Disparities in the Sense of Belonging and the Adaptation to Online Instruction Among Undergraduate Students During the Pandemic

• In Event: Overcoming Institutional Barriers

Abstract

The study seeks to understand disparities and the role of online learning experiences in the sense of belonging based on the survey data on more than 34,000 undergraduate students at public research universities in Spring 2020. The results indicate there are significant disparities in the sense of belonging during the pandemic. Students of color, low-income and working-class students, transgender and non-binary students, LGBQ+ students, students with disabilities and student caregivers have experienced lower levels of the sense of belonging. The adaptation to online instruction is strongly correlated with the sense of belonging, even after controlling for student characteristics. Instances of online bullying and harassment during classes are associated with a weaker sense of belonging, especially among marginalized and minoritized students.

Author

• Igor Chirikov, University of California - Berkeley