SoTL Fellowships (FIDC)

The Senate Faculty Instructional Development Committee (FIDC) offers FIDC Summer Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Research Fellowships.

SoTL stands for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, and it is a way for instructors to explore their teaching with curiosity and reflection, like how they may approach scholarly activities or research in their own fields. Instructors engaging in SoTL typically begin with a question about teaching or student learning. They gather evidence from their courses in a scholarly manner and share their findings so others can learn from their experiences. By reflecting meaningfully on their own teaching, instructors deepen their own practice while also contributing to broader conversations about how students learn (Chick, n.d.; Chick, 2018). For more information please see What is SoTL?

The goals of this program are to:

Support UND faculty in engaging with evidence-based pedagogies and scholarly research in order to enhance student learning, improve teaching practice and contribute to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) research.
Promote a culture of teaching improvement by providing opportunities for faculty to engage in research that directly impacts the quality of learning in UND classes and programs.
Facilitate the dissemination of findings, encouraging faculty to present and publish SoTL research.

2027-2028 applications are not yet open.

Fellowship Application

Applying for SoTL

Proposals must not exceed 6 pages in total and will address the following:

Describe a feasible, focused and specific question you have about student learning in your course/s and/or academic program that can be addressed through a SOTL research project conducted at UND.
Explain the background and context for this research question. What student learning question or issue led you to this research (which must be in the context of UND courses or programs)?
Explain the relevance and intended impact of this research. How will addressing this question improve learning (in specific classes/programs, the discipline and/or higher education broadly)?
Describe the nature of the data to be collected, the process for collecting the data, and your rationale for the study design and methodology.

Guidelines

Fellowships provide $3000 for 80 hours of work over the summer in support of a SoTL research project to be completed in the academic year.

Expectations: Recipients agree to the following deliverables:

To submit an IRB application for their research project by August 15.
To submit a one-page progress report by December 15.
To participate in a 2026-27 FIDC SoTL Showcase in which faculty fellows present their research question/s, their data and progress to date; and the impact of their work.
To submit a final report summarizing their research, methodology, and outcomes by May 15.

Faculty will be ineligible for all future funding from the FIDC if they fail to fulfill these expectations.

Eligibility

Open to all UND faculty who meet all the following requirements:

Propose a research project related to better understanding and improving teaching and learning in UND classrooms.
Not a past recipient of a FIDC SoTL Fellowship (ie. 2024 Fellows are not eligible for another award).
Those seeking funding for collaborative research must apply individually, making clear their distinct role in the project. Proposals will be evaluated on their individual merits.

If you are unsure of the status of a potential proposal that is collaborative, please reach out to a member of the FIDC for clarification.

FIDC SoTL Fellowship Proposal Rubric

The rubric below outlines benchmarks (5, 3, 1) for evaluating proposals. Zero (0) may be given if the criterion is not addressed.

	5	3	1
Research question and connection to UND student learning	The research question is feasible, focused and specific and directly related to a UND course and student learning.	The research question lacks focus, feasibility and/or specificity; and/or the connection to a UND course and student learning is unclear.	The research question is weak or unclear; and/or there is limited or no connection to a UND course and student learning.
Background and context	The background, context, and reason for the research is detailed and thorough.	The background, context, and reason for the research is unclear in some places or is inadequately explained.	The background, context, and reason for the research is not clear and lacks adequate explanation throughout.
Impact of research	The proposal convincingly explains the relevance of the research and anticipated impact on student learning	The proposal addresses the relevance of the research and anticipated impact on student learning, but the rationale is incomplete.	The proposal provides a partial or unclear explanation of the relevance of the research and anticipated impact on student learning.
Study design and data	The proposal includes a strong rationale for the study design and methods, a feasible approach to data collection, and a clear process for analyzing the data.	The proposal provides an appropriate rationale for the study design and methods, the approach to data collection, and the process for analyzing the data; however, these are unclear or incomplete.	The proposal fails to provide an appropriate rationale for the study design and methods, the approach to data collection, and the process for analyzing the data information is limited and/or problematic

Open All

Hairui Liu, College of Education & Human Development

From Lecture to Classroom: How Experiential Teaching Shapes Pre-service Teachers' Learning in Physical Education Teacher Education

Julianne Mann, College of Arts & Sciences

Narrative Simulation, Ethical Worldviews, and Student Empowerment in Environmental Ethics

Meera Gopinath Sujatha, College of Engineering & Mines

Evaluating Differentiated Assessment Strategies in a Cross-Listed Machine Learning Course

Michelle Murphy, School of Medicine & Health Sciences

Advancing Methodological Rigor in SoTL: Multilevel Modeling for Complex Educational Data

Moones Alamooti, College of Engineering & Mines

Structured AI-Assisted Problem Solving in Petroleum ENgineering: Effects on COnceptual Understanding and Self-Regulated Learning in Reservoir Rock Properties

Sarah Sletten, School of Medicine & Health Sciences

Active Learning and Concept Application: An Adult Learning Approach to Undergraduate Immunology Instruction

John Shabb, School of Medicine & Health Sciences

Undergraduate biochemistry course outcomes as predictors of Medical College Admissions Test performance.

Brenna Swanson, College of Nursing & Professional Disciplines

8 Minutes to Empathy: A Hands-On Simulation to Enhance Dementia Training in Dietetics

Nicole Martin, College of Nursing & Professional Disciplines

Does implementing interactive instructional activities during the second semester clinical orientation increase student confidence and preparedness?

Cynthia Prescott, College of Arts & Sciences

The Impact of Class Size, Active Learning, and Gamification on Student Learning in History Survey Courses

Enrique Alvarez, College of Engineering & Mines

The Curiosity-Credit Equation: Unveiling the Impact of Academic Load

2026 SoTL Fellowship Panel

Teaching as Scholarly Work (or Teach Better & Publish More)

This panel explores the transition from scholarly teaching to the formal Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). We will discuss how systematic inquiry into student learning constitutes high-impact scholarly activity and offer practical strategies for integrating SoTL into a professional research profile. A key focus will be framing this work within promotion and tenure dossiers to ensure it is recognized as rigorous research, particularly in departments where the distinction between SoTL and teaching responsibilities is not yet well-established. This panel will be of particular interest to those applying for a Summer SoTL Fellowship through FIDC.

Panel Members

Sarah Sletten - Associate Professor, Biomedical Sciences, Scholarship of Teaching & Learning, Director of Learner Research, Research Affairs
Ryan Zerr - Department Chair, Chair / Professor, Mathematics, Real Analysis, Operator Theory, Dynamical Systems, Associate Vice President, President's Office
Jeff Carmichael - Associate Chair, Professor, Biology, Introductory Biology Coordinator

SoTL Fellowship Showcase - Part 1

Duane Helleloid (Entrepreneurship and Management), Comparing Student Work Completed Without and With AI
Kaitlyn Kelly (Nursing), Use of Artificial Intelligence to Simulate Health History Interviews for Nursing Students
Caitlin Milera (Space Studies), The Impact of an Undergraduate Research Project on STEM Identity

SoTL Fellowship Showcase - Part 2

Hyonsuk Cho (Teaching, Leadership, and Professional Practice), Linguistics for Teachers
Christine McGrail (TLPP), Examining the Impact of Place-Base Science Teaching and Learning
Elizabeth Suazo-Flores (TLPP), Broadening Views of Teaching Mathematics

SoTL Fellowship Showcase - Part 3

Amanda Haage (Biomedical Sciences) Making Microscopy Universal
Karrianna Iseminger (Occupational Therapy) Offset: A Serious Game for Making the Intangible Tangible