A Systems-Inspired Taxonomy of SoTL Research: Increasing the Accessibility and Visibility of this Heterogeneous Field

Janice Miller-Young; Jeffrey W. Paul; Renato B. Rodrigues; Jillian Seniuk Cicek

doi:10.20343/teachlearninqu.13.55

Authors

Janice Miller-Young University of Alberta https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1918-5469
Jeffrey W. Paul University of Manitoba
Renato B. Rodrigues University of Manitoba https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6586-5369
Jillian Seniuk Cicek University of Manitoba

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.13.55

Keywords:

student learning, teaching, research, context, higher education, knowledge organization

Abstract

The scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) is a vast, multi-epistemic field which can be challenging for new and experienced scholars to navigate. This paper introduces a systems-inspired taxonomy of SoTL designed to enhance accessibility, visibility, and knowledge organization within the field. Drawing from an iterative and extensive process involving a literature review, thematic coding of published SoTL inquiries from eight different journals, and international community consultations, the resulting taxonomy in its current form has six trees or “dimensions.” These include who is being studied, what aspects of learning are investigated, how learning is supported, where and when studies take place, why students learn, and the inquiry approaches used. The taxonomy serves multiple purposes: providing researchers with a structured way to situate their work, guiding literature and scoping reviews, and improving the discoverability of SoTL studies through more deliberate keyword selection. By adopting a systems-thinking perspective, this taxonomy balances structure with flexibility, offering a navigational tool rather than a rigid classification scheme. It is intended to be descriptive, rather than prescriptive, and should be regularly updated through ongoing community input and engagement in order to ensure it remains reflective of emerging research and practice in the field.

Author Biographies

Janice Miller-Young, University of Alberta

Janice Miller-Young (CAN) is a professor and the current director, experiential learning in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Alberta. She teaches engineering design and conducts research on both student and faculty learning in higher education.
Jeffrey W. Paul, University of Manitoba

Jeffrey W. Paul (CAN) was enrolled as a PhD student in engineering education research at the University of Manitoba. He founded the SoTL Special Interest Group within the Canadian engineering education community and was enthusiastic about SoTL, research, and learning.
Renato B. Rodrigues, University of Manitoba

Renato B. Rodrigues (CAN) is a PhD candidate and an educational developer at the University of Manitoba. He merges engineering, philosophy, and education to research the social influences and impacts of technology, exploring the intersection of society and engineering.
Jillian Seniuk Cicek, University of Manitoba

Jillian Seniuk Cicek (CAN) is an associate professor in the Price Faculty of Engineering at the University of Manitoba. Her research explores the integration of Indigenous knowledges and worldviews with engineering curricula, and the development of engineering education research in Canada.

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