Impact of Online Learning on Sense of Belonging Among First Year Clinical Health Students During COVID-19: Student and Academic Perspectives

Abstract

Background The need to belong is a fundamental human desire that provides the basis for relationships and community; it provides a sense of security that enables growth and development. This sense of belonging is pivotal to new University students, indeed, without it, students are at greater risk of failing or withdrawing from their studies. Yet developing a sense of belonging within a new cohort is complex and multi-faceted and further complicated by a sudden shift from face-to-face to online learning. Our study explores first year clinical health students’ sense of belonging in the context of the rapid transition to online learning because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We utilised a current mixed-method approach including a survey incorporating previously validated tools, demographic and open-ended qualitative questions. Data was also gathered from three focus groups: two dedicated student groups and one academic focus group. Qualitative data was subjected to thematic analysis whilst descriptive statistics were used to describe the quantitative data. Results 179 first year students complete the survey and four students, and five academics were involved in the focus groups. All participants were from clinical health science courses at an Australian university. Our qualitative results indicated a global theme of: Navigating belonging during the COVID-19 crisis: a shared responsibility; with four organising themes describing (1) dimensions of belonging, (2) individual experiences and challenges, (3) reconceptualising teaching and learning, and (4) relationships are central to belonging. Conclusion While the rapid transition to online learning did not greatly impact knowledge acquisition of first-year students in this cohort, the lack of sense of belonging highlights the need for further research into development of this essential aspect of learning in the online domain. Although contextualised in the COVID-19 pandemic, it became clear that the findings will remain relevant beyond the current situation, as a student’s need to belong will always be present in the face of challenges or change.

The impact of virtual or blended learning on sense of belonging in first-year undergraduate health sciences students enrolled in an inquiry-based course

“…Data revealed that students' sense of belonging, measured across four different subscales -perceived peer support, perceived classroom comfort, perceived isolation, and perceived faculty support -did not differ between students in a blended classroom and students in a virtual classroom. Our results contrast previous reports that online learners experience reduced social connection, interaction, and sense of belonging compared to face-to-face learners (Tang et al, 2022;Tratnik et al, 2019). Moreover, online learners had previously commented a sense of belonging is arguably more important when learning occurs remotely rather than in-person, as online learners are separated from the physical space and not afforded as many opportunities to socialize (Peacock et al, 2020).…”

“…For example, many elements of the Community of Inquiry framework, particularly social presence (e.g., emotional expression, group cohesion, open communication), are found in our Inquiry course; therefore, it is possible these elements contributed to the increased sense of belonging among both student groups in our study (Garrison et al, 1999;The Community of Inquiry, n.d.). If this is the case, implementing inquiry-based approaches into courses, especially ones that are delivered virtually, seems important, as sense of belonging has been associated with better learning outcomes and increased retention rates (Banks & Dohy, 2019;Meehan & Howells, 2019;Tang et al, 2022).…”

“…Virtual learning can be defined as learning experiences delivered through virtual environments via electronic devices (e.g., computers, phones, tablets), whereas blended learning involves a combination of virtual learning and face-to-face interaction (Dhawan, 2020;Kintu et al, 2017;Means et al, 2013;Swerdloff, 2016). The shift to virtual learning has led to reports of lack of social connection and sense of belonging among post-secondary students (Hehir et al, 2021;Tang et al, 2022).…”

Challenges and instructor strategies for transitioning to online learning during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: a review of literature

“…This unexpected change allowed little time for proper transition of in-class material to online learning with many faculty making few changes to their content as they scrambled to get online (Moore et al, 2021). Faculty reported a lack of institutional infrastructure and a lack of knowledge on the technical aspects of teaching online (Caliskan et al, 2020;El-Soussi, 2022;Salarvand et al, 2023) as well as elevated work demands and a prevailing state of fatigue (Tang et al, 2023). Some lost their professional identity as they had to adjust their beliefs related to online teaching and change their practices to adapt to this new learning environment (El-Soussi, 2022).…”

“…This rapid transition had students concerned about how the course would be delivered and this uncertainty created additional stress (Dennen et al, 2022;Tang et al, 2023). This was understandable as many were not experts in online course content creation and delivery (Bailey and Lee, 2020;Moore et al, 2021).…”