GALILEO@UGA Subject Guides: Scholarship of Teaching and Learning: Ethics, IRB, and Study Design

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Doing SoTL Ethically

Because SoTL studies involve research on human subjects, it is necessary to take precautions that will protect the participants in your study (i.e., students) from potential harm. These precautions are outlined and overseen by UGA's Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Human Research Protection Program. Those conducting SoTL studies will need to complete Human Subjects training, available online. After designing your study and before collecting data, you will submit your study for approval from UGA's Institutional Review Board.

For discussion about the importance of conducting SoTL studies ethically, please see these articles:

Chick, N. (2019). Strategies for ethical SoTL practice. The National Teaching & Learning Forum, 28(6), 7-10. https://doi.org/10.1002/ntlf.30216

Felton, P. (2013). Principles of good practice in SoTL. Teaching and Learning Inquiry, 1(1), 121-125. https://doi.org/10.2979/teachlearninqu.1.1.121

Martin, R. (2014). Navigating the IRB: The ethics of SoTL. In R.A.R. Gurung & J.H. Wilson (Eds.), Doing the scholarship of teaching and learning: Measuring systematic changes to teaching and improvements in learning. (pp. 59-71). John Wiley & Sons.

Martin, R. (2018). Respect, justice, and doing good. In N. Chick (Ed.), SoTL in action: Illuminating critical moments of practice (pp. 62-68). Stylus.

Study Design Resources

UGA Qualitative Research Guide
Resources related to qualitative research at UGA libraries.
Becoming a SoTL Scholar (2024)
Illustrates the different entry points offered by SoTL and provides inspiring narratives, practical advice, and aspirational proposals for the different aspects of being a SoTL scholar. Edited by Janice Miller-Young and Nancy Chick.
Hopscotch 4-SoTL
Free interactive tool for SoTL projects hosted by Kennesaw State University.
Jorrín-Abellán, I.M. & Steiner. H. (2021). Hopscotch 4-SoTL (Version 1.0) [Computer Software].
MomentumU@USG
Includes SoTL research resources

SoTL Research Methodologies: A Guide to Conceptualizing and Conducting the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning by Michelle Yeo; Janice Miller-Young; Karen Manarin
ISBN: 9781642672411
Publication Date: 2023-11-08
Combining real examples with a roadmap of how to construct studies, analyze results, and share work, this book serves as a primary research methodology text for the field of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL).
SoTL in Action by Nancy L. Chick (Editor); James Rhem
ISBN: 9781620366936
Publication Date: 2018-10-05
Going beyond definitions, how-to, theory, and debates about methods and standards, the contributors offer a SoTL primer documenting how practitioners have intentionally thought through key moments in their work. These procedural vignettes present powerful examples of what doing SoTL looks like when done well. The authors represent a range of disciplines.

UGA Umbrella IRB for Active Learning

If your study relates to the question “Has active learning improved students’ academic success?,” you may be able to submit your proposal under the Center for Teaching and Learning’s active learning umbrella IRB. This service is intended to make it easier and more efficient for you to navigate the IRB process. More information is available on our Umbrella IRB form.

UGA IRB Information

Human Research Protection Program
The Human Subjects Office is a group of dedicated professionals who provide UGA faculty, staff, and students support in meeting the highest ethical and safety standards when conducting research with human subjects. See their website for information on required training and submission procedures to the Institutional Review Board (IRB).