How-To Utilize Discipline-Specific Journals

Many teaching tips transfer readily across disciplines, but some instructional techniques might benefit from discipline-specific tweaks. Moreover, innovative teaching strategies don't usually arise from disinterested theorizing, but from a faculty member trying to solve a specific problem or address a specific need. And, of course, controlled studies of pedagogical effectiveness are often conducted with real students taking real courses, which almost always involves discipline-specific content.

With so much pedagogical innovation and research originating in discipline-specific contexts, it should come as no surprise that a variety of journals exist for sharing the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) in various contexts. Often, these journals are the front lines for disseminating innovative pedagogical techniques. For example, the earliest publication detailing and assessing the now-familiar "flipped classroom" structure appeared in The Journal of Economic Education in 2000.

If you don't already know about the pedagogical journals available in your discipline, you're in luck: the Karen L. Smith Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning at the University of Central Florida has compiled an extensive list of pedagogical journals, sorted by discipline. Some journals offer you the option of receiving an email with the table of contents each time a new issue is published. Consider subscribing to appropriate table of contents alerts to keep up with one of the pedagogical journals in your own field.

Sources

Lage, Maureen J., Glenn J. Platt, and Michael Treglia. 2000. "Inverting the Classroom: A Gateway to Creating an Inclusive Learning Environment." The Journal of Economic Education 31, no. 1: 30–43.