University of Denver
Director of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and Faculty Learning Communities
Wisconsin Teaching Fellow, UW Colleges (Fond du Lac), 2018-19
Everything changed for me, that one May, when I walked into a SoTL workshop during the teaching pre-conference in my discipline facilitated by Regan Gurung. My PhD officially conferred a mere days ago, and about to start my new tenure track job at the University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac, I was intrigued by the name “scholarship of teaching and learning” and decided I would find out what it was all about. Having come from a series of very research-heavy institutions, surrounded by narratives that heavily discouraged teaching, I felt very out of place for loving my teaching responsibilities and all my interactions in the classroom, so I wondered, if there is a “scholarship” about teaching, maybe I should learn about it.
In my memory, the events of that day somehow play in slow motion. Every strange detail is crystal clear in my mind. How Regan started out by saying he went for a run that morning, the UW-Green Bay t-shirt he was wearing, the other UW people who were sitting next to me, everything about that experience felt like a shock wave through my body. I could not believe that no one had told me about SoTL before. What I have been doing all along was basically preparing myself as an amateur SoTLer. There were others out there loving teaching as much as I did who were already systematically exploring the fascinating field of teaching and learning, and that this was a discipline all on its own. After all this time, I finally found it – I finally found my field, my people, my community with whom I could share my ideals. This was it.
At the UW convocation that August, I grabbed onto my department chair, who I did not even know very well at this time, and said with great urgency: “Dennis, I really need to talk to you.” His face was overcome with concern, understandably, since this was coming from this brand new tenure track faculty who was just starting her career in the department; he came over and asked if everything was alright. “I am not sure,” I replied, “How serious is this department about SoTL? Is there support around it?”
I will always remember how his face suddenly brightened up like the star on top of the Christmas tree. “How serious are we about SoTL? HAHA! Is there support around it? HAHAHA! Kayoung, you have come to the right place!”
He then went on to explain that most faculty in our department complete at least one SoTL project during the tenure track years, and that we all participate in a program called Wisconsin Teaching Fellows and Scholars. I spent the entire day chatting with everyone in the department asking and learning about WTFS. The summary takeaway I got that day was that 1) it is very competitive since only two people from the Colleges will get selected each year, 2) there is a fairly extensive application process where you demonstrate and outline your plans regarding your SoTL research, 3) it is a year-long commitment that requires several trips to various locations across Wisconsin, 4) you get to meet people from all UW institutions, and 5) that this is a “must” for anyone who is serious about teaching, and teaching well. Me, all me, I thought. I was determined this was going to be a part of my career portfolio at UW. From that day onwards, on my professional development plan documents that I submitted to my department, my first goal was always to apply for and be selected for participation in WTFS.
In my first year of application, I applied for the opportunity to participate in Faculty College. Just as the name implied, it felt like I was back in college. I remember being so impressed by how well my days were organized – there were plenary sessions, morning and afternoon workshops, and evening talks. And I was never hungry; I was so well-fed! It felt like a summer camp for faculty members. I was busy taking notes, all of a sudden meeting so many people from all across Wisconsin, and my mind was completely blown at how, apparently, so many other people care this deeply about teaching, too. I loved meeting everyone across different disciplines. It did not matter which content we taught; we all connected on the common ground which was that we cared, so deeply, about our students, our students’ success, and that was the entire reason for all our existence. Joy – there was SO MUCH joy about teaching, about learning, and about students. It was such a touching experience; I felt like I definitely made the right choice in choosing UW as my academic home. ‘Look at all these incredible educators who are so passionate about their students,’ I thought to myself. I yearned to be more like them. I felt that I belonged with these people.
I had known for a while, but after this summer, I definitely knew I needed the full year experience. After returning from Faculty College, I put together my application for WTFS, and when I received the wonderful news that I was one of the two selected from the UW Colleges, I was on cloud nine. I was joining the long line of respected educators in the UW system who devoted their lives to serving their students. I was so proud and happy for me. I told just about everyone on my campus, and of course, my department. “You are going to love it!” They all said, and I beamed with pride.
It would be an understatement to say that my year as a Wisconsin Teaching Fellow is forever etched in my memory. Everything about that year was as memorable as it could get, but not always for the reasons I expected. The Faculty College allowed me to connect with the most amazing educators across disciplines, forming lifelong and transformative colleagueships that I most deeply treasure on both personal and professional levels. Holly Hassel, Rachel Knighten, Jessica Van Slooten, Jody Siker, Jenn Bird, Mary Rohl, just to name a few – through our silly chats, heartfelt conversations, and many laughters, I built my professional identity as a student-centered educator, a fellow learner, an enthusiastic SoTLer, and found my footing in academia. I had found my professional home with the people I respect and adore. I felt happy. I felt solid.
