By Layla Murray

(Cover image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay)

Layla Murray recently earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Goucher College, and received the 2022 Prize for Excellence in Psychology. She wrote this blog post for an academic assignment in the seminar for Cognition, Teaching, and Learning, taught by Dr. Jennifer McCabe. Layla’s research interests include cognition (memory, learning, decision-making), age-related cognitive decline, and socioeconomic disparities. In her free time, Layla enjoys knitting, reading, watching Real Housewives, and being with her cats.

“I think it was Layla who mentioned this earlier…” my classmate said before describing the connection between a point I had made and their own. It was as if any mental and physical exhaustion I felt in that moment disappeared; I was alert and focused. After all, one of the most effective ways to immediately capture someone’s attention is to use that person’s name. In this case, it suggested that my classmate remembered something I said earlier and, by extension, that they cared about what I had to say. When I am in class, which at Goucher College tends to include 20-25 students, I often have difficulty voluntarily speaking up during a discussion. Not participating deeply impacts my focus and engagement with the course material, and my lack of contribution can make me feel like I am not fully a part of the class. In that moment when my peer used my name, however, I suddenly felt present and that I contributed something meaningful to the discussion.

Unfortunately, there have also been times when I truly felt like an outsider in class, which have made moments like the one mentioned above even more important to me. As an outsider in those moments, I can find it hard to focus on the material and discussions, and therefore I tend to remember less, mostly because I do not see the point in being there. I do not engage because I believe that people are not listening or do not care about what I have to say. Myra Laldin, a researcher at the Research Schools International at Harvard Graduate School of Education, describes this phenomenon best: “When students feel as if they do not belong in a school setting, the cognitive energy that should be used on social engagement and learning is being used to scan for group barriers, discrimination and stereotypes” (1). In other words, because I was thinking about how much I supposedly did not belong and I was seeking evidence to prove this thought (something that psychologists dub the confirmation bias), I did not have enough cognitive space to be engaged and understand what was being discussed.

This is something that happens to students often, especially students who identify as underserved (i.e., first generation, people of color, or low income). So, what can we do to help enhance feelings of belonging in the classroom, which would ideally open up more of students’ limited working memory resources for engagement and learning?

In James Lang’s book, Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning, 2nd Edition (2), he dedicates a chapter intended for an audience of college instructors to focus on the importance of students having a strong sense of belonging. Lang stresses that teachers should work to instill a sense of self-efficacy in students - believing in their own ability to learn - while ensuring that their social and emotional needs are being met in and outside of the classroom. To do this, Lang emphasizes the critical importance of providing space and time in class to help students build the skills needed to succeed, and explicitly recognizing their hard work, progress, and accomplishments. These are some ways to convey to students that their presence and contributions are unique and valued.

The relationship between belonging and engagement was further explored in a survey study by Yust et al. (3). In previous research studies, belonging has been linked to achievement, motivation, engagement, and class enjoyment. This article focused on introductory psychology courses, as entry-level classes are important as a means to explore possible majors and even future career paths. Study 1 results revealed that the more students felt engaged and experienced a sense of belonging, the higher their course grade and the more likely they were to engage in research. In addition, students felt more engaged when they reported high course enjoyment and had good connections with their peers. This not only implies that belonging can have an impact in classroom enjoyment, but also an enjoyment of the field in which students are interested. Belonging can inspire students to push themselves further and persevere through challenges.

TIPS FOR THE CLASSROOM

Considering these and other research studies supporting the relationship between course engagement and belonging (and ultimately academic performance), it is important to ensure that students feel like they have a valued place in the classroom. Here are some tips, many from James Lang’s Small Teaching (2), for all grade levels (K-12 to graduate school), that teachers can utilize to enhance belonging in the classroom:

(1)   Make Space

If you notice that a student has not spoken much or at all in class, it can help to call on them and ask if they have anything to add. To give students more time to think, you can also give them a few minutes to write their response down to a question for a few minutes, then ask for volunteers. Also, wait until at least three hands are raised before calling on someone.

(2)   Use Names

When calling on students or referencing something that a student said, use names and encourage other students to do the same. At the beginning of the semester, play a name-game, having each student take turns saying classmates’ names, perhaps with a simple mnemonic such as a descriptor that starts with the same first letter (e.g., Generous Ginny). Another way to use names is to do the Popcorn technique, or allowing each student to call on a classmate after reading aloud or providing an answer to a question.

(3)   Group Activities

The research by Yust et al. (3) suggested that there may be a relationship between engagement and good relationships with peers. To encourage relationships or classroom bonds, try using group activities. This can include asking a question and having students pair up to discuss or designing group projects around a specific problem that students can work together to develop a solution to. For example, in my Cognitive Psychology seminar, we had a group project focused on creating a research project on a topic related to the class.

(4)   Have Accessible Office Hours

Make sure that your office hours are listed on your syllabus, and ensure that you specify that students are welcome to come if they need you, or even to chat about the course. Just listing your office hours may not be enough and sometimes students need to be reassured that they are wanted during these hours. If a student needs help and knows that they can come to you, this can make them feel like you value not only their learning, but them as a person.

(5)   Use Virtual Engagement Activities

Activities such as Kahoot or Mentimeter can help shy or quiet students become more comfortable with participating. Using these activities became popular during the pandemic and it demonstrated a new way to hear everyone in class, even those who do not like to speak up during discussions. It shows that you not only value and want to hear everyone’s thoughts, but it can also be a nice starting point for discussions.

(6)   Create Rules

At the beginning of your first discussion together, have students come together to make rules for the classroom focused on respect. Referring back to strategy # 3 above, this is also a way for students to work together and create bonds. If you want, you can have students make their own rules in smaller groups and come together as a larger group to form classroom rules. Make sure to return to these rules frequently during class discussions.

(7)   Take Time In Class to Express Interest

You can create a sense of belonging in students by taking an interest in what they do outside of class, or even by wanting to know how their day has gone thus far (yes, you can use this technique even if it’s early!). Take a few minutes at the beginning or end of class to ask students to share something good or important that has happened during the week, or something they are looking forward to.

(8)   Sit in a Circle

If possible, have students sit facing each other. The easier way to do this is to have students sit in a circle or a horseshoe. Students seeing each others’ faces, combined with using each others’ names, can create a strong sense of community. And don’t hesitate to change up the seating arrangement and style, both for variety and to support students getting to know all of their classmates (not just the ones nearby).

The techniques that I mentioned above are some that have been used by my professors and focus on understanding and connecting with students. As someone who has difficulty speaking up in class, I also appreciate it when my professors ask me for my input. I feel less nervous when I’m asked directly for a contribution, versus when I have to make the decision to raise my hand or step in myself. I also appreciate when my professor implements other participation activities such as using digital tools to allow students to respond or test their knowledge without overly speaking to the group. These techniques can benefit all students, regardless of their initial level of reticence or confidence. So, knowing that engagement and learning can stem from students feeling they have a valued place in your classroom, make sure they feel like they belong. Not only with each other, but with you.

REFERENCES

(1) Laldin, M. (2016, February 11). The psychology of belonging (and why it matters). Education Conferences. Retrieved May 17, 2022, from  https://www.learningandthebrain.com/blog/psychology-of-belonging/

(2) Lang, J. M. (2021). Small teaching: Everyday lessons from the science of learning. Jossey-Bass, an imprint of Wiley & Sons.

(3) Yust, P. K. S., Liu, J., & Hard, B. M. (2021). Course belonging and engagement in introductory psychology: Why they matter and what predicts them. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 7(3), 206–227. https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000295