“Sample SoTL Questions“ is organized around different types of inquiry—understanding experiences, examining effects, designing change, and interpreting values, Across these phases, the questions consistently ask “for whom?,” foregrounding differential learning, local context, and consequences without assuming a single “average” student or a one-size-fits-all account of what works.
These questions model how SoTL inquiry can remain attentive to variation. They illustrate how asking about experiences, outcomes, and values in relation to specific students can surface assumptions embedded in course design, clarify what kinds of learning are being supported or constrained, and open space for more context-responsive change.
How you might use this resource
- To spark reflection and discussion about values, assumptions, and consequences in SoTL design
- To inspire specificity and attention to difference when developing or refining SoTL research questions
- To check whether your questions meaningfully attend to the particular students and contexts in front of you
How to cite this resource: Chick, Nancy L., and Jennifer C. Friberg-Fort. 2026. “Sample SoTL Questions.” Excerpt from “SoTL Reconsidered: Meeting ‘Today’s Urgent Academic and Social Mandates.’”
