MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF CEI

success through scholarly rigor

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the 5th Annual Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Conference that continues and builds upon a tradition of research into teaching and learning at Zayed University.

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) is now internationally recognized as an important area of research that allows us as educators to inquire into our own practice and thus learn how to become better and improve our practice. SoTL provides a means to share that understanding with others through evidence and, in turn, to base our practice on evidence. 

We can all recognize examples of good and even great teaching practice. However, until relatively recently few of us have documented our successes in scholarly ways or demonstrated through systematic research the impact our teaching practice is having on our students. Educators are now paying much closer attention to SoTL and this conference is evidence of that change.

A wide range of disciplinary interests are presented in this conference that all shares one common thread: Improving teaching through classroom research. It is rewarding to see the growth in conference participation, not only from UAE faculty but also from international scholars. Your contributions will add rich evidence to inform teaching and learning.