SoTL at Howard

Orlando L. TaylorTerrolyn Carter

Graduate SchoolHoward UniversityWashington, DC

A Word About Howard

Located in Washington, DC A Private, Research 1/Research-Extensive

University—Chartered in 1867 and Partially Funded by Congress

Almost 12,000 Students—5,000 Graduate and Professional

Predominately African American, Extremely Diverse Student Body and Faculty

One of 105 HBCUs

The Howard University Graduate School

Home to Approximately 1500 individuals seeking research-oriented master’s and Ph.D. degrees

Ph. D. programs in 30 Disciplines; Several Interdisciplinary and Dual Doctorates

Large and Active Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) Program Since 1995

SoTL Intimately Linked to the PFF Program

Teaching & Learning: An Integral Part of the HU Graduate School

The Graduate School seeks to value all types of Scholarship: Discovery; Application; Integration and Teaching/Learning (Boyer)

It seeks to prepare new faculty to engage and value all types of scholarship

It also seeks to facilitate the discovery of research-based strategies for enhancing learning within groups with documentable tendencies for underachievement, e.g., women and people of color in STEM discipline

Finally, it seeks to link SoTL to other teaching/learning communities

Some Guiding Principles of SoTL Work at Howard

Teaching is an Ethical act Teaching must be transformed from a private

activity to a public & generalizable event Teaching & learning can be enhanced

through documentation, analysis, reflection and sharing

We Are Guided by Major Reforms in Undergraduate Education

Experiential Learning Is Desirable Meaning Is Socially Constructed Knowledge is Culturally Centered,

Connected, Relational & Constructed Learning Occurs In and Out of Classrooms Sensitivity to WHO Is In Classroom Teacher More Facilitator Than Sage Reflection Central to Learning

Five Strategies for Advancing SoTL at Howard Graduate School

Small SoTL grants to faculty/student dyads to enhance learning within disciplines

An annual SoTL day with local presentations and national speakers

SoTL in PFF: A section of required PFF course on Faculty Roles and Responsibilities

SoTL in PFF Certificate Program Student Initiated SoTL Activities;e.g., TA Teaching Circle Grantsmanship

Major NSF project on academic socialization into engineering (Lorraine Fleming)

FIPSE project on enhancing African American achievement in STEM disciplines (Taylor and Carter)