The 360-degree Model: A Reflective Framework for Faculty Exploring SoTL

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.14.56

Keywords:

faculty reflection, faculty development, writing in higher education

Abstract

Various disciplines view reflection as both a theory and a practice for helping make learning more visible to students as well as giving them a greater sense of agency; thus, the importance of reflection in higher education is well established. In recent years, scholars in SoTL have acknowledged and theorized about the importance of reflection for faculty. Our 360-degree model builds on this scholarship and research in writing studies in order to suggest that directional (inward, outward, forward, backward) reflection helps faculty analyze their teaching practices by integrating theoretical insights and evidence to evaluate effectiveness while also supporting ongoing professional growth. This poster shares an application of the 360-degree model of reflection, encouraging faculty to build reflective practices into their SoTL projects.

Author Biographies

  • Laura E. Sponsler, University of Denver

    Laura E. Sponsler (United States) is a clinical associate professor of higher education and interim associate dean for faculty affairs at the University of Denver. She also serves as the director of faculty development in the Office for Faculty Success.

  • Kara Taczak, University of Central Florida

    Kara Taczak (United States) is an assistant professor at the University of Central Florida and co-editor of College Composition and Communication (CCC). Her award-winning research examines composition theory and pedagogy, with particular attention to Teaching for Transfer (TFT) and reflective practice.

References

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Cook-Sather, Alison, Sarah Abbot, and Peter Felten. 2019. “Legitimating Reflective Writing in SoTL: ‘Dysfunctional Illusions of Rigor’ Revisited.” Teaching and Learning Inquiry 7 (2): 14–27. https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.7.2.2.

Cruz, Laura, Elizabeth Grodziak, and Hans H. Steiner. 2024. “Practice What We Preach? A Review of Journal Publishing Practices Related to Reflective Writing in SoTL.” International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning 18 (1): 5. https://doi.org/10.20429/ijsotl.2024.180105.

Felten, Peter. “Principles of Good Practice in SoTL.” 2013. Teaching & Learning Inquiry 1 (1): 121–25. https://doi.org/10.2979/teachlearninqu.1.1.121.

Healey, Mick, Kelly E. Matthews, and Alison Cook-Sather. 2019. “Writing Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Articles for Peer-Reviewed Journals.” Teaching and Learning Inquiry 7 (2): 28–50. https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.7.2.3.

McKinney, Kathleen. 2012. What Is the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) in Higher Education? Illinois State University.

Taczak, Kara. 2026. “Directional Reflection: A 360-degree Framework for Faculty Failure and Intellectual Risk.” Composition Forum 58. https://compositionforum.com/issue/58/directional-reflection/.

Taczak, Kara, and Laura E. Sponsler. 2025. “Cultivating Faculty Growth through Reflection: A 360-Degree Model for Development.” Transformative Dialogues: Teaching and Learning Journal 18 (2): 203–12. https://doi.org/10.59236/td2025vol18iss21885.

Poster titled "The 360-degree Model: A Reflective Framework for Faculty Exploring SoTL."

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Published

2026-10-30

Issue

Vol. 14 (2026): Teaching & Learning Inquiry

Section

Posters

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Laura E. Sponsler, Kara Taczak

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

“The 360-Degree Model: A Reflective Framework for Faculty Exploring SoTL”. 2026. Teaching and Learning Inquiry 14 (October): 1–1. https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.14.56.
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