Annotated Bibliography of Select Resources:

Dalhousie University. (n.d.). Research Ethics Board User Guide on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Research [webpage]. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQ3e-G-M7QxR9awSBaGJGWCfFyDG4-iviiPTVLnQdeksm2cvXAjja9g-G0pt7wJ0Vn7Xl_ojKOxwEdh/pub?start=false&loop=true&delayms=60000&slide=id.g1f92c1374a_0_49

The guide is an informative introduction to SoTL research. It is well-organized in an interactive open access google booklet. Key ethical issues are highlighted, along with logistics, data collection, and more helpful considerations for structuring and conducting research in the field.

Elgie, S. (2014). Researching Teaching & Student Outcomes in Postsecondary Education: An Introduction. Second edition. Toronto: Higher Education Quality Control Council of Ontario. Retrieved from http://www.heqco.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/Research%20Guide%20II%202014.pdf

This is a helpful resource with high level SoTL research considerations. It is most helpful when read after establishing a base understanding of teaching and learning research. This extensive resource covers research with human participants (Tri-Council policies) more generally, vulnerability and risk, and includes helpful fictionalized anecdotes that contextualize key ethical issues in SoTL.

Fedoruk, L. (2017). Ethics in the scholarship of teaching and learning: Key principles and strategies for ethical practice. Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning Guide Series. Calgary, AB: Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning at the University of Calgary. www.ucalgary.ca/taylorinstitute/guides

The Taylor Institute-developed booklet is a comprehensive guide to research in SoTL in Canada. It is an introduction to conducting ethical SoTL research, and includes important considerations for informing students, conducting focus groups, involving third parties, etc. It also discusses possible benefits for students engaging in SoTL research as participants.

Fenton, N., Szala-Meneok, K. (2010) Research on Teaching and Learning Guidebook. Eds.
Marquis, B. McMaster University Centre for Leadership in Learning.

Developed by the MacPherson institute (formerly Centre for Leadership in Learning), this guide is comprehensive and McMaster specific. Of particular interest, suggestions for translating research for the classroom and beyond are included. This guide would be most helpful for those less familiar with SoTL research and ethics but would be beneficial for researchers of any level looking to conduct SoTL research at McMaster.

Martin, R. (2013) Navigating the IRB: THe Ethics of SoTL. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 136, https://doi.org/10.1002/tl.20076

This excerpted chapter discusses Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) as they apply to SoTL. It describes when SoTL projects must receive IRB approval and why, the review process, and special issues of concern. It also discusses some current issues relating to ethical SoTL research and the challenges of working in such a new field of research.

MacLean, M., & Poole, G. (2010). An Introduction to Ethical Considerations for Novices to Research in Teaching and Learning in Canada. The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 1 (2). http://dx.doi.org/10.5206/cjsotl-rcacea.2010.2.7

This article addresses the complex relationships in teaching and learning research and proposes principles for ethical SoTL research. The value of SoTL research is discussed along with the potential risks unique the unique situation this field occupies. Maclean and Poole’s article would be most helpful for those familiar with SoTL research who want to explore ethical implications of their work and the field more deeply.

McGinn, M.K. (2018). Teaching and Researching Ethics: Guidance for Instructors-Researchers, Educational Developers, and Research Ethics Personnel. The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 9 (1). https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotl-rcacea.2018.1.2

Surveys ethical considerations for SoTL research, particularly for faculty conducting research with their own students or through their own teaching practices. Topics include use of third-parties, risk, undue influence, and copyright infringement. Logistical ideas like crediting participants for their contributions, working within close-knit programs, and evaluation methods. Consider reading this as supplementary material.