Engagement, Publishing, and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

Following a critical appraisal of research and teaching in U.S. higher education, Ernest Boyer advocated that teaching should be recognized and rewarded as an activity that was at least as important as traditional disciplinary scholarship. He insisted that teaching had its own scholarly component which deserved fuller recognition, appreciation, and dissemination. This chapter explores Boyer's reconsideration of the activities and priorities of higher education and the emerging history of what would become known as the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). From an early stage in its historical trajectory, SoTL explorations were linked to a publication imperative. Publication was seen as essential for consolidating the discipline's status and for improving the efficacy of teaching. The chapter reconsiders the publication requirement, its impact on the vision and mission of SoTL, and the degree to which it has repositioned and reprioritized teaching in the academy. It also provides suggestions for furthering SoTL's impact and for new directions for research, practice, and publication.

Scale Development and Factor Analysis

Scale development is an important step in empirical research. This chapter describes the common procedures to follow in scale development with essential factor analytical methods. The concept of measurement invariance, the importance of its testing prior to group comparisons, and testing procedures are discussed. Single-group, multi-group, and hierarchical confirmatory factor analytical methods and associated decision making are described. Procedural steps in scale development and measurement invariance testing are illustrated at length using a real dataset in stereotype threat and principals' leadership style in the United States.

Whose Side Are We On?

This chapter seeks to build a new theory in education research, critical solidarity with participants in education research. The theory uses critical pedagogy as a beginning point as expressed in the work of Paulo Freire and subsequent theorists. In Freirean fashion, the researcher asks the question, but the participant is the questioner of their own experience. In this way, the research, in which the authors attempt to empower participants, is a pedagogical tool.

Survey Research

Survey research, in various forms, is the mainstay for social researchers and anyone interested in finding out about people's opinions, attitudes, beliefs, and experiences. Survey research evolved from simple data collection to a more sophisticated scientific method and has proved useful in describing various aspects of the human condition as a basis for further action. However, now survey research is being challenged by the digital world as defined by big data, social media, and mobile devices. In the chapter, the authors provide a historical perspective on survey research, along with a brief presentation of foundational elements of survey research. Then, with the intent of evoking reflective discussion, the authors identify some of the core issues and viewpoints surrounding survey research in the present digital world.

Navigators on the Research Path

Qualitative research methods courses are required in most doctoral and some Master's degree graduate programs. However, although many graduate students enter their programs with some knowledge of quantitative methodology, many have little to no understanding of qualitative research methodologies. There are many challenges associated with teaching qualitative research, and although most learners in qualitative research classes are adult learners, university faculty members may not know or understand adult learning theories and teaching strategies to frame their approaches to teaching qualitative research methods. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the challenges faced by faculty members who plan and teach qualitative research courses using the literature to highlight current qualitative research pedagogy while discussing new strategies and models that may assist graduate students' development as qualitative researchers. An earlier version of this chapter can be found in V. Wang's (Ed.) Handbook of Research on Scholarly Publishing and Research Methods (2015).

Addressing the Scholarly Writing and Publication Needs of Graduate Students

Although research and writing for publication are seen as important responsibilities for most graduate students and faculty, many struggle to understand the process and how to succeed. Unfortunately, writing centers at most universities do not cater to the research and publishing needs of graduate students and faculty, but instead to course-specific needs of undergraduate students. This chapter aims to describe initiatives undertaken to address the scholarly writing and publication needs of graduate students and strategies and programs for the improvement of scholarly writing and provide insight into the kind of learning that can take place in a university writing center. This chapter may be especially helpful to educators who seek to create services at their own institutions for graduate students.

Scholarly Publications

This chapter describes the stages of preparing a book proposal and offers practical strategies for dealing with securing a publisher, receiving and responding to feedback, and making revisions. There are three stages typically involved in submitting a book proposal to a scholarly publisher. The first is to overcome one's sense of impostorship, the feeling that books are written by “real” academics with startlingly original things to say. The second is to write the proposal itself. This involves describing the genesis of the idea for the book, establishing a strong rationale as to why the book ought to be published, and summarizing its succinct purpose. The meat of a proposal is the chapter-by-chapter outline that provides a clear description of the book's contents. Proposals typically end with an analysis of competing texts currently on the market, a schedule for writing the book, and indications of how a web presence might be created to support the book. The final stage is to select and then approach a publisher. Through multiple examples drawn from accepted book proposals, this chapter delineates successful, real life ways to manage these challenges and processes.

Exploring Relationships Between the Consumption of Digital Books and Digital Divide

Determining how notions of digital divide influence decision making for organizations is problematic, not least because the concept of digital divide itself is amorphous, evolving, and rooted in consumer and organizational awareness and their level of technological adoption. Although a considerable amount of research in information and communication technology (ICT) has been done to conceptualize how the emerging technologies reduce or complicate digital divide, no parallel research has been conducted on the impact of digital books on digital divide. Drawing on a social constructivist paradigmatic perspective, this chapter examines the dynamics of value propositions in digital books. The chapter concludes by calling for a greater and deeper understanding of digital divide, as well as further research on quantitative approaches.

Community-Engaged Research

Community-engaged research describes an approach towards research and a stance towards scholarship that arose in response to the criticism that institutions of higher education functioned only as ivory towers, disconnected from real-world problems. This chapter is intended to serve as an introduction to the concept of community-engaged research. Topics covered will include the definition of community-engaged research, the criteria for the evaluation of community-engaged research, inherent challenges associated with community-engaged research, and strategies that institutions of higher education can employ as a means of cultivating and sustaining community-engaged research among faculty.

Multilevel Theory Model Development and Dissemination

In the past, a large number of research efforts concentrated on single-level analysis; however, researchers who only conduct this level of analysis are finding it harder to justify due to the advancements in statistical software and research techniques. The validation of research findings comes partially from others replicating existing studies as well as building onto theories. Through replication and validation, the research process becomes cyclical in nature, and each iteration builds upon the next. Each succession of tests sets new boundaries, furthering the verification and falsification process. For multilevel models to be correctly specified, the level of analysis needs to be in congruence with the level of measurement. This chapter provides an overview of theory with a primary focus on multilevel theory and multilevel theory development. Also, this chapter provides tips for writing theoretical articles along with guidelines for evaluating theoretical articles.