SoTL Advisory Board
Mission
The SoTL Advisory Board’s primary purpose is to actively collaborate with the Faculty Center in guiding, supporting, and promoting SoTL on all Georgia Southern University campuses.
Member Responsibilities
- Serve in an advisory capacity to the Faculty Center to guide and support existing aspects of SoTL initiatives, implement new aspects, and provide feedback about SoTL activities as needed.
- Review and evaluate proposals submitted for the SoTL Fellowship, the SoTL Award, and any other SoTL-related submission to the Faculty Center in need of review.
- Serve as mentor to Georgia Southern SoTL fellows and SoTL FLC participants as needed
- Actively promote SoTL on campus by
- facilitating or co-facilitating SoTL-focused workshops for campus, college, and departments as needed
- distributing information on SoTL opportunities to colleagues in your college
- serving as a SoTL resource to colleagues
SoTL Advisory Board Members
Dr. Diana Botnaru, Chair (Health Sciences and Kinesiology, WCHP): I am actively engaged in a plethora of collaborative SoTL projects that have resulted in numerous peer-reviewed presentations and scholarly publications. I enjoy mentoring multiple Georgia Southern (GS) faculty on SoTL projects within the SoTL Faculty Learning Communities, and I have been chairing the SoTL Commons Annual Conference since 2013. I am the recipient of the GS SoTL Fellowship (2012), GS SoTL Award (2012), GS Award for Excellence in Instruction (2020), WCHP Excellence in Teaching Award (2009 and 2018), University System of Georgia Chancellor’s Learning Scholar (2019-2021) and University System of Georgia Regents’ SoTL Award (2014).
Dr. Trent W. Maurer (School of Human Ecology, CBSS): My focus on SoTL is both disciplinary and interdisciplinary. My SoTL work includes Grand Challenges in SoTL, translating SoTL findings to students, guidelines for authorship credit in collaborative student-faculty SoTL scholarship, evaluating the effectiveness of interventions for improving student study skills, and multiple “state of SoTL” pieces in my discipline of Family Science. I serve on the ISSOTL Advocacy Committee in addition to serving as a reviewer or on the editorial board of numerous disciplinary and interdisciplinary SoTL journals.
Dr. Jody Langdon (Health Sciences and Kinesiology, WCHP): Dr. Langdon’s research in SoTL involves investigating the impact of instructors and learning environments on student motivation and engagement in the learning process. She is an International Scholar at the Center for Self-Determination Theory and was the recipient of the GS SoTL Award (2017) and the University System of Georgia Regents’ SoTL Award (2018).
Kevin Reagan (University Libraries): As an instruction librarian, I enjoy investigating the interconnectedness between academic library paradigms and SoTL, as well as exploring how the involvement of librarians in SoTL facilitates a holistic approach to and understanding of student success. Although I am a newcomer to SoTL and academia, I am active in numerous SoTL projects and was accepted into the Georgia Southern University SoTL Fellowship in 2023.
Dr. Shainaz Landge (Chemistry, COSM): My journey with SoTL started when I started teaching at GS and it flourished due to its interdisciplinary and diverse nature. My SoTL projects include implementing and assessing an elaborate visual analogy, creating various interactive and effective pedagogical techniques to understand the complex concepts in chemistry, time management through STARS technique and student motivation. I serve on the editorial board of IJSoTL (since 2016); and I am a recipient of the GS SoTL fellowship (2015), GS SoTL Award (2018), COSM Excellence in Teaching Award (2017), GS Award for Excellence in Contributions to Instruction (2018), University System of Georgia (USG) Chancellor’s Learning Scholar (2018-2020), USG Chancellor’s Learning Scholar – Associate (2020), GS Award for Excellence in Student Success (2021), Governor’s Teaching Fellowship (2022).
