About the Journal
The Journal of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Enquiry (JoSTLE) is a new, peer reviewed publication dedicated to advancing thoughtful, evidence informed approaches to learning, teaching and assessment in higher education and related contexts. The journal provides a platform for educators, researchers and professional staff to share scholarly work that critically examines practice, explores innovation and contributes to the wider Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) community.
An inaugural special issue will showcase work emerging from the Sheffield Hallam University Learning, Teaching and Assessment and SoTL Conference (July 2026). Contributions are invited from conference presenters and span a range of formats, including research articles, case studies of practice, reflective or methodological papers, and opinion pieces. Collectively, these papers demonstrate how educational practice can be strengthened through critical enquiry, collaboration and engagement with theory and evidence.
JoSTLE values clarity, accessibility and scholarly rigour. Authors are encouraged to write in clear academic English, avoid unnecessary jargon and make specialist concepts understandable to a broad readership. All submissions are expected to align with core SoTL principles by connecting practice with relevant literature or theory, and by demonstrating ethical consideration, particularly in relation to student participation and partnership.
A distinctive feature of this special issue is its developmental peer review approach. Rather than acting as a gatekeeping mechanism, peer review is designed to support authors in strengthening their work. Reviewers provide constructive, collegiate feedback, and authors may be invited to revise and resubmit in response. All submissions are reviewed by at least two reviewers and overseen by the editorial team to ensure quality and consistency.
Subject areas
JoSTLE focuses on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning across higher education and related sectors. Core subject areas include:
- learning, teaching and assessment practice
- curriculum design and pedagogic innovation
- student engagement, partnership and inclusive practice
- digital education and educational technologies
- evaluation, enhancement and evidence informed practice
- professional development and academic practice
Interdisciplinary contributions are strongly encouraged, particularly where they connect disciplinary practice with wider pedagogic scholarship.
Audience
The journal is intended for a broad scholarly and professional audience, including:
- academics and educators across disciplines
- educational developers and learning and teaching specialists
- professional services staff involved in student learning
- postgraduate and early career researchers in education
- students engaged in co creation or partnership work
JoSTLE is aimed at both national and international readers, contributing to global conversations in Scholarship of Teaching and Learning while retaining a strong practice-based focus.
Types of papers accepted
The journal publishes a range of scholarly contributions, including:
- primary research articles reporting empirical or systematic inquiry
- case studies of practice with critical evaluation
- reflective and methodological papers examining approaches to SoTL
- opinion or position papers engaging with debates in learning and teaching
All submissions are expected to demonstrate engagement with relevant evidence, literature or theory.
Geographic coverage
JoSTLE has an international scope. While the inaugural special issue will highlight work from the 2026 Sheffield Hallam University learning, teaching and assessment conference, submissions will engage with themes, challenges and practices relevant to the global higher education community. Future editions will call for engagement from scholars across the higher education community.
