Survey of Research Approaches Utilised in The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Publications

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) has been described as the fastest growing academic development movement in higher education. As this field of inquiry matures, there is a need to understand how SoTL research is conducted. The purpose of our study was to inform this debate by investigating research approaches used in SoTL publications. We analysed 223 empirical research studies published from 2012 to 2014 in three explicitly focused SoTL journals. We classified the studies as either qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods using an analytical framework devised from existing literature on research methods. We found that the use of the three research designs was fairly evenly distributed across the papers examined: qualitative (37.2%), quantitative (29.6%), and mixed methods (33.2%). However, there was an over-reliance on data collection from a single source in 83.9% of papers analysed, and this source was primarily students. There was some, but limited, evidence of the use of triangulation through the use of multiple data collection instruments (e.g. survey, assessment tasks, grade databases). Similarly, only one-third of publications classified as mixed methods integrated the analysis and interpretation of the qualitative and quantitative data equally within the study. We conclude that current SoTL research is characterised by methodological pluralism but could be advanced through inclusion of more diverse approaches, such as close reading, and adoption of strategies known to enhance the quality of research, for example, triangulation and visual representation

Serologic survey of West Nile virus in horses from Central-West, Northeast and Southeast Brazil

Since the emergence of West Nile virus (WNV) in North America in 1999, there have been several reports of WNV activity in Central and South American countries. To detect WNV in Brazil, we performed a serological survey of horses from different regions of Brazil using recombinant peptides from domain III of WNV. Positive samples were validated with the neutralisation test. Our results showed that of 79 ELISA-positive horses, nine expressed WNV-specific neutralising antibodies. Eight of the infected horses were from the state of Mato Grosso do Sul and one was from the state of Paraiba. Our results provide additional evidence for the emergence of WNV in Brazil and for its circulation in multiple regions of the country.Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med Ribeirao Preto, Ctr Pesquisa Virol, BR-14049 Ribeirao Preto, SP, BrazilFiocruz MS, Inst Oswaldo Cruz, Dept Virol, BR-21045900 Rio De Janeiro, RJ, BrazilUniv Julio de Mesquita Filho, Fac Ciencias Vet, Jaboticabal, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Mato Grosso do Sul, Escola Ciencias Vet, Campo Grande, MS, BrazilUniv Fed Campina Grande, Campina Grande, PB, BrazilUniv Uberaba, Uberaba, MG, BrazilAcad Mil Agulhas Negras, Resende, RJ, BrazilUniv Julio de Mesquita Filho, Fac Ciencias Vet, Jaboticabal, SP, BrazilFAPESP: 08/50167-