Practice Category: Belonging
Interpersonal and situational cues signal to students whether they belong (or not) in a particular context. These cues differ for students, depending on their group membership (e.g., gender, race, first-generation, low-income). While most students experience some form of belonging uncertainty in college, students from groups that are underrepresented in higher education or negatively stereotyped tend to experience higher rates of belonging uncertainty than others. In this section you will find practice recommendations that promote a sense of belonging.
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Supporting Financially Stressed Students
Recommendations for practices that can help support financially stressed students' learning, sense that they belong in college, and belief in their ability to succeed.
Practice Categories: Belonging Identity Safety Self-Efficacy Trust and Fairness
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Addressing an Identity Threatening Incident
Guidance on a straightforward and practical approach for addressing identity-threatening incidents in a way that promotes students’ identity safety and social belonging, and builds connection and trust.
Practice Categories: Belonging Identity Safety Social Connectedness Trust and Fairness
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Supporting Self-Efficacy by Integrating Self-Relevance and a Sense of Purpose into Your Course
Approaches to help students see their coursework as relevant to their own experiences and their future goals.
Practice Categories: Belonging Identity Safety Self-Efficacy Social Connectedness
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Encouraging Connections in the Classroom
Approaches for encouraging connections between students and the instructional team, and among students.
Practice Categories: Belonging Identity Safety Self-Efficacy Social Connectedness
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Creating a Belonging Story
Guidance on developing and adapting a brief exercise to help students understand that belonging concerns in college are normal, and not a signal that they do not belong or cannot succeed.
Practice Categories: Growth Mindset Culture Belonging Self-Efficacy Social Connectedness
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Overview: Effective Belonging Messages
A foundational overview on how to craft messages that promote belonging, why they work, and how to use them.
Practice Categories: Belonging
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Policy Review: Creating Student-Centered Course Policies
A step-by-step guide for crafting course policies that promote equity and acknowledge and accommodate the lived experiences of diverse student populations; most effective when implemented prior to the start of the term/during course planning, and reiterated in early course messaging and during stressful times of the term.
Practice Categories: Belonging Identity Safety Trust and Fairness
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Ensuring Classroom Identity Safety
Approaches for creating classroom learning environments where students from diverse identities feel welcome, valued, respected, and as though they are recognized as having the potential to succeed; most effective when implemented continuously throughout the term.
Practice Categories: Belonging Identity Safety Social Connectedness Trust and Fairness