But that happiness was unfortunately to be short-lived. Shortly after our return from Faculty College, the restructuring of the Colleges was announced. In the face of uncertainty we were suddenly faced with, and feeling like my professional identity and existence were being questioned, I started my year as a Fellow. SoTL was my place of refuge, a reminder, and an anchor that grounded me throughout this time. Whatever was happening in the system, one thing was for certain; I was here for my students. I kept reminding myself that more than ever my students need me to be a mindful educator in the classroom, putting their needs first during our time together, and hearing what they have to say. SoTL allowed me to do that. My SoTL project mattered, no matter how big or small the intervention I introduced, because it helped my students. And in moments when I was questioning my SoTL project or my capacity as a SoTLer, it was my WTFS cohort that kept me connected to the heart of this profession.
To complicate matters further, I became involved in a very serious car accident right before the winter cohort meeting, and had to go on medical leave. I will always remember how unbelievably kind Alison, one of our co-facilitators for the cohort, was when I explained how I would not be able to make it to the meeting. After many years in academia, always being used to its competitive nature, I was incredibly touched and surprised by her genuine support and care for my well-being. “You need to take care of you first,” she told me. “You are one of the most dedicated teachers I know. But you can’t take care of others unless you take care of you. So please don’t worry about anything else, and get plenty of rest.” When our phone conversation ended, I melted into my seat, and burst into tears. I learned one of the most important aspects of SoTL that day – that it is all about the people. It’s people first and foremost. And that this field is made up of people who practice what they preach.
At my WTFS poster presentation, I remember thinking that the WTFS is really not about this one day of poster presentation; it is really about the entire experience. In fact, my memory of the presentation itself does not hold much significance in my mind. It was a culmination of love and devotion of so many people, my colleagues, my co-facilitators, and a single poster could never fully capture my gratitude for all that was WTFS. What I really wanted to say that day, but what my poster failed to capture, was that I had grown significantly, as a person, as a professional, and as an educator through the WTFS program. The WTFS program raised me. I felt like I was now finally a Wisconsin Teaching Fellow.
And I have always carried my Wisconsin Teaching Fellow identity at the core of my professional self, no matter where I went afterward. After leaving Wisconsin, I started introducing myself as a SoTL researcher. I became actively engaged in Society for Teaching of Psychology and became a consulting editor; regularly presented and published SoTL research both within and outside my discipline; and proudly joined the line of SoTL educators, many of whom share my WTFS lineage. At conferences such as the International Society for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, I would run into my colleagues from WTFS or Faculty College, and soon, it would become a Wisconsin reunion everywhere we went. In a sentimental way, the impact of WTFS was felt even more as we moved away from Wisconsin; the world of SoTL was led by, and filled with, “us.”
As my career path has now led me to hold the title of Director of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and Faculty Learning Communities at the University of Denver, I proudly carry all the lessons I have learned from my WTFS program into my daily work, in particular, these five reminders:
1) Joy: teaching is grounded in joy. Our work brings us joy. And SoTL work is a reminder of that joy. The educators who devote their lives to this work do so for their students, and SoTL is a natural progression of that thought process. It highlights all the components that bring us joy.
2) Colleagueship and community: There is so much value in bringing similarly-minded people into each other’s constellation, especially among those who are engaged in SoTL work. There is so much richness in the interdisciplinary conversations that unfold within the SoTL context that widens the educators’ perspectives.
3) Anchor: In the face of adversity, be it internal or external, SoTL could be a grounding reminder for educators that keep them firmly connected to their students and the classroom experience. In higher education, the fast-changing landscape can affect the way we do our work with our students. SoTL ensures that we actively invite students as partners in learning and that we hear our students’ voices, anchoring our classroom regardless of the threatening tempest.
4) Support: A well-structured support system is essential for faculty fellows to succeed in the SoTL program. This includes having a clearly defined timeline for project accountability with flexibility built in, a strong peer network, as well as mentoring support availability for participants.
5) People: The most important of all is that people feel valued, seen, heard, and appreciated for their contributions, no matter how big or small. So many of these educators put students’ needs above theirs, so in this community, we remind the educators, that they matter, too. This reminder is also important especially for beginning teachers – students are people, too. Always remember, they matter, as a person first, then as a student. So, hear them. See them. Appreciate them. Invite them to have a central role in shaping your class. Most importantly, learn from them. Learn with them.
