Full Description
This book introduces a dynamic new framework that reveals how social, institutional, academic, and ecological forces intersect to create student belonging—and why it matters so profoundly for student success.
Weaving together cutting-edge research and real-world examples, contributors examine belonging as a multi-layered construct shaped by individual characteristics, relationships, and broader societal conditions. They explore how students forge connection through interpersonal ties, academic communities, campus life, and both physical and digital environments, while also addressing workplace belonging, loneliness, and meaningful assessment approaches. Packed with fresh insights, compelling case studies, and practical tools, this volume bridges research and practice, offering an evidence-based resource to help institutions better understand and respond to how students experience college.
Contents
PART 1: Foundations of Belonging 1. Trends in Belonging Research Since 2022 2. Intersections of Loneliness and Belonging for College Students 3. The Socio-Ecological Framework for College Student Belonging PART 2: Dimensions of Belonging 4. Interpersonal Relationships as Foundations for Social Belonging 5. Conceptualizing Academic Belonging 6. Institutional Belonging as Connection to the College or University 7. Belonging in Place: Understanding the Power of Campus Environments PART 3: Contexts Shaping Belonging 8. Institutional Contexts and Factors Shaping College Student Belonging 9. Beyond the Campus Gates: How Local and State Contexts Shape Student Belonging and Success 10. How Systems of Power Structure Belonging in Higher Education 11. Faculty and Staff Workplace Belonging: A Key to Student Success PART 4: Putting Belonging into Practice 12. Operationalizing the Socio-Ecological Framework for College Student Belonging 13. Belonging in Practice: Lessons Learned from Six Universities 14. Methods for Assessing and Measuring Belonging in College
