Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Program

Using mentored inquiry communities, the AOTA Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Institute and Mentoring Program provides faculty with knowledge and opportunities necessary to design, implement, and disseminate evidence-based pedagogical knowledge regarding occupational therapy education. Engaging in SoTL studies is a significant factor in faculty professional development and promotes the AOTA Education Research Agenda to identify best practices in teaching and learning in occupational therapy education programs.

Diverse group of adults collaborating with post-its on table.

Vision

To increase the quality and impact of occupational therapy education by engaging and mentoring faculty in the scholarship of teaching and learning.

Diverse group pf professioanls discussing ideas in a bright place.

Mission

To engage faculty participants in the scholarship of teaching and learning through mentored inquiry communities.

Fast facts

About the AOTA SOTL Program

Faculty and academic fieldwork educator participants will learn how to systematically study the effectiveness of their teaching and learning strategies through SoTL. Participants will design a small study related to a critical area in teaching and learning. Participants will finalize their study design and carry it out over the next year, while being supported by a mentored SoTL inquiry community that meets in a virtual context. A mentored inquiry community is a group of educators who engage in an active, collaborative, intensive, and structured project(s) centered on the scholarship of teaching and learning while guided by an experienced mentor.
1. Participants will understand the scholarship of teaching and learning and its impact on occupational therapy education and faculty performance evaluations.
2. Participants will identify a topic and a research question for a SoTL study.
3. Participants will form mentored inquiry communities and develop a plan for sustained commitment to their inquiry community and SoTL study.
February 2024: Application open for 2024-2025 participants/mentors

April 30, 2024: Application closed for 2024-2025 participants/mentors

July 2024: 2024-2025 SoTL Cohort notified of acceptance

August 2024: 2024-2025 SoTL Cohort deadline to accept invitation

November 2024: AOTA Education Summit Pre-Conference Institute (face-to-face)

Fall 2024: Monthly meetings with mentors and one meeting with SoTL Leadership Team

Spring 2025: Monthly meetings with mentors and one meeting with the SoTL Leadership Team

Summer 2025: Monthly meetings with mentors and data collection

Fall 2025: Non-peer reviewed dissemination at 2025 Education Summit

Applications for the 2024-2025 Cohort are closed. Applications for the 2026-2027 Cohort will be accepted starting Fall 2025.
1. Receive inspiration and support for early, mid-career, and senior faculty
2. Meet faculty expectations for mentorship
3. Establish networks with faculty pursuing pedagogical issues
4. Increase the rewards for and prestige of excellent teaching
5. Increase financial support for teaching and learning initiatives
6. Document improvements in student learning outcomes
7. Expand best practices for teaching and learning
8. Create an awareness of the complexity of teaching and learning
9. Improve faculty attitudes related to improving student learning
In 2007, the American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF) supported the establishment of a SoTL program to equip occupational therapy faculty to contribute to the research agenda in OT education through classroom-based projects. When AOTF discontinued support in 2013, AOTA continued support of the AOTA SoTL Mentoring Institute and Program as a six-hour pre-conference institute led by the AOTA SoTL Program Leadership Team. During the Institute, participants were matched with like-minded peers and a mentor to form mentored inquiry communities. Following the Institute, participants continued work with their mentored inquiry community to implement a SoTL project, either individually or in collaboration with peers within their inquiry community.

The current leadership team of the AOTA SoTL Program wish to thank all of the past participants in the AOTA SoTL Program—leaders, mentors, and mentees. In particular, we have immense gratitude for Andrea Bilics, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, founder of the AOTA SoTL Program and Emeritus Professor, Occupational Therapy Department, Worcester State University, Worcester, Mass.
Teaching philosophies
Faculty preparation for teaching
Academic admissions
Fieldwork education and educator preparation
Curricular innovations
Flipped classrooms
Hybrid and online learning
Problem-based learning
Service-learning
Interprofessional case-based learning
OT and OTA collaboration
Clinical decision making
Ethical decision making
Development of higher order thinking
Multitasking in an educational environment
Epistemic/ontological cognition of OT students Metacognition
Comprehension
Student professional behaviors and roles
Student attitudes towards research
Critical reading skills for research
Use of evidence-based practice
Impact of teaching clinicians about EBP
Scaffolded learning
Board game use
Clickers
Use of simulation
Social networking in treatment planning
Neuro lab strategies
Leadership development
Competency in assistive technology
Breast cancer

Get involved

Applications and more information are available online, or by emailing the leadership team.

SoTL Leadership Team

Tab 1

AOTA SoTL Program Co-Director

Lorrie George-Paschal

PhD, OTR/L, ATP

University of Central Arkansas

AOTA SoTL Program Co-Director

Jennifer S. Pitonyak

PhD, OTR/L, SCFES

Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences

Amanda K. Giles

OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA

Medical University of South Carolina

Bridgett Piernik-Yoder

PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA

University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio

Steve Taff

PhD, OTR/L, FNAP, FAOTA

Washington University

Current mentors

Kelly Allig, PhD, OTR/L
Leah Dunn, EdD, OTR/L
Pamela Lewis-Kipkulei, PhD, OTD, OTR/L
Nancy E. Krusen, PhD, OTR/L
Elizabeth LeQuieu, PhD, OTR/L, CLA
Shirley O'Brien, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Janice Tona, PhD, OTR/L
Jayne Yatczak, PhD, OTR/L, CWC, CWT

Reference

Cox, 2004; Steiner, 2016; Slapcoff & Harris, 2014.

Program format

Program objectives

Program schedule

Participation benefits

Program history

Sample project topics