Barriers and Benefits of using the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) within a widening participation UK sports therapy undergraduate programme

This thesis explores the barriers and benefits of, identifying with, and using the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) to design a learner-centred UK undergraduate (UG) sport therapy curriculum (STC) at a widening participation (WP) United Kingdom (UK) university. Little research explores how SoTL is used to design and develop a sports therapy programme. This thesis propounds SoTL as an instrumental framework for enacting transformative pedagogical changes within a WP curriculum. It presents a connected SoTL narrative, encapsulated in six publications, through which I articulate an evolving understanding of SoTL and its intricate application to STC design. This research augments the current SoTL discourse by critically challenging normative assumptions and interrogating prevailing SoTL definitions and analyses as a threshold concept. I argue that the contribution this thesis makes to knowledge is evident in multiple ways. First, the publications challenge assumptions about disciplinary disparities in SoTL, emphasising the interdisciplinary nature of SoTL practice and its impact on professional development (publication one, three, and six). Second, theory is applied (Lieff et al., 2012) in new ways, identifying SoTL as a threshold concept, disrupting traditional teaching views (publication two). Third, publication three advances SoTL understanding by exploring review processes, biases, and diverse outputs, challenging traditional publication conventions. Finally, publications four, five, and six argue for transforming student support through peer mentoring, holistic and lifelong learning (LLL), and online learning applications for enhancing feedback for learning unique to WP environments. This work’s significance transcends its immediate application, resonating with the imperative to recalibrate pedagogical praxes within a dynamic and evolving HE landscape. The thesis concludes by delineating future work through three interconnected themes: First, identity and SoTL leadership; second, mentoring and compassion; and third, holistic lifelong learning (LLL) education, preparing students for real-world application of skill sets and positively impacting the student learning experience.