As SoTL has become full-time focus of my educational career, I can confidently say that it was WTFS that has shaped not only my career path in higher education but also my philosophy, identity, and training as a student-centered educator. As a proud alumna of the WTFS program, I continue to share the lessons I have learned about what it means to be a mindful educator, and encourage other faculty members to invite their students as learning partners. I strive to recreate the beautiful community of SoTLers we had in Wisconsin so that other faculty members can also experience the support that I had the honor of receiving during my time. I try my hardest to be as graceful, patient, and kind as Alison and David were to my WTFS cohort during our time of difficult transition, to anyone experiencing hardship, because it is really about the people, and people first.
Ever since that first day as a fellow, I have lived every day as a proud Wisconsin Teaching Fellow. I know that WTFS may not know all that I am doing every day, but I live every day, so that I can make WTFS program proud.
I hope I make WTFS proud.
Biography:
My educational training is in psychological science. I received a BA in psychology from Yonsei University, Ed.M in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard University, and Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology from Texas A&M University. Prior to joining the University of Denver, I was a faculty member in the department of psychology and education at the University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac, and in the department of psychology at Tennessee State University.
My research expertise lies in the field of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, and my work has focused on effective instructional practices, particularly on High Impact Practices (HIP), curriculum development and instructional technology, peer learning, and learning outcomes assessment. Most recently, my research efforts have been focused on trauma-informed teaching practices and best practices in online learning.
Over the years, I have actively led initiatives to promote inclusive excellence in leadership and support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion matters. As an educator, I am committed to advancing teaching excellence and promoting accessible, inclusive, and effective learning experiences for students. As a SoTL researcher, I am dedicated to continuing data-driven inquiries on equitable teaching and learning in higher education.
As the Director of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and Faculty Learning Communities at DU, I work to shape a wide variety of programs that promote teaching, learning, and scholarly excellence across academic disciplines. In particular, I lead to inform and promote the culture of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning at DU as a form of scholarly teaching, and support faculty with all phases of their SoTL research process. I also collaborate with faculty partners and Office of Teaching & Learning staff to deliver and facilitate programs for faculty learning communities in my work to support faculty members at all stages of their professional development.
Selected SoTL publications and presentations:
Kim, K. (2024). PEOPLE First: Expanding the Community of Care Framework for SoTL. Presentation at the 49th Annual Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education. Chicago, IL
Morrison, M. M., & Kim, K. (2024). Peer tutoring and mentoring: Incorporating empirical research articles and reflection into the service-learning experience. Society for Teaching of Psychology Annual Conference on Teaching. Louisville, KY.
Kim, K. (2024). It’s about the PEOPLE: Centering the Community of Care in SoTL Work. Professional Development Webinar, POD SIG on Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.
Kim, K. (2023). The Power of PEOPLE: A SoTL Community of Care. Presentation at the 48th Annual Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education. Pittsburg, PA.
Kim, K. (2023). Find your PEOPLE: Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) community of care. Connecting Higher Education Faculty Development to Student Learning. Routledge Open Research.
Kim, K. (2022). Click away for critical thinking: The effect of clicker-based activities in a small enrollment Introductory Psychology course. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching.
Kim, K.* (2022). Supporting students of color in the era of the pandemic: A lesson on metacognitive strategies in an introductory psychology course. Teaching Tips: A Compendium of Conference Presentations on Teaching, 2021-2022. Society for Teaching of Psychology.
Kim, K.* (2021). Supporting students of color in the era of the pandemic: A lesson on metacognitive strategies. American Psychological Association, Division 2 Society for the Teaching of Psychology, Virtual Conference.
Kim, K.* (2021). Metacognitive skill training in the era of the pandemic: Supporting students of color in an introductory psychology course. Southeastern Teaching of Psychology, Atlanta, GA.
Kim, K.* (2021). Heal the world: Why Learn about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Psychology. Introductory Psychology: McGraw-Hill.
Kim, K.* (2021). Metacognitive skill training in the era of the pandemic: Supporting students of color in an introductory psychology course. Teaching Tips: A Compendium of Conference Presentations on Teaching, 2020-2021. Society for Teaching of Psychology.
Kim, K.* (2020). Making psychology courses HIP with Mini-HIP interventions. Association for Psychological Science, Chicago, IL. (Conference canceled)
Kim, K.* (2019). Critical thinking with clickers in a small enrollment introductory psychology course. Teaching Tips: A Compendium of Conference Presentations on Teaching, 2017-2018. Society for Teaching of Psychology.
Kim, K.* (2019). Making time for time management – busy work or game changer? Teaching Tips: A Compendium of Conference Presentations on Teaching, 2017-2018. Society for Teaching of Psychology.