15 Reflections and Future Directions for Educational Technology and SoTL

We, the editors of this book, set out to fill a gap in the SoTL literature related to educational technology. By emphasizing the importance of aligning research questions, methodologies, and theories in SoTL work, this book contributes to the existing body of knowledge and provides a path for future SoTL research in educational technology. Readers are invited to reflect on their own practices, engage in scholarly inquiry, and contribute to the ongoing dialogue about the role of technology in shaping the future of higher education.

While each chapter includes questions for reflection, we want to conclude the book by posing three fundamental questions that you should regularly ask yourself throughout your career:

1. What theory underpins your selection and use of educational technology?
2. What do you want to know about educational technology in your teaching and/or your students’ learning?
3. What research methodologies do you use and how do they impact your investigation of educational technology in teaching and learning?

As we conclude this book, it is crucial to recognize that the use of educational technology in SoTL is not a destination, but an ongoing dialogue. The questions we have posed are not mere academic exercises but invitations to a deeper, more reflective engagement with technology’s role in education. Reflective practice is a key component of scholarly teaching, and is often the seed from which a SoTL project germinates. Scholarly teaching and SoTL in turn advance our individual and collective understanding of the role of technology in education. This understanding emerges not from technological determinism, but from carefully considered, student-centred investigations that prioritize learning outcomes over technological novelty.

The future of educational technology research lies in our collective commitment to critical, contextual, and compassionate scholarship. By maintaining a focus on pedagogical purpose rather than technological potential, we can move educational technology from a set of tools into a meaningful resource for supporting how students learn, interact, and grow in increasingly digital learning environments. This book is but one step in a much larger conversation—a conversation that requires ongoing curiosity, rigorous methodology, and an unwavering dedication to understanding the complex intersections of people and technology for teaching and learning.