(1999). Small group activities are perhaps the most obvious way to create a feeling of community within the classroom. And the research bears that out: A 2018 study found that when teachers deliberately foster a ⦠But I would argue that frontloading one’s course with carefully planned and orchestrated icebreaker activities has immense payoff for the rest of the semester -- and that introducing them early on will actually enhance instruction and course outcomes in the long run. Welcoming, and normalizing, the home environment that students are in can further enrich a sense of belonging. For instance, at some of the institutions we interviewed, leaders generally find that email and Facebook work best when communicating with studentsâ families, but text messages and Instagram work best for students. Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Today, more than ever, continuing education is paramount to maintaining and enhancing one's skills, especially in response to changes in technology that impact virtually every profession. Another important strategy is to fold the expenses associated with all required tools and resources (e.g., books, laptops, broadband access, etc.) Greater Good Science Center at UC-Berkeley. Recently, I’ve been experimenting with using the free app Slack to create a virtual extension of our physical classroom. Building a sense of community among students and faculty provides a powerful network of support and comradery among its members. Congressional agreement on COVID-19 would give higher ed $23 billion, How to write an effective diversity statement (essay), Biden poised to pick Connecticut schools chief for education secretary, New report suggests wide-ranging declines in transfer, New approaches to discussion boards aim for dynamic online learning experiences, 7 Apps for Cataloguing Your Home Library | GradHacker, 10 strategies to support students and help them learn during the coronavirus crisis (opinion), Higher Education Events Calendar & People, We are retiring comments and introducing Letters to the Editor. Collaboration can also involve individuals, business, and other groups in the broader campus community. and Keup, J.R. (2012), The benefits of peer leader programs: An overview from the literature. Therefore, administrators should engage student leaders and peer mentors across campus in this capacity and, where appropriate, increase the number of these student representatives and expand their responsibilities. For example, one recent survey of over 15,000 college students found that fewer than 40 percent reported feeling connected to other students from their institution, an essential factor in their sense of belonging. Institutions can also include family members in planned events, where possible or appropriate. Teams are given the task of rolling a marble or ball from a start line to a finish line, without ⦠And if I can pass on the knowledge about the inner workings of the college that took me years to acquire, why not try to give my students a head start -- knowing that it will increase the likelihood that they will not only complete my course but also succeed in it and hopefully see that success translate across their classes? Westchester Community College provides accessible, high quality and affordable education to meet the needs of our diverse community. They are well-positioned to connect with students, and they often understand and relate to student experiences better than faculty and staff. Create a virtual extension of your classroom via Slack. 10 Powerful Community-Building Ideas. Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T. (2005). Restrictions on in-person interactions between students, staff, and faculty are likely to persist through the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters. In order to feel connected to the institution and to develop a sense of belonging, students have to feel their voices are heard, especially since they bear the burden of many institutional decisions. Hoffman, M., Richmond, J., Morrow, J., & Salomone, K. (2016). I have spent a lot of time mulling over these issues and speaking with colleagues and our provost about them at my community college, where I teach a two-course freshman composition sequence, as well as a first-year seminar course. Move studentsâ desks together so that they work cooperatively. Building classroom community is teacher-speak for saying that we want our students to have camaraderie and teamwork. For example, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW), staff in the FASTrack and BANNER programs use local minority-owned businesses to cater their events. These are extremely low-stakes writing assignments designed to get the students into the habit of researching, reflecting and writing -- three things that are clearly associated with learning outcomes for freshman composition courses. [25] In the case of UCF, for example, administrators worried that students may turn off the notifications or delete the mobile app entirely, so were judicious in the use of push notifications. A critical quantitative analysis of studentsâ sense of belonging: Perspectives on race, generation status, and collegiate environments. To respond to the urgent need to cultivate student belonging, we sought out best practices from six ATI member institutions that have articulated specific strengths related to building community amongst students from lower-income backgrounds, either through institution-wide efforts or through the practices of specific cohort-based scholarship programs. According to the administrators we interviewed, students at their institutions communicate with their peers often on apps such as GroupMe, Discord, HouseParty, and other social media platforms. [13] Cultivating a sense of belonging on college campuses is difficult at the best of times, but doing so in the midst of a global pandemic, economic recession, and a national reckoning with systemic racism is even more challenging, especially when colleges and universities cannot convene students in person to build community and foster dialogue. Share your thoughts ». Many institutions, for example, are offering campus housing for those students whose home environment or financial situation is incompatible with effective learning.[24]. 6 East 32nd Street, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10016 A quick activity or two during the first few weeks of school is not enough to build a positive classroom environment. Use of any of these channels is with a core objective in mind: the development of deep relationships with students. For one thing, she said, many instructors do not do community building in their face-to-face classrooms, so trying that online might be new and require planning and experimentation. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Community Building in the Community College Classroom It aids in the retention of students and in their overall college experience, but it is difficult ⦠They can help build a sense of trust and togetherness between peers and with their teacher. Programs range from state-funded financial aid packages, to cohort programs for student veterans, to federal TRIO programs or other similar state or institutional-based programs. Teachers have long known that feeling safe and secure in school helps students focus their energy on learning. We know that studentsâ needs vary, so institutions should differentiate the type, and level, of their support in response. The University of Central Florida (UCF) knew that 99 percent of students had downloaded the universityâs mobile app, which permitted push notifications. On the other hand, too frequent communication can cause information overload or turn students off to channels where they would receive information essential to their success. Some colleagues and I were joking recently that maybe we should refer to every assignment in the class as extra credit, since those words inevitably get students’ attention. Building Futures. We augment the insights from these conversations with information from other sources, including a review of research literature related to the approaches to and benefits of building community and student belonging. Patton, L. (2016). I hope in some small way it makes them feel like part of a community, a network of like-minded students, alumni and faculty. Kuh, G. D., Kinzie, J., Buckley, J. No matter how esthetically pleasing, any environment soon becomes dull . UCF leveraged both tools to send major announcements, even though they are not primarily communications platforms. Building a strong classroom community is key for creating a safe, productive learning environment. Students who feel secure in their financial position are more likely to feel secure in their academic endeavors.[22]. Though we recognize the importance of building community and fostering belonging within the classroom, this brief focuses on those opportunities and activities that build community and foster belonging outside of the classroom. Tailoring messages to specific students and finding the right frequency of communication are important to strengthening connections with students and building a shared sense of community across the institution. Not only are peer mentors and other student leaders uniquely positioned to connect with and build community among groups of students, but their influence also helps new and transfer students transition into the institution and improves studentsâ satisfaction with, and persistence through, their postsecondary experience. We have a responsibility, as another colleague, Cynthia Jones, puts it, “to meet the students where they are.”. Discuss this here. But as freshman composition instructors, we are often one of the first points of contact for students at the community college -- students who are anxious, overwhelmed, fearful and often feeling alone without their tight-knit high school friend group around them. Identifying and developing common bonds between students is more challenging, but just as vital to building community in a virtual environment. Shook, J.L. Ithaka S+R helps academic and cultural communities serve the public good and navigate economic, technological, and demographic change. Roksa, J., & Kinsley, P. (2019). [30] Serving as role models, these leaders not only build community and generate enthusiasm among students, but they also grow and develop both personally and professionally. [38],[39] Many cohort programs pride themselves on the âfamilyâ aspects of their programs, and so, institutions can find success by sharing this sentiment with students and their families. I am a TA for a class designed to bring a group of about 25 students together as a cohort starting their freshman year of college. Price, D., & Lincoln, C. (2018). Building community in an online classroom takes time, noted Donovan, and that downside can discourage professors from trying. Restricted Content This content is restricted to NISOD members. Home | About | ⦠The challenges of the past few months have negatively impacted inclusion and belonging for many college students. Learn more at https://financialaid.wisc.edu/types-of-aid/ftb/, Cohn-Vargas,, B., & Gogolewski, K. (2020). [42],[43] Administrators at Lehigh University shared examples of how they kept in touch consistently with students in their cohort programs to gather personal items from their residence halls to mail back to them (e.g. Ithaka S+R is part of ITHAKA, a not-for-profit organization helping the Disrupting postsecondary prose: Toward a critical race theory of higher education. Community college students often don’t have time to attend freshman orientations, so it can be hard for them to know about and navigate the many resources that are available to them as students at the college. In collaboration with a growing alliance of colleges and universities, the American Talent Initiative is working to expand access and opportunity for highly-talented lower-income students. This lesson will give some tips and activities you can use to build a strong community ⦠While most state licensing agencies and professional associations require continuing education credits for professional certificati⦠[4],[5], Yet, in spring 2020, many colleges and universities abruptly closed their campuses in response to the spread of COVID-19, preventing them from hosting any in-person activities, including classes, athletics, and student-centered events. A professional's need for education and training does not end upon completion of his or her formal schooling years. academic community use digital technologies to preserve the In that case, I also offer them the chance to read material on the history of the college and write a 250-word response reacting to what they’ve read and learned. By assisting with activities such as event planning and curriculum writing, student leaders share their expertise and insight with college administrators and then the information and sense of belonging trickles down to other students. These six institutions are not representative of the broader sector of four-year, public and private colleges and universities, let alone community colleges. Building Asian American Studies across the Community College Classroom is a program to expand the teaching of Asian American Studies in community college classrooms across humanities disciplines. The American Talent Initiative (ATI) is a Bloomberg