Pedagogical Practices and Students' Sense of Belonging: An Examination of Contributing Factors and Outcomes
Keywords:
student belonging, inclusive pedagogy, student retentionAbstract
Sense of belonging is a social construct encompassing feelings of being integral to a system. A positive sense of belonging is associated with better social and academic engagement and retention. Traditionally, belongingness has been examined in terms of helping students integrate into existing systems; however, this study instead examines the impact of instructional practices and processes on belongingness. Quantitative and qualitative data indicate that intentional pedagogical efforts aimed at community building and student agency lead to improved perceptions of sense of belonging, but they also highlight an ongoing need to address systemic barriers to resources needed for holistic student support.
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