To advance just about any discipline, we follow a scholarly approach. We study what has been done, look for opportunities to use empirical work completed by others, and then make adjustments according to current demands. This “system” seems to work in essentially every discipline within higher education. As teaching professionals, we need to apply these processes and expertise to improve our teaching and to enhance student learning.

According to Richlin (2001) scholarly teachers consult the literature, identify and then apply relevant findings to guide and shape an individual’s teaching and learning. Ideally, the final step is to gather some data to determine if the changes have resulted in a positive outcome. Also writing on the concept of scholarly teaching, Allen and Field (2005) suggest that teaching should include