An official website of the United States government
Educators have consistently sought resources to enhance social learning experiences that support diverse student populations. Research shows that a sense of belonging significantly impacts students’ learning outcomes, particularly after the shift to hybrid learning models following COVID-19. While the hybrid model has allowed students to continue their education remotely, it has introduced challenges in fostering a sense of belonging within the learning community. We employ a qualitative approach, including interviews and participatory design methods, to examine the experiences of students in the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department at a Hispanic Serving Institution. We focused on existing learning community issues within the hybrid learning environment. We employ a sense of belonging framework to analyze students’ learning experience, challenges, and needs in their academic pathways. Our findings reveal the need to foster student belonging to strengthen the ECE learning community. We propose employing mixed reality technologies, known for enabling collaboration across different environments, to address students’ lacking sense of belonging.
more »
« less
This content will become publicly available on March 1, 2027
The Fourth Credit Hour: How do we Teach in Biology Discussion Sections?
Discussion sections are scheduled course meetings led by a teaching assistant (TA). Goals of these meetings may include: providing additional content practice, access to instructional support, and promoting a student's sense of belonging. As such, sections ideally include smaller groups of students and involve active learning. However, little is known about broad patterns in discussion section instruction and student experiences. To characterize student experiences in discussion sections, we surveyed ∼5000 students enrolled in 19 different biology courses covering 193 discussion sections at one institution in spring and fall 2023. Discussion sections varied in size (32 − 400 + students) and modality, with students participating either in-person or remotely. Students in remote discussion sections reported receiving significantly higher amounts of lecture from TAs compared with students in in-person sections, and these shifts in activity significantly modified their sense of belonging. Inductive thematic analysis of qualitative responses identified several themes regarding aspects of discussion sections that students felt were helpful (e.g., increased access to support) or unhelpful (e.g., environments not conducive to learning). Our findings offer insights into the different ways discussion sections are used in large biology programs and provide data to inform future discussion section design.
more »
« less
- Award ID(s):
- 2244099
- PAR ID:
- 10679374
- Editor(s):
- Gardner, Grant Ean
- Publisher / Repository:
- CBE Life Sciences Education
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- CBE—Life Sciences Education
- Volume:
- 25
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 1931-7913
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
This research paper describes the experiences of freshman STEM students arriving on a college campus for the first time after nearly a year and a half of online learning in high school. Fall 2021 marked the return of in-person learning in higher education, grown from a belief in and commitment to the value of interactions only achieved in such context (Sabella, 2021). First-year programs across the country welcomed first-time-in-college (FTIC) freshmen, many of whom experienced lower levels of social, emotional, and academic well-being due to extended periods of online learning in their final years of high school (Duckworth, et al., 2021). This reality, for some students, represented an unfamiliar learning environment to be negotiated in understanding their multiplying and evolving spaces as learners (e.g., Sequeira & Dacey, 2020). This qualitative study sought to understand the aspects and ways in which FTIC freshmen in a STEM student success program experienced a face-to-face first semester of college following an extended period of online learning, and how these experiences shaped a sense of belonging toward identity development, both as a college student in general and as a STEM major in particular. To explore these ideas, longitudinal qualitative data were collected through a series of focus groups in the fall of 2021. Participating students had substantial identified financial need and received scholarship support as part of the program. They also had the opportunity to participate as a cohort in intentionally designed curricular and co-curricular activities aimed at supporting their academic journey toward successful completion of a STEM degree. Findings suggest that physical space (e.g., the library and other specific locations on campus) played a disproportionate role in creating a sense of belonging for students. The results of this project add important nuance to the sense of belonging and identity development literature by expanding our understanding of the ways place, context, and prior experiences may uniquely intersect to ultimately influence belonging and identity in college. Keywords: STEM Identity, COVID, First-Year Experience, Sense of Belongingmore » « less
-
Jones, Dyan; Ryan, Qing X.; Pawl, Andrew (Ed.)Designing physics courses that support students' activation and development of expert-like physics epistemologies is a significant goal of Physics Education Research. However, very little research has focused on how physics students' interactions with course structures resonate with different epistemological views. As part of a course redesign effort to increase student success in introductory physics, we interviewed introductory physics students about their experiences with course structures and their learning and belonging beliefs. We present here a case from this broader data corpus in which a student, Robyn, discusses his epistemological views of physics problem solving and his experiences with physics lectures, office hours, and discussion sections. We find that Robyn's physics epistemology manifests consistently across his interactions with each of these different course structures, suggesting a possible resonance between students' beliefs and their experiences with course structures and the value of further investigation into the potential merits of comprehensive course design.more » « less
-
When faculty behaviors foster students’ sense of belonging in class, students report better learning experiences and are more likely to remain in the major. Sense of belonging is the feeling of being a valued and legitimate member of a community. Understanding teacher immediacy behaviors that cultivate belonging in postsecondary synchronous remote classrooms is important for retaining students in computing, where remote coursework is increasingly used to address increases in enrollment. This paper reports on an exploratory, survey-based study on the relationship between instructor immediacy behaviors and use of conferencing software features (e.g., chat, breakout rooms) with student sense of belonging in synchronous remote learning environments. Responses from 125 computing students from approximately 53 courses across the US show that students feel a moderate sense of belonging in their courses, with no differences found across demographic groups. Belonging was found to have a strong relationship with students' overall opinions of their courses and their likelihood of completing the major. Students’ camera preferences and instructor camera requirements had no effect on belonging. A regression analysis showed that no tool use variables predicted student sense of belonging. However, two teacher immediacy behaviors, setting aside class time to talk about upcoming course content and use of humor, were significantly associated with an increase in sense of belonging.more » « less
-
Undergraduate research has been found to be positively associated with obtaining a STEM baccalaureate degree, persisting in the field, and performing academically well. Underrepresented minority (UREP) students who participate in undergraduate research experiences show increased confidence in their abilities, understanding of the nature of research, and understanding of graduate school. In spring 2020, in direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic, institutions were forced to make shifts in program offerings. As a result of the move to online learning, research experiences were either canceled, postponed or moved to a virtual format. COVID-19 presented a new opportunity for students to still participate in activities from remote locations. After in-person activities resumed, aspects of these virtual opportunities have continued to be embraced by programs through virtual symposiums, more intentional and in depth “checking-in” at the start of meetings, wellness focused workshops, and emphasized community building. Additionally, virtual research experiences have expanded the number of students participating in these programs. The purpose of this paper is to share lessons learned from a co-curricular program for underrepresented students that successfully made the shift from in-person research experiences to virtual and back to in-person. Program activities are guided by the literature on mentoring, STEM identity, community, and sense of belonging. Implications for practitioners and faculty include opportunities for mentoring through virtual platforms, the inclusion of family, friends, and community members through virtual research symposiums, continuing to focus on the mental health and well-being of students, and the acknowledgement of varying home environments to conduct research.more » « less
