Goal: Define the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL), teaching excellence and educational leadership for the Memorial community.

Supports Strategic Priority 1:
Elevate the value of teaching and learning as a scholarly practice and a core pillar of the institution by defining, fostering and recognizing teaching excellence and educational leadership.

Three new definitions are in the works to help advance the value of teaching at Memorial University and recognize those who demonstrate achievement. CITL is developing institutional definitions for: Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL); teaching excellence; and educational leadership.

These definitions will assist those being nominated for teaching awards - they are currently tied to the criteria for external teaching awards, and they will help the University's Teaching Awards Committee in reviewing the internal awards criteria to better align with external awards.

The new definitions will also guide professional development for faculty members and instructors, as CITL will develop programming to help them achieve their goals related to SoTL, teaching excellence and educational leadership.

"Defining these terms for our institution will strengthen how we define and also value teaching leadership," said Dr. Kim Myrick, interim co-director of CITL. "By clearly defining these terms we will be able to provide important parameters or 'goal posts' with which to help assess award applications. They can also help instructors and our academic community set goals and expectations for their teaching development."

It is important to note that "teaching excellence," "SoTL" and "educational leadership" are terms that are cited in Memorial's strategic plan, Transforming Our Horizons. Having approved definitions of these terms will help our collective progress in advancing our reputation in teaching and learning.

Once the definitions have been finalized they will be presented to the Senate Teaching and Learning Committee for endorsement before being rolled out to the Memorial community.