Belonging
A sense of belonging can be thought of as a basic human need (Maslow, 1943). In the context of higher education pedagogy, belonging refers to students' feelings of being accepted, included, and valued within the academic community. It involves creating an environment where students feel they are part of a learning community, which is crucial for their engagement, motivation, and success
Why is belonging important?
Building strong social networks in higher education is important for student wellbeing and can also have other benefits, for example increasing student motivation and success (Snijders et al, 2020; Thomas, 2012). Kathleen Quinlan (2016) also argues that building a range of relationships (between students and the subject matter; students with teachers; students with other students; and students with their developing selves) promote not only a sense of belonging, but also sensitivities to others, student confidence, and enthusiasm for their subject.
Centring these four key relationships in curriculum design supports a programmatic approach that ensures students can make connections between units and explore the ‘big ideas’ within the discipline. Engaging students with their subject involves creating an environment of curiosity which makes the subject relevant to the students’ lives and experiences.
What do students think about belonging?
Student motivations for coming to university will also impact on their sense of belonging, and it is important to acknowledge the diverse range of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations students may hold (Gibbs et al 1984). Moreover, research into concepts of alienation and engagement (Mann, 2001; Case 2007, 2008) suggests that understanding student experiences of entering, fitting in, and staying in the higher education community can have positive outcomes in terms of student wellbeing, progression, and achievement.
For students to achieve a sense of belonging to a programme, university or academic culture, the learning environments they encounter must be student-centred, inclusive, safe spaces in which they see their diversities reflected and understood. Structural and institutional policies and ways of thinking about equality, diversity and inclusion must be designed to promote student participation and encourage teachers to think creatively about ways to meaningfully engage all their students in learning (Hockings, 2010, pp. 46-47).
What does this mean for curriculum design?
Fostering a sense of belonging to the university and the disciplinary community is critical in ensuring that our students succeed. The following seven principles may be helpful when designing curricula:
- Include opportunities for authentic inquiry (Herrington & Herrington 2006) and assessment (Ashford-Rowe et al 2013)
- Seek diversity in the research, ways of knowing, and the researchers represented
- Use a variety of media to enable students to see themselves as members of the disciplinary community
- Be consistent in communication and expectations across a programme to aid how relationships are developed between students and teachers
- Actively listen to students by providing opportunities for feedback, such as mid unit evaluations, which creates a dialogue and involves students in the learning process (Yang & Carless 2012)
- Embed group assignments and tasks into a programme which empowers students to become self-directed and encourages teamwork (Burke, 2011). These tasks are particularly powerful when they are meaningful and have an element of fun.
- Provide opportunities for students to experiment and test their own limits, encourage discussion about the ‘big ideas’ of the discipline and offer space for reflection for students to acknowledge their own development (Quinlan, 2016).
Sense of belonging case studies
Visit our blog site to find case studies on developing a sense of belonging with students from within the University.
References
- Advance HE (2021). ‘Degree Attainment Gaps,’ available online.
- Ashford-Rowe, K., J. Herrington & C. Brown (2013). ‘Establishing the critical elements that determine authentic assessment,’ Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 39 (2), 205-222.
- Burke, A. (2011). ‘Group Work: How to use Groups Effectively,’ The Journal of Effective Teaching, 11(2), 87-95.
- Case, J. M. (2007). ‘Alienation and engagement: Exploring students' of studying engineering,’ Teaching in Higher Education, 12(1), 119-133
- Case, J.M. (2008). ‘Alienation and Engagement: Development of an Alternative Theoretical Framework for Understanding Student Learning,’ Higher Education, 55(3), 321-332.
- Gibbs, G., Morgan, A., and Taylor, E. (1984). “The world of the learner.” In Marton, F., Hounsell, D., and Entwistle, N. (eds.), The Experience of Learning, Scottish Academic Press, Edinburgh, pp. 165-188.
- Herrington, A & J. Herrington (2007). Authentic Learning Environments in Higher Education, London: Information Science Publishing.
- Hockings, C. (2010). ‘Inclusive learning and teaching in higher education: a synthesis of research,’ Advance HE, available online.
- Mann, S. J. (2001). ‘Alternative perspectives on the student experience: Alienation and engagement,’ Studies in Higher Education, 26(1), 7-19
- Maslow, A.H. (1943). ‘A theory of human motivation,’ Psychological Review, 50 (4): 370–96.
- Quinlan, K. (2016) ‘How emotion matters in four key relationships in teaching and learning in higher education,’ College Teaching, 64:3, 101- 111.
- Snijders, I et al. (2020) ‘Building bridges in higher education: student faculty relationship quality, student engagement, and student loyalty,’ International Journal of Educational Research, 100, 1- 14.
- Thomas, L. (2012) ‘Building student engagement and belonging in Higher Education at a time of change: final report from the What Works? Student Retention & Success programme,’ available online.
- Yang, M. & D. Carless (2012). ‘The feedback triangle and the enhancement of dialogic feedback processes,’ Teaching in Higher Education, 18(3), 285-297.