Developing the Scholarship of Teaching in Higher Education: A discipline-based approach

Abstract

There is an international debate about the development of the scholarship of teaching. It is argued here that the scholarship of teaching needs to be developed within the context of the culture of the disciplines in which it is applied. The scholarship of teaching involves engagement with research into teaching and learning, critical reflection of practice, and communication and dissemination about the practice of one's subject. This provides a challenging agenda for the development of subject-based teaching. Implementing this agenda includes applying the principles of good practice in the disciplines; developing the status of teaching; developing the complementary nature of teaching and research; and undertaking discipline-based pedagogic research. The paper is illustrated with particular reference to the discipline of geography.