Beyond Scholarly Teaching: Opportunities for Engaging in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Physical Therapist Education

Abstract

Background and Purpose. The purpose of this article is to examine the role of the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) in the field of physical therapist education. The physical therapy profession has been actively discussing this role as the issue of individual faculty members' scholarly work has come under scrutiny by the professional accrediting body, the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). Position and Rationale. In this article, we describe what SoTL is by defining and examining its scholarly components. Additionally, we discuss various opportunities for SoTL in physical therapist education. Discussion and Recommendations. SoTL differs from scholarly teaching in that it involves a rigorous, systematic process for asking and answering questions related to teaching and learning. By engaging in SoTL as described in this article, physical therapist education program faculty will not only meet the CAPTE criteria for scholarly credentials, but will also be adding valuable information to the education literature and practicing what may be referred to as “evidence-based teaching.”