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Eric Brunsell

Even with the 2014 academic year well underway, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh faculty members are still on the lookout for the best ways to help students learn.

On Wednesday, Oct. 1, UWO’s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) will host the annual Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) Scholars Showcase, in which teaching scholars will share the results of their recent research on how to enhance student learning.

The event, which takes place from 11:30 to 1 p.m. at Pollock House, will include poster displays, brief presentations and discussion.

“The scholarship of teaching and learning allows instructors to apply rigorous research methods to better understand their teaching and impact on the learning of their students,” said Eric Brunsell, associate professor of science education. “Scholarship of teaching and learning can be conducted in any discipline as a way to improve your teaching in an individual course or across entire programs.”

The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning provides multiple opportunities to assist the UWO teaching community with engaging in the scholarship of teaching and learning.

“The SOTL Mentor program matches experienced scholars with those new to examining their teaching practice,” Brunsell said. “The SOTL Pilot program provides funding for small projects and the SOTL Scholar program gives support for ambitious collaborative projects. CETL also provides one-on-one assistance to anyone interested in engaging in SOTL.”

At the showcase on Wednesday, the following faculty members will present their research findings: Elizabeth Alderton, reading education; Donna Charley-Johnson, biology; Margaret Hostetler, English; Rob Sipes, kinesiology; Jen Wenner, geology; and Bill Wresch, business administration.

Alderton studied the impact of face-to-face and online literature circles on student learning. Hostelter examined students’ use of discourse markers as they analyzed text. Charley-Johnson explored the impact of noninvasive field studies on students’ environmental attitudes and behaviors.

Sipes, Wenner and Wresch focused on evaluating students’ learning in the University Studies Program Quest 1 courses, including an investigation of the benefits of a liberal education.

Register for the luncheon.

Learn more about research on teaching at UW Oshkosh.