Delores (Dee) D. Liston, PhD, LCSW (College of Education): I was introduced to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning through the dedication of Loraine S. Gilpin, former Editor of The International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Lorraine introduced me to an exciting new field of study that prioritizes “better teaching” and “better learning” as students and teachers produce knowledge together in the commons. She convinced me that this emerging interdisciplinary field held promise to re-center pedagogy on the humanity of learners; leading us forward in pursuit of a more socially just society. I have carried this focus into my recent SoTL book, Promoting Social Justice Through the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (with Regina Rahimi). Since 2016, I have served as a co-editor for The International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, which continues this legacy of international and social justice perspectives. I am pleased to be involved in initiatives to improve the lives of learners across the globe.
Jackie HeeYoung Kim, Ed.D., is a professor in the Department of Leadership, Technology, and Human Development, CoE at Georgia Southern University in Savannah, Georgia. Dr. Kim has been committed to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) by bridging the gap between theoretical principles and practical applications. Her interest in SoTL was sparked by her desire to become a better teacher. She was a recipient of the GS SoTL Scholar (2020-2021) and USG SoTL Fellow (2016-2017). Among her key research interests are the flipped classroom approach, educators’ self-efficacy in technology-integrated instruction, and self-directed online learning.
McKinley Thomas (Health Sciences and Kinesiology, WCHP): Dr. Thomas is a faculty member in the Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology and Coordinator of the Bachelor of Health Sciences degree program. He earned his Ed.D. from the University of Tennessee and has worked in higher education for the past 25 years. In 2012 he was named a USG Governor’s Teaching Fellow. He understands the importance of scholarship as the instrument that guides teaching and learning and has paid special attention to the theoretical underpinning of pedagogical approaches in addition to authentic assessments of classroom methods. Dr. Thomas’ most current SoTL activity relates to the efficacy of a newly developed assignment required for HSCG 4134 Health and Sexuality where students are asked to reflect upon how various forms of media inform our sexual self-concept, beliefs and values, and communication skills. He has numerous publications/presentations exploring the scholarship of teaching and learning.
Jessica Orvis (Department of Chemistry, COSM): Jessica Orvis is an Associate Professor of Chemistry and Coordinator of Principles of Chemistry courses. Her interests in chemistry education research include the role of autonomy in student motivation, assessment of student intervention efforts such as supplemental instruction, and the development of technology in teaching and learning.
Dr. Katie Mercer (Health Policy and Community Health, JPHCOPH): As the Founding Director of the Office of Teaching and Learning at the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, my dedication lies in providing resources and opportunities for faculty to explore and actively participate in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). I am particularly passionate about fostering a vibrant SoTL culture on campus, aiming to increase awareness and broaden engagement in this important field of inquiry.
Delena Bell Gatch Department of BioChemistry, Chemistry, and Physics, COSM): After joining the faculty at Georgia Southern University in 2001, Dr. Gatch has developed a strong interest in Physics education research as well as the scholarship of teaching and learning. Currently, Dr. Gatch serves as the Associate Vice President for Institutional Assessment and Accreditation for the institution. Since 2014, Dr. Gatch serves as the Editor in Chief of the International Journal on Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.
Dr. Rami Haddad (Electrical and Computer Engineering, AEPCEC): Dr. Rami Haddad, a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, is celebrated for his contributions to the SoTL, earning the 2019 GS University’s SoTL Award and IEEE Region 3 Joseph M. Biedenbach Outstanding Engineering Educator Award. His SoTL work is mainly focused on innovative pedagogical approaches, including computational thinking, adaptive teaching, real-time formative assessment, gamification, and hybrid course models. An active member of the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) and the American Education Research Association, Dr. Haddad also holds leadership roles within ASEE.
Dr. Joe Pellegrino (Associate Professor, Department of English): I’ve always been interested in minimizing the slippage between what I think I’m teaching and what the students I engage with can demonstrate that they’re learning. I’m one of the co-editors for The International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, so I am lucky enough to have a continuous view of what’s current in the field. I get to sift through exciting ideas, then apply those that I think will work in my own classes. My most recent research has been looking at the connections between academic program assessment and SoTL as well as the use of Large Language Models in SoTL.
Last updated: 4/4/2024
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