Retrospective:  Sparking the Magic of SoTL at Mount Royal University

Christopher Ostrowdun; Jim Zimmer; Cherie Woolmer; Michelle Yeo

doi:10.29173/isotl605

Authors

Christopher Ostrowdun Mount Royal University
Jim Zimmer Mount Royal University
Cherie Woolmer Mount Royal University
Michelle Yeo Mount Royal Univeristy

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29173/isotl605

Keywords:

SoTL Development, paradigm shift, history of SoTL, faculty development

Abstract

In this invited article, we reflect on how SoTL came to be, at least within one institution, Mount Royal University (MRU). We caught up with Dr. Jim Zimmer, Associate Professor in General Education and past- Associate Vice-President of Teaching and Learning to discuss the early days of SoTL at MRU, and his perspectives and role in laying the foundations for SoTL at MRU. We also discuss how Jim has seen SoTL evolve over the last 10-15 years and some of the key catalysts that, in his view, formalized SoTL as an integral part of MRU.

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Author Biographies

Christopher Ostrowdun, Mount Royal University

Chris Ostrowdun (he/his/him), PhD, costrowdun@mtroyal.ca, is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Mount Royal University. His research leverages sociocultural and critical theories to study disability and inclusion in education.

Jim Zimmer, Mount Royal University

Jim Zimmer, jzimmer@mtroyal.ca, is an Associate Professor in the Department of General Education at Mount Royal University. He served as Mount Royal’s Dean of Teaching and Learning from 2008-2019 and as Associate Vice-President, Teaching and Learning from 2015-2019.

Cherie Woolmer, Mount Royal University

Cherie Woolmer, cwoolmer@mtroyal.ca, is Assistant Professor and Canada Research Chair (Scholarship of Teaching and Learning), based in the Mokakiiks Centre for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Her research program focuses on student-faculty partnerships in higher education.

Michelle Yeo, Mount Royal Univeristy

Michelle Yeo, myeo@mtroyal.ca, is a Professor in the Academic Development Centre at Mount Royal University and directs the Mokakiiks Centre for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Her research interests include student learning and experience (SoTL), faculty development (SoEd), and decolonizing practices in higher education.

References

Mokakiiks Centre for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. (2022). About Mokakiiks Centre for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. https://www.mtroyal.ca/AboutMountRoyal/TeachingLearning/MokakiiksCentreSoTL/index.htm

Yeo, M., Bennett, D., McNichol, J. S., & Merkley, C. (2015). New faculty experience in times of institutional change. Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 45(4), 283–297.