Navigating the complex terrain of online professional learning

The role of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

Abstract

Professional learning plays an important role in improving teaching skills of university academics. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) is a central framework as well as methodology for designing and delivering professional learning. As of 2022, 39% of Australian universities offer a graduate certificate in learning and teaching (GCLT) or similar to upskill academics. These courses are either fully or partially online; and nearly all include a dedicated SoTL unit or draw on SoTL generally across its content. Little is known about how GCLTs and similar courses affect teaching practice and long-term professional growth of academic staff, calling for a deeper exploration of SoTL-informed professional learning on academics’ skills and careers. This study offers an evidence-based perspective through the exploration of academic experiences in a SoTL-focused unit within a fully online GCLT in a mid-range Australian university. A survey of the unit’s first three graduating cohorts (2015-2017), attracted 30 respondents (56% of invitees), generating new insights into how professional learners navigate online, self-regulated, asynchronous learning spaces and how this learning affects their teaching and careers. Findings speak to learner motivation, impact and general effectiveness of online professional learning.