Philanthropies-supported collaboration between the Aspen Institute’s College Excellence Program, Ithaka S+R, and a growing alliance of colleges and universities dedicated to substantially expanding opportunity and access for low- and moderate-income students. I have experimented with a few such assignments. Rapidly Accelerated Research Experience (RARE) is a focused pre-admission-to-graduation STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) immersion program. The current moment has highlighted a lot of inequities in this respect, including studentsâ hesitancy at times to have their camera on during classes and other gatherings. Many colleges and universities have established processes to facilitate cross-functional collaboration, but the rapid and unprecedented shift to remote learning in the spring and the planning for re-opening in the fall called for institutions to augment and re-evaluate established processes to meet the current moment. Communicating your procedures, routines, and expectations creates transparency with all stakeholders. Creating a positive classroom culture and building a community of learners is an integral part of effective teaching. These six institutions are not representative of the broader sector of four-year, public and private colleges and universities, let alone community colleges. But to establish a similar sense of connection among community college students -- which aids in retention and the simple enjoyment of classes and the college experience over all -- is difficult and requires some creative thinking. Building Community Through Identity Your children need to see themselves reflected in the classroom. [40] For example, in spring 2020, Johns Hopkins University departments each articulated a âpivot plan:â a compilation of changes in operations, activities, and policies as campuses closed. Use an anchor chart to talk to your students about how to fill someoneâs ⦠Building Minds. ", Associate Director for Policy and Research, 6 East 32nd Street, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10016, How We Sourced Practices for Cultivating Belonging, Recommended Practices for Institutions to Build Community and Student Belonging Virtually, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/, Ithaka S+R to Expand Transfer Improvement Efforts with CUNY, Accelerating Advising Technology Implementation in Response to COVID-19, Reimagining the Future of Higher Education Funding. The programs offered to foster belonging serve anywhere from 10 to a few thousand students, providing a range of services and support across all aspects of the student experienceâfrom academic advising, to financial aid, to social programming, and more. They have a built-in opportunity to form relationships with other students and can establish a feeling of connection to the college not only as a physical campus but also as an idea. There are still many different scenarios for what college campuses will look like throughout the fall, particularly as the circumstances of the campus community and the virus itself evolve. Sep 21, 2020 - Building Classroom Community Teaching Ideas and Resources: Teaching classroom culture, Morning Meetings, Fostering respect and kindness in the classroom. Building Community in the College Classroom To create such an environment, your classroom must promote a sense of safety, openness, and trust, allowing students to feel that their life experiences have value. UCF also infused compassion and equity into their digital pedagogy. Students cannot fully participate in college activitiesâvirtual or otherwiseâor feel a sense of belonging if their basic needs are unmet. You can reach out to your students with a welcome letter to let them know how excited you are for them to be in your class and what appealing projects you plan to do over the coming year. Decades of research has demonstrated that students who have a strong sense of belonging at their institutions are more likely to persist and graduate, especially true for students from lower-income and first-generation backgrounds and communities of color. I ask students to create usernames that are their real names and to add a picture of themselves to their profile. Aggie Collegiates Ready to Explore the World (ACREW) is a recognized student organization and learning community for freshmen Regents’ Scholars who are awarded the President’s Achievement Scholarship. Demonstrating care and compassion for studentsâ feelings, experiences, and circumstances is morally right and essential to cultivating a sense of student belonging; perhaps more so now, than ever. Similar outcomes can be achieved by giving students assignments that ask them to actually engage with such campus resources. Learn more at https://groupsscholars.indiana.edu/. two guitars) at their home for students in their program. Building Community in a Remote Classroom Early childhood education professor Haeny Yoon applies principles such as âjoyâ and âplayâ to her online teaching . Students who initiate contact with faculty and staff are likely to be those who are already engaged or who have the social capital to know who to reach out toâand what to ask of them. To effectively build community, staff, faculty, and administrators will need to reach all students, especially those who are most vulnerable of becoming disconnected. Schwartz, E., & Davidson Pisacreta, E. (2020). I organize small group activities in the first weeks of classes, setting the tone for what will be a collaborative atmosphere. As we college instructors look ahead to a new year in our classrooms, I’d like to share what I’ve learned about building both forms of community. Ask students to familiarize themselves with campus resources and bring such resources into your classroom. When students basic needs, such as their sense of safety, are met, they are more likely to reach outside their comfort zone to take academic risks necessary to grow and learn. Slack is enormously popular in the corporate world as well as within education -- in fact, anywhere groups of people are working together on projects and could benefit from a dedicated channel through which they can communicate instantly with their teammates. To view a copy of the license, please see, Beauchamp, Justin, et al. Building the community for your classroom and your students will give you the opportunity to engage your students and their families. [31] Program staff should use regularly-scheduled cohort meetings, workshops, and other events, to check-in on studentsâ well-being and remind students that the program staff is there to support them, hear them, give them a voice, and advocate for them. 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