Joining the Circle: How We Came to ISSOTL
For many participants, discovering SoTL was just the beginning. Finding ISSOTL—one of the prominent international communities that supports SoTL—was a pivotal next step. This part of the journey often marked a shift from working in isolation to engaging in shared, global scholarship. Participants described conferences, collaborative writing groups, and informal networks as entry points into ISSOTL. Some found a home; others found a colleague who “spoke their language” for the first time.
Responses clearly conveyed that ISSOTL wasn’t just a society—it was a threshold space that helped solidify scholarly identity, foster belonging, and make SoTL feel like a legitimate scholarly pathway.
First-Time Conferences: Curiosity Meets Connection
Many participants encountered ISSOTL for the first time through the organization’s annual conference. These gatherings often marked a turning point—from doing SoTL alone to joining a global community that “speaks the same language.”
Writing as a Gateway: The ICWG Experience
Collaborative writing, especially through International Collaborative Writing Groups (ICWGs), emerged as a powerful entry point into ISSOTL. These experiences provided more than publication opportunities; they created spaces of belonging, connection, and recognition across institutions and borders.
Finding a Scholarly Home Beyond the Institution
For some, ISSOTL became a necessary space when institutional or disciplinary contexts didn’t support their SoTL work. It offered recognition, language, and legitimacy—especially for those working in isolation or at the margins of more traditional academic pathways.
Stepping Up: Belonging through Leadership and Contribution
Others described joining a special interest group, committee, or conference planning team as the moment ISSOTL became more than a space to visit—it became a place to build. Taking on roles and responsibilities deepened their engagement and helped solidify their identity within the community.
There is no single path into SoTL or ISSOTL—only a range of entry points shaped by curiosity, mentorship, disciplinary shifts, and a deep commitment to teaching and learning. For some, SoTL emerged from the classroom or a need to understand student experiences; for others, it was a deliberate shift away from traditional research or a discovery made in community. ISSOTL often marked the moment that individual inquiry became collective purpose—a space where people felt seen, supported, and able to contribute. Whether through writing groups, conferences, or personal invitations, these stories remind us that belonging in this field grows through shared purpose, mutual encouragement, and the welcoming space of ISSOTL’s “big tent.”
