Dr Mathilde Roger, an Associate Professor in our Department of Biosciences, noticed that it was often challenging for colleagues to identify relevant journals where they could share their practice in developing and evaluating new approaches to teaching and learning in their classroom.
Joining forces with Professor Sam Nolan, Director of Durham Centre for Academic Development (DCAD), the pair started working to establish somewhere for colleagues to publish their own accounts of scholarly practice.
We spoke with Mathilde about the outcome of their work over the last two years - the launch of the Enhancing Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (ETLHE) journal.
Where did the idea for ETLHE come from?
The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) is a key activity undertaken by colleagues on the Education Track, but identifying relevant journals for small-scale pedagogic projects within specific domains can be challenging, especially when pedagogy research isn’t colleagues’ primary field of scholarship.
Recognising this challenge, we started looking at how we could help those involved in university learning and teaching to disseminate their practice.
That’s where ETLHE comes in. It aims to publish accounts of scholarly practice that report on small-scale practitioner research and case studies of practice that involve reflection, critique, implications for future practice and are informed by relevant literature, with a focus on enhancement of student learning.
Dr Mathilde Roger presenting at the ISSOTL2023 conference (Railway Museum, Utrecht, The Netherlands)
How did colleagues throughout the University support the development of ETLHE?
The journal is led by Durham University Education Track staff and coordinated through DCAD.
We were also supported by James Bisset from University Library and Collections, who offered advice with the open licencing and copyright, as well the use of Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs), which aid with discovery and citation of published articles and support authors promoting and sharing their work.
We’ve also received interest from across the whole University after our call for reviewers!
Why is something like ETLHE important?
ETLHE is a clear opportunity for colleagues to start their scholarship journey in a friendly environment.
Nic Fern, one of the authors in our very first edition, said: “The paper I submitted to ETLHE with my colleague was my first experience of submitting to a peer-reviewed journal. Mathilde was very supportive and guided us through the process step by step. I will be much more confident about submitting my next article thanks to her help.”
ETLHE presents a valuable opportunity to recognise and increase the visibility of our teaching-focused colleagues and their work. It’s a platform that showcases their contributions and highlights the significant impact they have on enhancing the student experience.
DCAD workshop activity to encourage colleagues to develop SOTL practices..
What can readers expect from the first issue?
In this first edition are seven papers from colleagues at Durham University and University Centre Quayside. Five of these papers were presented at the 2022 Durham Learning and Teaching Conference.
This inaugural issue presents a unique opportunity for our staff to gain insights into the practices of their colleagues. It’s a chance to get inspired and consider trying out new and innovative methods to improve the student experience.
Professor Sam Nolan hosting the Teaching and Learning Awards ceremony in 2021
What do you hope for the future of ETLHE?
Our aspiration for ETLHE is to see a wave of submissions in the future, not only from our colleagues here at Durham University but also from those beyond our institution.
We look forward to the diverse perspectives and insights these contributions will bring. ETLHE is now transitioning to rolling publication and articles are published as they are accepted after our double-blind review process, reducing time between submission and issue publication.
Presenters from the 2023 Learning & Teaching conference have already been invited to submit their articles.
How can colleagues get involved?
ETLHE welcomes reviewers who work in the field of SoTL. Please register and enter your reviewing interests to volunteer as a reviewer (no previous experience required).
Contact us at enhancing.tandl@durham.ac.uk if you have any questions. We look forward to hearing from interested colleagues.
Find out more
- Read the first issue of Enhancing Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (ETLHE)
- Contact Mathilde and Sam at enhancing.tandl@durham.ac.uk