The Rutgers Institute for Teaching, Innovation, and Inclusive Pedagogy (TIIP) has named Teaching Professor and Public Speaking Course Coordinator Nikolaos Linardopoulos a recipient of a 2026-2027 Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Scholars Fellowship.
The SoTL Scholars Fellowship, according to TIIP, is a form of research in which instructors study their own teaching practices and student learning, then share what they find to improve teaching both at Rutgers and beyond.
During the year-long fellowship, SoTL Scholars Fellows design and carry out an original SoTL project in one of their courses, meet monthly with their cohort, engage with the broader SoTL community, and share their findings in a campus presentation.
“The selection reflects Nick's longstanding commitment to evidence-based teaching and his practice of continually refining courses through student feedback and pedagogical assessment,” said Chair of Communication and Professor Marya Doerfel.
Linardopoulos was selected based on his proposal to conduct research examining student engagement, collaborative learning, and the thoughtful use of generative AI tools in large lecture courses.
“I feel very grateful and honored to have been selected as one of the SoTL Scholars Fellows. I am looking forward to examining the impact of generative AI tools in teaching and learning in the context of group communication and sharing those insights with the rest of the Rutgers community,” Linardopoulos said.
His project aims to review the feasibility and overall effectiveness of group activities as a major engagement strategy and assessment tool within a large lecture with an online component. The general project plan, he said, is to disseminate its results internally within Rutgers (e.g., the SoTL community or the Student Success Conference) and more broadly in SoTL-appropriate venues, such as the SoTL/National Communication Association and the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.
The working title of the project is “Group Communication, Large Lectures and Perceptions of Generative AI.” As part of this project, Linardopoulos will explore the following questions: What is the impact of the small group activities in student engagement?; What is the impact of the small group activities in fulfilling group communication outcomes?; and What is the impact of the small group activities in student perception of generative AI tools?
I feel very grateful and honored to have been selected as one of the SoTL Scholars Fellows. I am looking forward to examining the impact of generative AI tools in teaching and learning in the context of group communication and sharing those insights with the rest of the Rutgers community.
Nick Linardopoulos
“I am implementing this project in the large lecture Introduction to Communication & Information Processes (COM 101),” Linardopoulos said. “As part of the study, I will refine the small group activities component and introduce the strategic use of generative AI tools. At the end of the semester, the learning outcomes and student perceptions will be reviewed.” Linardopoulos is also teaching COM 333-Political Communication and COM 411-Crisis Communication during the fall semester.
In addition to teaching, Linardopoulos oversees the management of all Public Speaking course sections at SC&I (including assessment, scheduling, professional development, and mentoring).
His research interests focus on the areas of instructional technology and online learning, with a specific focus on the development and implementation of communication technologies in education and business settings.
After his fellowship ends in May 2027, Linardopoulos will continue to support SoTL by serving as a resource for future cohorts of SoTL Scholars and by presenting or publishing his findings at disciplinary or teaching and learning conferences and peer-reviewed journals.
“I hope the findings from this SoTL project will contribute in meaningful ways to how we continue to develop teaching excellence at Rutgers and beyond,” Linardopoulos said.
