Educational Research
Educational research, sometimes called the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning or SoTL, is the systematic analysis of aspects of instruction and their effect on student learning. This can be descriptive or can be hypothesis-driven. This research also can be quantitative or qualitative. Streveler and Smith suggest that as teachers evolve, they should grow toward this scholarship of teaching as a means of improving their own teaching and providing information to guide other teachers; see information from these authors below.
When considering educational research, as with any research project, the first step is to clearly define your research question. This best permits design of a study to capture necessary quantitative data (for example, student grades) and qualitative data (for example, survey of student to determine attitudes). Quantitative studies are descriptive and explanatory; they explain phenomena from an objective perspective and provide data as numbers, statistics, charts and tables. Qualitative studies are descriptive and interpretive; they explain a particular setting or phenomenon from the point of view of the people experiencing it and use words and images to describe and communicate their findings. With any kind of study, attention should be paid to collection of baseline data before changes are implemented and evaluated. Examples of databases that can be searched for literature review to support educational research include ERIC (Educational Resources Information Clearinghouse), Academic Search Complete, and Pubmed and educational databases available through the University library system. Interesting information and some obscure materials can sometimes be found through Google Scholar.
IRB (human subjects research) paperwork
The Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the University of Minnesota oversees all human subjects research. Investigators who have never taken human subjects training are required to do so before studies can be approved by IRB; this initial training is called the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) basic course. After initial training, advanced training is periodically required. Not all studies require rigorous review by IRB; they will make that determination for investigators. The IRB website has links to training and all necessary forms, and the staff at the IRB are happy to assist investigators as they prepare to do educational research.
Examples from within the College
Many faculty members and staff at the College participate in SoTL. Examples of their work are included in the dropdowns below. If you have published educational research that is not included in these examples, please send an electronic copy of your work to Peggy Root ([email protected]).
Brown, Abby
Churchill, Julie
Clarkson, Christina
Diesch-Chham, Athena
Fetrow, John
Fetrow, John
Flynn, Kristi
Goldschmidt, Stephanie
Hayden, Kris
Larsen, Roxanne
Lowum, Susan
Madill, Scott
Malone, Erin
Malone, Erin
Creation of a Metric for Faculty Effort in Teaching in the Veterinary Curriculum
COVID bedfellows: Combining clinical skills and anatomy laboratories in the DVM curriculum
Curriculum Review and Revision at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine
Evidence-based clinical skills teaching and learning: What do we really know? JVME 2019;46:379-398
Improving Response Rates for Course and Instructor Evaluations Using a Global Approach
Monitoring the Curriculum through the Student Perspective
Pods, squads, and crash nights: Alumni mentoring in a Zoom-ing world
Team-based learning in a subsection of a veterinary course as compared to standard lectures
The Kubler‐Ross Change Curve and the Flipped Classroom: Moving Students Past the Pit of Despair
Minicucci, Larissa
Molgaard, Laura
Molgaard, Laura
Clarifying essential terminology in entrustment
Closing the Loop: Using Evidence to Inform Refinements to an Admissions Process
Comparison of Student Self-Assessment with Faculty Assessment of Clinical Competence
Creation of a Metric for Faculty Effort in Teaching in the Veterinary Curriculum
Curriculum Review and Revision at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine
Improving Response Rates for Course and Instructor Evaluations Using a Global Approach
Monitoring the Curriculum through the Student Perspective
The Use of a Structured Interview Guide in Veterinary College Admissions
Molitor, Tom
Nault, Andre
Ober, Christopher
Rendahl, Aaron
Root Kustritz, Margaret
Root Kustritz, Margaret
Availability of Theriogenology Training at North American and Caribbean Veterinary Colleges
Closing the Loop: Using Evidence to Inform Refinements to an Admissions Process
Comparison of Student Self-Assessment with Faculty Assessment of Clinical Competence
Creation of a Metric for Faculty Effort in Teaching in the Veterinary Curriculum
Curriculum Review and Revision at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine
Efficacy of training in theriogenology as determined by a survey of veterinarians
Improving Response Rates for Course and Instructor Evaluations Using a Global Approach
Monitoring the Curriculum through the Student Perspective
Professional Development Training through the Veterinary Curriculum at the University of Minnesota
Use of a Civil Discourse Web Site for Ethics Training
Use of Extra-Credit Questions in a Comparative Theriogenology Course
Use of Facebook as a Teaching Tool in a Veterinary Communications Course
Use of stories as a way to increase retention of clinical small animal theriogenology information
Veterinary Curricula Today: Curricular Management and Renewal at AAVMC Member Institutions
Yoga and leisure reading for stress management and wellness at a veterinary medical college