Wolastoqiyik Students’ Sense of Belonging in School: An Exploratory Sequential Mixed-Methods Study

• In Event: Broadening Perspectives on Belonging

Abstract

In this exploratory sequential mixed methods study we investigated how Indigenous students in middle and high school describe their sense of school belonging and developed a measure to assess it. In the qualitative strand, we conducted sharing circles and analyzed responses using thematic analysis, which revealed four main themes: space, relationships, language, and history and two additional themes that supported the interconnectedness of the main themes: recognition and trust. In the follow-up quantitative strand, we used these themes to develop a 30-item questionnaire, which was completed by 153 students. The exploratory factor analysis revealed three factors: First Nations Community and Culture, Culturally Inclusive Curriculum, and Relationships. This work enriches the body of knowledge regarding Indigenous sense of school belonging.
 

Authors

• Macy Bowman, Pennsylvania State University

• Matthew T. McCrudden, Pennsylvania State University

• Jimena Cosso, University of Maryland