Legitimating Reflective Writing in SoTL: “Dysfunctional Illusions of Rigor” Revisited

In a classic 2010 article, Craig Nelson critiques his own previously held “Dysfunctional Illusions of Rigor” that for years had constrained his teaching. He demonstrates that certain “rigorous” pedagogical practices disadvantage rather than support learners, and he argues for an expansion of what counts as legitimate pedagogical approaches. We evoke Nelson’s assertions to make a parallel argument regarding the traditional conventions of academic...