Investigating “Sense of Belonging” in First-Year College Students

Abstract

A great deal of emphasis in higher education is centered on questions such as, "Why do students leave college and how can we get them to stay?" Although researchers have pointed to the import of "sense of belonging" in departure decisions, a measure of students' subjective sense of affiliation and identification with the university community has not been developed. The following is an empirical measure of "sense of belonging" which sheds light on factors that contribute to retention. Gaining greater clarity regarding factors important to the development of "sense of belonging" can help institutional policy planners evaluate the effectiveness of retention programs on their campuses, design more effective intervention strategies, and identify students at risk for departure.According to the American College Testing Program (1999), approximately one-quarter of all new college students do not return for their sophomore year. Aside from the personal and practical consequences related to persistence in college, student tuition and fees make up a sizable proportion of higher education revenue. Consequently, student retention continues to be a major concern of college administrators and a great deal of emphasis in higher education is centered 227 Ó 2002, Baywood Publishing Co., Inc.

Learning Environment, Interaction, Sense of Belonging and Study Success in Ethnically Diverse Student Groups

“…To follow up on these findings, we first investigated whether sense of belonging did explain study progress in the group of minority students in this study. We expected that formal and informal peer and teacher interactions would be possible antecedents of students' sense of belonging, based on findings by Hoffman et al (2003) and Hurtado and Carter (1997). Secondly, the role of the learning environment was investigated as well.…”

“…The results of their study, however, did not confirm this argument. On the other hand, Hoffman et al (2003) were able to identify a positive relationship between supportive faculty interactions in both academic and social environments, and students' subsequent sense of belonging. Furthermore, participation in extracurricular activities and membership in campus sub-environments were found to contribute to students' sense of belonging in a study by Hurtado and Carter (1997).…”

Sense of Belonging in Computing: The Role of Introductory Courses for Women and Underrepresented Minority Students

“…More specifically, this work has highlighted the importance of feeling comfortable speaking up in class, student-faculty interactions, and peer relationships (Hoffman et al 2002). To provide students such opportunities in introductory computing courses, some instructors have implemented practices such as employing a flipped classroom teaching model and incorporating peer instructors.…”

Understanding Patterns of College Outcomes among Student Veterans

“…The feeling of belonging on campus is related to persistence among first-year students (Hoffman, Richmond, Morrow, and Salomone, 2002) and an overall quality of life among all students (Jones, 2003). When we turn to the effects of student characteristics and college experiences, we know that both academic and social factors relate to a sense of belonging in college.…”