Building Belonging in the Classroom

Building Belonging in the Classroom

Students who feel a sense of belonging at university have been shown to have higher rates of attrition, academic achievement, and satisfaction, as well as lower stress levels and greater self-esteem. When a student is confident that they belong at university, they are more likely to fully engage in the learning environment and be open to critical feedback.

Our students, at the University of Newcastle, face many barriers that may have a direct impact on their sense of belonging.  Some of these barriers are highlighted in the 2022 student statistics shown below and should be considered in order to effectively support our students.

Who are our students. This image outlines percentages of students who are first in family, experience disability, are indigenous, juggle study with family, or are non-school leavers.

There are a variety of factors that contribute to a student’s sense of belonging at university, such as support to settle in and feel connected to the institution, levels of preparedness for study, and opportunities to interact with other students outside of the classroom.

This resource focuses on strategies you can implement in the classroom and in your communications to build a greater sense of belonging for your students. While many of these strategies may be things you are already employing in your interactions with students, it is helpful to reflect on opportunities to build belonging in your teaching practice.

Building Relationships With Your Students

Students will be excited and feel more comfortable engaging if they can see that you are enthusiastic about the content, and if they perceive you care about their academic success. You can build a sense of community and belonging by:

  • Create a warm welcome - whether this is in person during class, a welcome announcement, an introduction video, use the first contact with students to set a warm and welcoming tone for the course.
  • Feedback – students should receive frequent and positive feedback throughout their learning, addressing what they have done well and how they can improve. Frequent feedback aids students in feeling connected to the course work and the cohort.
  • Personalise the course – share with students your personal interest and experience in the subject and why you enjoy teaching the course. This could be in class or an introductory video on the Canvas course site.
  • Preferred names – students may have a different name than the one on the class roster, and it is not always easy or comfortable for students to communicate this with you. Always use the name given by the student and avoid language that might make them feel obligated to share the reasons for their name change. Avoid highlighting this publicly; instead, you could briefly check in with students privately during or after class, or via email.
  • Know student demographics – understanding student demographics at the university and in your classroom will help you to select diverse and inclusive activities and resources with all students in mind. For larger cohorts, you may consider creating an anonymous survey to gain insight into the unique backgrounds of your students, such as how many are studying full- or part-time.
  • Learn student names – students feel valued and connected when their educator knows their name. In larger classes, a useful strategy is to ask for student names each time you answer their question or summarise a contribution they have shared. If you find any names are unfamiliar to you when reviewing the class roster, you may like to search for the correct pronunciation online before your first class.

Building Relationships Between Your Students

Peer-to-peer connections aid feelings of belonging for students at university and can have a positive impact on student engagement and academic success. Creating structured opportunities for student interactions is an important component of the role of an educator.

Some things to consider:

  • Icebreakers – providing opportunities for students to get to know one another early sets a collaborative and connected foundation.
  • Resource sharing - create online environments where students can share resources and ask for each other for help such as a Canvas Discussion or through tools like Padlet.
  • Active learning – implementing interactive learning models into your teaching will create an engagement learning environment where students can express and share their ideas with their peers and build familiarity amongst a student cohort. Examples and strategies can be seen in this active learning resource.
  • Group work - while group work projects can be difficult to implement, there are significant rewards, including developing varied communication and collaboration. When designed and facilitated carefully, group work is an effective tool for building community in the classroom.

Preventative Support

Building support into your course is an effective strategy for fostering belonging and improving retention. While communicating that students can reach out to you is helpful, providing preventative support ensures students feel continually supported and included in the course.

Some examples of preventative support include:

  • Creating a weekly announcement detailing what students need to know/action for that week. This maintains a consistent connection to the course and reminds students you are invested in their success.
  • Using the Canvas engagement analytics to reach out to students who have had minimal engagement with the Canvas site or who have missed an assignment to see if further support is needed. You can also use these tools to congratulate students who have done well in an assignment.
  • Emailing students to check-in at pivotal points such as Week 3 and Week 8. While this can require additional work for educators, offering this preventative support has shown to increase belonging and academic achievement. Students feel seen and valued as a member of the course community.

University Resources

As an educator, you are likely the first person students reach out to when they need additional support; however, you may not always be the best person to assist students with their individual needs. It is important to familiarise yourself with the support services that are available to guide students toward when necessary.