The (Missing) Link: Belonging ?? Academic Success

During the COVID-19 pandemic, research published in the Journal for Adolescent Health highlighted the predictive role of belonging against adverse mental health outcomes among college students. Those who felt a sense of belonging at their college experienced fewer depressive symptoms and, to a lesser extent, anxiety compared to those who felt less belonging. While this connection might appear obvious in hindsight, the pandemic cast a giant light on an issue that has long existed in higher education.

Although solving this issue is a growing priority for most institutions, historically, there has been a lack of data collection, institutional research, and best practice sharing across institutions.?Fortunately, this is starting to change.

In this post, I dive into some of the latest research on the impact of student belonging on academic success. I also share a few examples from our clients to showcase the technological and cultural shifts needed to scale student belonging successfully.

You could check out my previous posts where I dive into the macro impact and the human need for belonging: "The Crisis of Belonging in Higher Education" and "Unpacking Student Belonging."?

New Research

A Stanford-led study involving 22 colleges and universities and a diverse sample of 26,911 students participating showed that a brief exercise focusing on belonging in college significantly increased first-year completion rates, particularly for students from historically underrepresented groups. One interesting finding from the study is that the intervention alone is insufficient - learners require the proper context and environment to build a sense of belonging before the intervention can take effect. This is an important point - creating the right environment to encourage connections, both inside and outside the classroom, is critical from our experience.

An additional review of studies by the Teaching + Learning Lab at MIT supports these findings, demonstrating that a sense of belonging improves academic outcomes and increases continuing enrollment, suggesting a long-term impact on academic success.

With the advent of GenAI, a recent article titled "AI Can Make Schools More Human, But Only If Schools Prioritize Relationship Metrics" highlights the significance of social capital for students and encourages institutions to measure the “Relationship Metrics” of their students. The author states, “How – and how often – schools collect social capital data inevitably impacts their ability to act on it.” As “how to use AI in education” debates rage on, we must focus on the relationship capital of the students to ensure AI does not worsen the belonging problem.

Learning from Yellowdig Clients

The question remains: How can universities, schools, and corporate training programs increase the sense of belonging, but scalably?

As we work with our diverse client base, one of our goals is to share our learnings openly, hoping that others can benefit from them. Institutions can certainly choose their paths, strategies, and technologies, but sharing the best practices can help avoid costly mistakes.

I recently interviewed a few professors who have successfully adopted Yellowdig at Regis University.

It begins with a cultural shift, where teachers and academic staff actively work to enhance a sense of belonging. Here is a short video clip of my interview with Professor Deb Roybal, where she discusses her experience implementing Yellowdig Engage in her courses, which helps improve a sense of belonging.

Deb is a champion user and some of her thoughts on how Yellowdig became successful in her courses point to the subtle changes faculty and academic staff need to rethink their existing practices. Her passion for fostering genuine student engagement and belonging is evident, and she shares her joy in her students' success.?

Similarly, Professor Jay Campisi described developing a sense of belonging among non-traditional students through their partnership with the University of Colorado Hospital System.

His students, often with full-time jobs and families, benefit from inclusively designed courses that foster a sense of belonging. "Yellowdig has been very helpful in creating a community," says Campisi, noting how it facilitates engaging, dynamic student interactions, starkly contrasting to the previously sterile online discussions. However, this required embracing a deeper connection with his students as a core aspect of his teaching.

Summary

In conclusion, fostering a sense of belonging among students is essential for their academic success and mental well-being. The latest research confirms this, and our experiences with clients like Professors Roybal and Campisi demonstrate practical ways to achieve it. Thoughtfully integrating technology and fostering a culture of inclusion is vital to creating environments where all students, especially those from marginalized groups, feel a genuine sense of belonging.