The Practice, Use, and Growth of SoTL as a Compassionate and Gentle Academic

By Dr Caterina Presi, University of Leeds, C.Presi@lubs.leeds.ac.uk and Dr Sophie Lefmann, University of South Australia, Sophie.Lefmann@unisa.edu.au

ISSOTL Grand Challenge 5 highlights the scale and complexity of the core challenges in Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). In this blog post we contribute to this vibrant discussion by looking at how researchers and advocates of SoTL can improve the learning and research experience for us, society, and our students. Compassionate research and gentle academia principles can provide valuable insights and direction beyond limited resources, to inform the practice, use and growth of SoTL. They can also be used in small and large ways, depending on the needs of your local teaching or research environment.

What is compassionate research?

Compassionate research is “action-oriented research that focuses on dissemination to enact local change, to raise awareness, to break down biases, misconceptions and prejudices” (Smith and Narayan, 2019). It starts with a deep understanding of oneself, being mindful of our own practices and contextual biases while, at the same time, listening to the world it aims to understand. Compassionate research is grounded on three principles: the ability to question, self-question and empathise.

How can compassion inform the practice, use and growth of SoTL?

SoTL stakeholders are a diverse group, which includes students, faculty and staff who work in different disciplinary contexts. In this landscape, students’ ways of learning vary, different notions of good research practices of SoTL exist.  Previous research has, for example, pointed to the discomfort experienced by researchers in their SoTL journey linked to epistemological differences and their multiple identities (Miller-Young, Yeo and Manarin, 2018). Other work argued that SoTL is at risk of being appropriated by disciplinary paradigms and called for SoTL to stand as its own form of enquiry, which can draw upon different fields in appropriate ways (Löfgreen, 2023). A compassionate approach to research can help navigate some of these tensions by promoting human connection and communication. In the table below, we reflect on some ways this can be done.

Practice of SoTL	Use of SoTL	Growth of SoTL
– Question one’s own biases. – Approach research collaborators and participants with compassion. – Seek opportunities to work with researchers outside of our discipline.	– Seek relevance in SoTL from other disciplines rather than dismiss a priori. – Encourage students to question their own learning practices and be open to empathise with the needs of other students.	– Be open to diverse perspectives and questions to avoid perpetuating inequalities of intellectual practices. – Aim to bridge rather than divide across various approaches, recognise value in difference.

What is a gentle academic?

Gentle academia is inferred to be more of a way of being in the higher education sector in recent times. Gentle academia elevates values in teaching, leadership and academic life that should be universally aspirational: care, empathy, inclusivity and honest self-reflection (Butler-Henderson & Ashok 2024).  This can be at odds with contemporary higher education realities, which are often driven by market forces, competitive enrolments and even more competitive demands for course and research funding. That said, micro and macro-practices of gentle academia can be intentionally embedded into teaching and leadership practice to create an institutional culture of nurture and encouragement.

How can gentle academia inform the practice, use and growth of SoTL?

Gentle academia has overlap with compassionate research. Both have a central focus on compassion and support for oneself, colleagues and students. Where compassionate research has tangible research intentions behind how outputs are generated and framed, gentle academia is broader and still emerging as a concept. It speaks to the educator’s holistic approach to the higher education environment, illuminating supportive, inclusive and empathetic actions whilst pursuing teaching excellence. Arguably, this aligns with SOTL ‘s core scientific business as the academic environment and interpersonal experiences are an essential component of this. Examples of gentle academia applicable to Grand Challenge 5 may include:

Practice in SoTL	Use in SoTL	Growth in SoTL
– Actively research teaching and learning outcomes that have benefited from gentle academic approaches. – Reflect on how to demonstrate appreciation for small and large inputs of teaching support (Carbone 2024). This can occur in formal and informal ways.	– Empower educators to use inclusive and supportive language while pursuing teaching rigour – make all feel valued and welcome. – Engage students in a supportive community of practice structure for diverse learning perspectives (Jacobsen, 2024).	– Establish mechanisms for wide-ranging levels of teaching experience to offer suggestions and innovations amidst a healthy environment of constructive critique and respect. – Create a culture among scholars and leadership where the art and effect of teaching is celebrated.

Do you have any ideas on how a compassionate and gentle approach can help your SoTL journey? Please share your thoughts about small or large practices in the comments.

References:

Löfgreen, J. (2023). Navigating between Scylla and Charybdis: SoTL as its Own Kind of Inquiry. Teaching & Learning Inquiry the ISSOTL Journal, 11. https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.11.28

Butler-Henderson, K., & Ashok, A. (Eds.) (2024). The gentle academic: Case studies in higher education leadership. Charles Sturt University.