“Beyond the Debate: The Nature of Teaching”

This paper is an attempt to develop a constructive and substantive conversation about the nature of teaching. I have, in fact, written it in conversation with my colleagues at Alverno College and with others from other colleges and universities. It represents my reflection on the practice of scholarship when shaped by student learning as its ultimate purpose. That reflection is based on my experience at Alverno, where teaching is recognized and rewarded as our primary professional responsibility. In this sense, the ideas in the paper are descriptive. But they also serve as a challenge to faculty to take seriously the unique requirements of scholarly activity that has students learning as its goal.