waterloo community and beyond (e.g., events on campus, conferences, and journals).
Resources
Research Design
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Once per term, we offer a workshop on best practices for Designing Teaching & Learning Research (CTE759). Please see CTE’s event listings to register.
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The University of Waterloo Teaching and Learning Research Guide is a step-by-step guide for individuals who are interested and/or engaged in conducting research on teaching and learning. The guide includes:
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Keywords related to teaching and learning to use in your literature search
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Resources for conducting teaching and learning research
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Learning assessment tools from the literature
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Relevant teaching and learning journals, by discipline
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Relevant teaching and learning organizations, websites, and blogs
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Resources on ethical considerations when conducting research with students as participants
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The McMaster Research on Teaching and Learning Guidebook provides guidance on starting a teaching and learning research project, including framing the research question, gathering and analyzing evidence, and disseminating your work.
Searching the teaching and learning literature
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The Teaching and Learning Research Annotated Literature Database contains summaries of research articles on various teaching topics in higher education
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Teaching and Learning Research Journals: The following databases contain examples of interdisciplinary and discipline-specific journals related to teaching and learning:
Funding
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LITE Grants: The University of Waterloo funds projects investigating innovative approaches to enhancing teaching and fostering deep learning at Waterloo through the Learning Innovation and Teaching Enhancement (LITE) grants program.
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Other Grant Agencies: Below, we’ve listed external agencies that also fund research related to teaching and learning:
Conducting research and analysis
Dissemination
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Unsure of where to share your findings? Consult the “Dissemination” page of the University of Waterloo Teaching and Learning Research Guide, which provides links to disciplinary and interdisciplinary conferences and journals related to teaching and learning.
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Waterloo instructors have been involved in teaching and learning research for many years. For examples of research conducted prior to LITE grants, please see the Teaching-Based Research Group webpage.
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Below is a list of professional organizations whose mandates include teaching and learning research. Explore these websites to learn about further resources, professional development opportunities, and current issues related to teaching and learning.
References
Bernstein, J., & Ginsberg, S. (2009). Toward an integrated model of the scholarship of teaching and learning and faculty development. Journal of Centres for Teaching and Learning, 41-55.
McKinney, K. (2004). The scholarship of teaching and learning: Lessons, current challenges, and future visions. To Improve the Academy, 22, 3-19.
