Center for Teaching Excellence

Teaching as Research

Have you considered studying the impact of your teaching practices on student learning? Are you interested in learning how to undertake a classroom-based research project? Want to learn more about avenues for presenting research related to teaching?

The Teaching as Research program supports Xavier faculty who wish to undertake Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) to study the effectiveness of pedagogical approaches in their courses.

Fall Workshop Series

Teaching as Research Mini-grants

Program Goals:

Improve teaching practices using a research-based approach
Foster communities of faculty studying pedagogical practices
Support the production of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) at Xavier

The program includes a series of workshops during fall semester and mini-grants of $500 awarded to faculty who conduct and present a study that examines an aspect of their teaching.

Check out our 2022-2023 mini-grant recipients

Read more about past recipients' projects and testimonials from those who received a mini-grant.

Teaching as Research Workshops

The Teaching as Research workshop series is offered each fall semester.

SoTL Research Questions and Design

This workshop introduces participants to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), and explores how to formulate relevant research questions related to pedagogy and design research focused on teaching and learning

Collecting and Analyzing Qualitative Data

This workshop explores types of classroom-based research questions that are best answered with qualitative data and some of the strengths and limitations of qualitative research designs.

Collecting and Analyzing Quantitative Data

This workshop explores types of teaching and learning-related questions that are best answered with quantitative data and some of the strengths and limitations of quantitative research designs, as well as introducing Qualtrics, an online research tool for administering electronic surveys.

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Process

This workshop provides an overview of Xavier’s IRB application and its components, as well as addresses special issues related to collecting data in your classroom or from your own students.

Teaching as Research Mini-Grants

To support small-scale research projects, the CTE awards mini-grants of $500 to faculty who undertake and present a study that examines an aspect of their teaching. The research can include quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, or case studies. Faculty who have previously received mini-grants are welcome to reapply, though preference will be given to new applicants and applicants who have not received a mini-grant in the last 12 months.

Mini-grant recipients agree to participate in a community of practice to provide mutual support as the research is undertaken; the group will meet in the spring semester following receipt of the grant and meet approximately three times. Recipients also agree to present their research at the CTE in the academic year following receipt of the grant. Stipends will be paid after the CTE presentation.

Mini-grant recipients are encouraged to disseminate their research beyond Xavier by publishing or presenting at local or national conferences. The Lilly Conference on College Teaching, held annually in November at Miami University, is an excellent local venue for presenting SoTL research. For recipients who submit successful proposals based on their Teaching as Research projects to Lilly or a comparable local or national conference, the CTE will pay up to $500 of the conference registration fee.

Congratulations to the 2022-2023 Teaching as Research mini-grant recipients!

Sharee Allen (Art), Art as Cartharsis

Brent Blair (Biology), Does environmental justice coursework change student perception of what constitutes an environmental issue?

Rose Ann Fleming (Athletics and EMSS), Student Assimilation of Values in Sport

Richie L. Liu (Marketing), So Many Choices: Experiential Learning Project Traits - A Causal Approach for More Effective Student Engagement

Tammy Zilliox and Teresa Young (Education), Efficacy of Embedded Field Experience in a Literacy Assessments Course