Call for Abstracts for 2023 Special Issue: Belonging

The Journal of Teaching and Learning with Technology (JoTLT) is inviting proposals for articles about uses of technology to enhance a learner’s sense of belonging in higher education classrooms and on campus.  

Over the last few decades, researchers have provided significant evidence that sense of belonging is integral to student success, with certain populations such as first generation, non-majority, or persons with disabilities often most at risk for lacking a sense of belonging. We also believe instructor/faculty sense of belonging intersects and matters to student sense of belonging. Universities and colleges often struggle to attract and retain non-majority faculty when the culture or contexts mean such faculty lack sense of belonging. In turn, failure to attract and retain non-majority instructors or to respect and encourage inclusive learning outcomes and teaching strategies can have far-reaching effects undermining a learner’s sense of belonging and success. In contrast, access to a wide range of perspectives and instructors from diverse backgrounds can provide growth opportunities that students may not have as the instructor pool becomes homogenous.  

For this special issue, as usual, we will consider proposals that focus on learning in higher education. Proposals must specifically focus on uses of technology to enhance a learner’s sense of belonging in higher education classrooms and on campus. In addition, we will consider proposals that address faculty development or retention of diverse faculty—if the connection to student learning is well-grounded and clear.  

We invite 300-word abstracts submitted via this form by February 6, 2023, for data-driven articles, case studies, reflective essays, Quick Hits, or critiques. Abstracts will be blind reviewed and invitations to submit a full article will be sent the week of February 13, 2023. The full article will be due June 1, 2023, followed by double-blind review. The target date for publication is December 1, 2023.  

Manuscript categories are described below; please list the category of your submission so we know how to review it. 

Articles: data-driven formal research projects with appropriate analysis. These studies are either with a quantitative or qualitative emphasis and authors should indicate the appropriate domain. Acceptable articles establish a research rigor that leads to significant new understanding in pedagogy.  

Case studies: an intense analysis of a specific teaching situation or problem that led to a solution. Case studies are well-grounded in the literature and should have the following components: description of the teaching situation or problem, solution or solutions attempted, quantitative or qualitative analysis of the effectiveness of the solution, reflection on the implications and possible generalization to other settings or populations.  

Reflective essays: essays rooted in the literature that interrogate current practice, encourage experimentation, or draw novel conclusions.  

Quick Hits: a brief description of an innovative teaching practice or an innovative use of a teaching or learning tool. Each quick hit should include a brief description of the activity and its context, necessary materials, including technology, step-by-step instructions for the activity, and evidence of effectiveness (i.e., what were the results of the activity that told you it worked well?). 

Critiques: a systematic and detailed assessment of a published empirical study, case study, or reflective essay. A critical evaluation should deconstruct the work, identify both strengths and weaknesses, and evaluate it in light of its purpose.  

For more information or questions, please contact the journal’s Editorial Team: Michael Morrone (Editor in Chief) or Christopher Young (Executive Editor) at facet@iu.edu.