As faculty members, we often find ourselves immersed in the world of teaching, grading, and meetings. But what if I told you that there’s a hidden treasure waiting to be discovered- one that can enrich your professional life, invigorate your teaching, and ignite your passion? Welcome to the world of research! Whether you’re a seasoned academic or a fresh-faced professor, scholarly exploration is something you should definitely consider!
Research isn’t just for scientists in lab coats or scholars in a university’s ivory towers. It matters at the college-level, too! It’s a powerful tool that allows us to expand knowledge by pushing the boundaries of what we know; it’s like adding pieces to a vast puzzle, and the more we contribute, the clearer the picture becomes. Research can also enhance teaching by informing our practice. Research can also have an impact on society and change lives, particularly in the case of SoTL research which impacts our students’ learning in the classroom directly, though our inquiries will certainly have a ripple effect beyond academia.
Overcoming your fear of research by choosing the right path (for you!)
Even if you don’t (yet) see yourself as a research, you have certainly asked yourself research-like questions and thought critically about your actions in the classroom and/or pedagogy in a way that would lend itself to research. To overcome your hesitation/intimidation/fear, I have two pieces of advice for you: 1) Start small! Begin with a small question that you are genuinely interested in- perhaps something that will help you to understand or address a problem you’ve been dealing with in your classroom. 2) Collaborate! Seek fellow faculty to join you and/or a mentor who has more research experience than you do. Collaboration can fuel your creativity and can help you feel more confident as you treat in these uncharted waters.
It’s also important to choose the right path for you and your research so that you don’t feel overwhelmed. Think about a real-world problem you’ve faced in the classroom or an article you’ve read that speaks to you (about AI or retrieval practice, or metacognition, or something else!) Your inspiration could also stem from the things you do outside the walls of academia: partner with a local organization to solve community challenges through research.
Diving into Research
One you’ve decided to dive in, start reading some literature on your topic (via the library or Google Scholar (and if you can’t find an article you want to read through these legitimate means, don’t you dare use Sci Hub to get around the paywall haha). In your reading, you can focus on gaps that you can fill or questions that remain unanswered Pro tip: there is usually a section near the end of each article addressing limitations and future directions for that line of research.Once you have your idea, decide how to best answer the question(s) you’re investigating: will you approach it qualitatively, quantitatively or both? Then you design your study, receive REB approval, and collect your data. Think of research as an adventure into knowledge. Cultivate your curiosity. Ask questions and inquire. Explore. With research, the journey can be as important as the destination. So, dive into research like a fearless explorer. Who knows what treasures await?
Are you convinced? Want to start a SoTL project? I’m here to help! And/or check out the CTL’s SoTL page, including the recent call for SoTL proposals for the next academic year (deadline May 24th, 2024, at 5pm). Have more questions? Send me an email or a Teams message, or pop into my weekly virtual office hours on Fridays (12:30-1:30pm) in my video chat room on Whereby.com
