Community & Belonging
Academic belonging refers to students’ sense of being accepted, valued, and encouraged by others in the academic classroom as well as their sense of connection to the discipline (Rainey et al., 2018).
The syllabus can support a sense of belonging by highlighting the relevance of the coursework and by communicating opportunities for students to build relationships with peers and with the instructor(s) and teaching staff. When students feel that they belong in an academic context, they are more likely to show up for class, engage with classmates and instructors (Wilson et al., 2014; Zumbrunn et al., 2015), feel academic confidence, and be motivated to persist in challenging learning tasks (Walton & Cohen, 2011).
Learning Outcomes & Assessments
Describing how the skills and concepts gained relate to students’ everyday lives and/or careers increases students’ motivation in the class. This is especially helpful for students in required and introductory courses, such as the GIRs, as students may not always intuit the “bigger picture” or grasp the purpose of learning on their own.
A syllabus that supports community and belonging…
Example: Coming soon!
Class Activities & Participation
Collaborative learning activities provide opportunities for students to interact as peers and identify shared interests in subject content. Acknowledging the value of students learning from one another helps to increase students’ sense of belonging.
Example: Coming soon!
Student-Instructor Interactions
Structuring opportunities for students to engage with instructors and receive additional support helps students build key relationships with the teaching staff, supports their sense of academic belonging, and communicates care for student learning (Felten & Lambert, 2020; Rainey et al., 2018).
A syllabus that supports community and belonging…
Example: Coming soon!
Throughout syllabus
A syllabus that supports community and belonging…[/su_icon_text]