Positioning the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Firmly in the Center of Health Promotion Pedagogy

Abstract

Historically, the work of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) scholars has been grounded in multidisciplinary connections to educational psychology and pedagogical research. SoTL research and commentary intends to answer questions about what is, what is possible, what works, and what conceptual frameworks explain learning, teaching, and pedagogy (Hutchings, 2000). Pedagogy in Health Promotion provides examples of the rich variety and scope of the scholarship of teaching and learning. SoTL work observes and comments on teaching practice (Flores et al., 2021; Kratzke et al., 2021), develops and tests theories and evidence-based frameworks (Kuganathan et al., 2021; Miller et al., 2021), provides quantifiable explanations (Blavos et al., 2022; Foutch et al., 2022), pursues qualitative explorations (Muzaffar et al., 2020), engages in experimental research (Djulus et al., 2020), increases our ability to be compassionate and inclusive (James et al., 2020; Mezuk et al., 2021) and shares deep reflections about our collective experience of teaching and learning (Derreth et al., 2021). Combined, these scholarly endeavors help us to better understand how to provide effective and supportive education to health promotion and public health students, develop and challenge critical skills for health promotion and public health practice and ultimately, benefit communities and populations, and improve health outcomes. The scholarship of teaching and learning is grounded in rigorous empirical methodologies and underpinned by attested theories and frameworks. Commonly, SoTL scholars take cues from educational psychology, sociology, or behavioral psychology. Learning theories generated from these disciplines are logical companions for health promotion and public health pedagogy because they offer a structure to drive empirical enquiry and better understand learning and teaching in health promotion. As a community of scholars, we are obliged to challenge our learning and teaching practice. However, failure to situate our learning and teaching within a theoretical context, fails to uphold standards of rigor expected from a research community. Consequently, it is bequest us all to ensure health promotion and public health pedagogy is embedded in learning and teaching theories and frameworks. As SoTL scholars, we are curious about our practice. We use our intuition, anecdotes, and observations to pique questions about how and why we learn and how to better our teaching practice (Chick, 2018). We begin by asking meaningful questions, reviewing the SoTL literature, making connections between educational research and practice and thinking about theories of pedagogy which can inform our learning and teaching practice within the context of our disciplinary field. We select the theory or framework which best resonates with our enquiry to help revise and clarify our question. Reviewing educational theorists such as Weber, Marton, Bandura, and others helps shape the questions we ask. Theoretical models such as ecological, health belief, social cognitive, reasoned action, and others help shape how we design our programs. These refined and focused questions inform the most appropriate methodology, ensure the intended questions are answered, and the findings are relevant, useful, and valuable. Observations, interviews and focus groups, experimental methodologies, and case studies as well as reflexive practice of teaching and learning help us to explore what works, understand what is, learn what is possible, whether theories hold up over time and help us to act. When we use the most appropriate methodology to explore a theory or framework which underpins our empirical enquiry, we gain a deeper understanding of how we can improve our teaching and student outcomes. In doing so, we aspire to graduate students who remain inquisitive, are imbued with sense of robust and critical inquiry and are not afraid to challenge the status quo of current health promotion and public health practice. 1061281 PHPXXX10.1177/23733799211061281Pedagogy in Health PromotionHenderson and Sendall editorial2021