Unlocking Key Terms

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There are certain terms and acronyms you will encounter throughout this volume related to SoTL and ISSOTL. Below, you will find a short glossary of terms.

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL): An academic field focused on research in teaching and learning. There are many existing definitions of SoTL. We might turn here, for example, to the definition developed by Potter & Kustra (2011) that understands SoTL as,

“the systematic study of teaching and learning, using established or validated criteria of scholarship, to understand how teaching (beliefs, behaviours, attitudes, and values) can maximize learning, and/or develop a more accurate understanding of learning, resulting in products that are publicly shared for critique and use by an appropriate community.” (p. 2).

We might also look to Felten’s (2013) best practices for SoTL, which help us identify key features of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. These include:

  1. Inquiry focused on student learning
  2. Centred and located in context
  3. Methodologically sound and appropriate
  4. Engaging with students as partners
  5. Public dissemination of results
International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSOTL): An organization that supports SoTL work and SoTL scholars by providing opportunities for engagement, collaboration, and learning. Founded in 2004, the organization was intended to consolidate and build upon the work of the CASTL (Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning) scholars. You can learn more about ISSOTL’s mission and the origins of the society on their website.
ISSOTL Conference: First held in 2004, the annual event organized by ISSOTL for sharing research, holding planning meetings, and engaging with international SoTL scholars. The conference location changes each year and travels around the globe. The conference will be held virtually for the first time in 2027. You can learn more about the annual conference on the ISSOTL events page.
International Collaborative Writing Groups (ICWG): Started in 2011, the ICWGs are a signature ISSOTL initiative aimed at enhancing the capacity of SoTL scholars and fostering collaboration in global perspective. Yearly calls for ICWGs focus on a particular theme aimed at advancing relevant topics within SoTL. Each ICWG has a series of co-leaders, who oversee the various ICWGs; group facilitators, who pitch projects and act as the coordinator for their ICWG; and group participants who engage in the SoTL project. ICWGs typically work at a distance before and after the conference, but meet at the conference for several days of intense group work. You can learn more on the ICWG webpage.
ISSOTL Interest Groups: Led by ISSOTL members, interest groups are organized thematically and provide opportunities for members to get to know one another over a shared interest in a particular SoTL topic. Interest groups include the Grand Challenges for SoTL, Decoding the Disciplines, Online Pedagogy and Research, and Advancement of Teaching-Focused Roles. While they enjoy a formal relationship with ISSOTL, the group formats and projects are decided by members. You can learn more on the interest group webpage.
ISSOTL Board Positions: ISSOTL is governed by a board of volunteer members who are nominated for various positions. The board has historically included a President, President Elect, and Past President; Student Vice Presidents; and Vice Presidents from regions including the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia Pacific. Starting in 2024, the Board includes Vice Presidents from Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America and the Caribbean. You can learn more on the ISSOTL Board webpage.

Grand Challenges for SoTL: Unveiled in 2023, the Grand Challenges represents 5 years of work by ISSOTL members to identify the five most pressing topics facing contemporary SoTL scholars. Though all interconnected, the Grand Challenges are articulated as 5 distinct categories intended to improve teaching and learning:

  1. Developing critical and creative thinkers
  2. Encouraging student engagement in learning
  3. Understanding complex learning processes
  4. Identifying how experiences and identities affect teaching and learning
  5. Exploring the practice, implementation, and evolution of SoTL

You can learn more on the Grand Challenges webpage.

Buddy program: A recent initiative, the buddy program takes place at the annual ISSOTL conference. The goal of the buddy program is to pair conference first-timers with more experienced SoTL scholars and conference attendees to facilitate their introduction to the ISSOTL conference experience.

 

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Finding and Fostering Belonging in the Big Tent Copyright © by Devon Stillwell; Klodiana Kolomitro; Charissa Lee; Jennifer Rowley; Min Zhong; and Stephanie Ferguson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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