Annapurna Vadaparty
What is sense of belonging?
An important factor in student experience is their sense of belonging. You can probably guess from the name that it describes a feeling that you belong in a group or environment. There’s a lot of research that shows that a student's sense of belonging—the feeling that they are a valued part of the academic community—can improve academic outcomes, increase retention, and help with mental health challenges.
Impacts of sense of belonging: What have studies shown?
Underrepresented students: A well-cited study in this field is about data from a national survey in 2019 that examined the sense of belonging across undergraduates at different institutions. It found that students with a strong sense of belonging were more likely to achieve higher GPAs, continue their studies, and maintain better mental health throughout college. It also showed that underrepresented racial and ethnic minority students, along with first-generation and low-income students, often reported lower levels of belonging. Although it’s hard to infer causality in survey studies, it does tell us that sense of belonging is a predictor of student performance. It also shows us that some students are at more risk than others for feeling that they don’t belong.
The power of interventions: Another interesting study tested an intervention regarding sense of belonging. They had first-year students read stories from upper-level students about overcoming challenges and wrote about their own experiences. They were also asked to write letters to future students, offering advice and encouragement about belonging (since written reflections have been shown to help internalize the messaging of belonging). Then, there was a control group who read and wrote about study skills rather than a sense of belonging.
They found that students who participated in the intervention showed a 10% increase in continuous enrollment one year later, and improved academic performance. The GPA from the underrepresented minorities and first-generation or low income students increased by 0.19 points compared to the control group in the semester after the intervention, and the effects also lasted for the next two years–their GPAs were 0.11 higher than peers in the control group. These students were better able to interpret challenges as part of the normal transition to college, rather than as evidence that they didn't belong. We can also think of this as a way to create the vicarious experiences mentioned in the self efficacy reading–they’re having the vicarious experience of the older students who are writing to them, and are gaining evidence that the challenges they’re facing can be overcome.
What can you do as a part of the teaching staff?
As teaching staff, you can incorporate these ideas into your own interactions with students. Encourage them to share their struggles, normalize the challenges they face, and help them see these challenges as part of growth that everyone experiences rather than struggles that alienate them.
So, what can you do as a TA to help foster this sense of belonging? Start by showing students that they're not alone. Share experiences of you or people you know (you can always leave out names for privacy) who have had hardships or backgrounds your students identify with. Also make sure to use inclusive language and make it clear that whatever level of experience or background they have is a perfectly fine one. Sometimes at places like UCSD, it’s easy to get caught up in assumptions about students coming from competitive high schools with high expectations, but that isn’t the case for everyone. It’s important to make sure to meet students where they are, and not say things like “Oh you should know that already” or “That’s obvious”. Approach every student interaction with empathy and remember that everyone comes from different backgrounds.
Conclusion & Further Reading
One part of the idea of belonging that often gets overlooked is the idea of being a valuable part of the academic community. Even if they feel accepted, students from any background may feel invisible, especially in a big class like COGS 18. You might have even felt that yourself when you took this course. If you don’t feel like anyone will notice or care if you’re in the room, you might wonder if it really matters that you’re there. This is part of the reason why we’ve adopted the microclass approach. We want to encourage students to have connections with both staff and each other, rather than feeling that they go to class, do the required tasks, and leave.
Below are some of the studies cited here:
Students’ Sense of Belonging Matters: Evidence from Three Studies | Teaching + Learning Lab