Conceptualizing a Local Sense of Belonging

• In Event: Roundtable Session 3
  In Roundtable Session: Students and Society: Developing Broader Skills

Abstract

The concept of sense of belonging (SoB) is variously operationalized and rarely carefully conceptualized in studies of persistence and retention. We explore students’ descriptions of a local SoB through analysis of data from a longitudinal, mixed-methods study of student persistence in engineering. Analyses of data from students in a cohort-based academic and social support program suggest three dimensions of local belongingness: engagement in a small world network, mutuality/mattering, and shared values and interests. This local SoB construct contrasts with global measures that assess institutional belonging, and may better capture the experiences of students in cohort-based programs; it may be particularly important for understanding the experiences of underrepresented minority students. We conclude with testable propositions to guide future research.

Authors

• Jennifer Rosemary Pollard, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

• Michele M. Randolph, University of Michigan

• Erika Mosyjowski, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

• Lisa R. Lattuca, University of Michigan

• Michael Brown, University of Michigan