Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) communities of practice (CoP) have emerged as collaborative learning environments that unite people with a shared interest. However, forming and maintaining a successful SoTL CoP can be challenging, requiring careful planning and execution. As academics, we encounter various universal problems and challenges in our teaching and learning practices, particularly in a discipline-focused environment. Researching these challenges is the obvious path to finding answers. However, many discipline-focused academics are unsure of where to begin or how to conduct research on their teaching and learning. As novice SoTL researchers, we established a SoTL CoP in 2021. We used Participatory Action Learning and Action Research (PALAR) principles to form and function our CoP. After two years of successfully maintaining our SoTL CoP, we analysed the data gathered during our meetings. We identified four main themes: Unity in diversity, maximising collaborative potential, nurturing collaboration, and navigating success. We used these themes to compile guidelines for successfully forming and maintaining a SoTL CoP. Implementing these guidelines within a discipline-focused environment will support the development of a collaborative and supportive environment for the advancement of SoTL practices. By prioritising these guidelines, a CoP can thrive, fostering a collaborative and cohesive community where members actively participate, share their expertise, and contribute to collective growth within SoTL. Photo created using DALLE-3, 2024.

Purpose: To determine the effects and transferability of a resisted-jump training program on strength, speed, power, and agility maintenance during the in-season phase of rugby training. Methods: Thirty high-level male rugby players (age: 21.78 [1.86] y; height: 1.83 [0.10] m; mass: 95.17 [10.45] kg) participated in a crossover, within-subject study design. Participants were randomly assigned to treatment groups (resistance band [VertiMax, VM] or control [Con]) and evaluated on jumping, sprinting, agility, and strength over a 4-week period. A 10-week wash-out period was initiated, followed by a crossover that incorporated randomization of the treatment sequence (ie, receiving VM during the first or second phase of the testing period). Within- and between-groups differences for each variable of interest were evaluated using a linear mixed-effects model. Results: No significant treatment (VM vs Con) or time (pre vs postintervention) effects were evident across all variables (all P > .197), although the order or treatment allocation may play a role for strength (P = .037) and jumping (P = .003). Power, agility, and countermovement-jump height were statistically equivalent for the intervention period. Following the VM treatment, changes in strength seem to transfer favorably to changes in agility (r = −.54, P < .05) but no other variables, and no significant associations were evident for the Con treatment. Conclusion: Regardless of treatment, power, agility, and jump height were conserved throughout the treatment period. Although changes in mean sprint and strength were not significantly different from zero, it was not possible to conclude whether performance decrements could be eliminated.

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) is an emerging focus within South Africa (SA). In Human Movement Sciences (HMS) in SA, research is primarily discipline-specific, and many researchers are unfamiliar with SoTL. To explore how we (as HMS lecturers) could integrate SoTL into our research, we formed a community of practice (CoP). The SoTL unicycle depiction of Swart et al. (2016) suited our visual analogy since the focus of HMS is on the human body that is in motion. For us, the unicycle represented HMS SoTL in motion. Swart et al. (2016) viewed the SoTL movement as an academic’s individual journey, whereas we saw SoTL from a CoP perspective. Therefore, we adapted the unicycle into a tandem bicycle, representing our collaborative engagements. Participatory action learning and action research (PALAR) formed our theoretical framework. Through our dialogue, each tandem wheel’s focus emerged. The back wheel was about deciding to SoTL (or not). This became a linchpin of our critical dialogue during the relationship-building phase of our CoP. Once we committed, we needed to learn how to keep our CoP moving forward. This became the middle wheel of our tandem bicycle. Next, the front wheel and handlebar became our guide into what the future of SoTL would be for us. The tandem bicycle, therefore, represents our collective cycles of learning as we became SoTL researchers. We believe our learning can support others transitioning from discipline-specific research to engaging in SoTL. *Please note that this poster is best viewed in Adobe on a computer/laptop for interactivity. Click here to read the corresponding ISSOTL blog post.

Many Human Movement Science (HMS) lecturers in South Africa seek to implement evidence-based teaching practices to improve student success, yet little research explores whether SoTL literature meets their needs. This study examines how Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) literature in Biokinetics, Sport Science, Coaching Science, Recreation Sciences, and Kinderkinetics aligns with the needs of a Community of Practice (CoP) at a South African university. A scoping review of SoTL publications (2013–2024) identified 35 articles categorised into seven themes. Findings were compared with qualitative insights from three Action Learning Set (ALS) meetings conducted using a Participatory Action Learning and Action Research study design. The analysis revealed gaps in understanding HMS students and the mental well-being of both lecturers and students, along with challenges in blended learning. Potential solutions include re-evaluating entry requirements, integrating reflective exercises, fostering professional identity through authentic learning, incorporating psychometric assessments, and deploying early diagnostic tools to identify at-risk students. Blended learning strategies like team-based learning may enhance student engagement. Furthermore, collaborative efforts by students, lecturers, and experts may support teaching practices. These findings extend beyond South Africa, offering practical steps for addressing a CoP’s needs through literature and ALS meetings. Future research should involve a broader range of higher education settings and integrate diverse perspectives within Communities of Practice to further refine evidence-based teaching strategies.