Challenges to Belonging within ISSOTL
Many scholars found meaningful avenues of engagement within key ISSOTL initiatives and programs. However, study participants also noted some of the challenges or barriers to more fully engaging in the ISSOTL community. They offered some suggestions for how the organization might enhance ongoing member participation beyond the conference in particular.
Challenges of cost and accessibility: Many participants noted that while the conference was a great opportunity to connect with other SoTL scholars, the cost of attending could be prohibitive. Because the conference is only offered in person (up until 2026), attending can be quite costly depending on how much travel is required. Participants also noted issues of accessibility related to conference locations. While generally supportive of rotating the conference location to various countries, members noted that some locations can be difficult to access (for example, French Lick, Indiana). Participants expressed interest in ISSOTL developing more virtual programming and a virtual option for the conference. In fact, ISSOTL27 is being planned as a virtual conference.
The demand for ongoing engagement beyond the conference: Study participants wondered whether there was a way to replicate the collaboration and dynamics of the conference outside of this event. The ICWGs, for example, were consistently cited as incredibly beneficial collaborative opportunities amongst interdisciplinary and international SoTL scholars. What other ways might there be to replicate this outside of, and unattached from, the conference?
Connecting the global to the local: Participants appreciated the scope of ISSOTL as an international organization and the opportunities it offers to connect with scholars around the globe. At the same time, they wondered if there might be ways of connecting the work of ISSOTL with regional SoTL organizations that may want to engage in similar work or take part in SoTL programming beyond the conference.
Here is some of what participants shared about their experiences.
