Designing Learning for Belonging: Centering Identity and Equity

• In Event: Roundtable Session 6
  In Refereed Roundtable Session: Inclusive Education for Belonging: Equity, Identity, and Innovation

Proposal

Education is widely recognized as a powerful means of fostering peace and stability, yet for many refugees, displaced populations, and marginalized minorities, learning environments can unintentionally reinforce exclusion rather than belonging. As Walton and Brady (2017) note, one of the first questions learners ask in a new setting is, “Do I belong here?” For displaced learners, the answer often depends on whether their identities are affirmed or marginalized. In line with the CIES 2026 theme, “Re-examining Education and Peace in a Divided World,” this roundtable examines how inclusive design can support peace by affirming identity, equity, and belonging for learners whose access is fragile.

This contribution draws on practical experience designing curricula and training programs that support marginalized learners, while also preparing teachers, nonprofit practitioners, and EdTech developers to embed inclusivity in their practice. Guided by a design-based approach, it combines iterative development, practitioner feedback, and insights from comparative and international education. Learners who feel they belong are more likely to view challenges as temporary and solvable, rather than proof they do not fit in (Murphy et al., 2020). Research shows identity and belonging are central to persistence, engagement, and resilience (Steele, 2010; Carter et al., 2023). Inclusive and context-responsive design sustains participation for marginalized learners, even in crisis conditions (Ainscow, 2020; Kizilcec et al., 2021). Yet educators often underestimate how representation, language, and feedback shape impressions of safety and dignity. By training educators and design teams to apply inclusive principles, this work interrupts exclusion before it becomes embedded in classrooms, platforms, and products.

The approach builds on scholarship in comparative and international education on refugee learning and equity (Dryden-Peterson, 2016; Darling-Hammond et al., 2020), framing inclusive design not as optional but foundational to quality education. Culturally and linguistically responsive design also improves comprehension and achievement (Finkelstein et al., 2013). Embedding these principles into educator preparation and EdTech development extends peacebuilding beyond learners into educational structures.

The roundtable will highlight design principles from comparative practice, including challenging deficit framings of marginalized learners (Steele, 2010), embedding cultural and linguistic responsiveness (Gutiérrez & Rogoff, 2003), and involving displaced communities in shaping learning environments (Dryden-Peterson, 2016).

This contribution makes three arguments. First, inclusive design shapes whether marginalized learners experience education as empowering or alienating. Second, building the capacity of educators and EdTech organizations is essential for sustaining inclusive practices. Third, designing for equity and belonging links education with peacebuilding, transforming divided spaces into ones of recognition, dignity, and possibility.

By placing inclusive design at the heart of conversations about education and peace, this proposal speaks directly to the conference’s goal of re-examining how education can foster social cohesion. The roundtable will create space for educators, policymakers, and EdTech practitioners to share experiences and explore translation across contexts. It will also highlight lessons from interventions, challenges, and strategies for scaling inclusive practices. At its core, the argument is simple but powerful: when identity and belonging are centered in education, learning becomes a force for dignity, recognition, and peace.

Authors

• Manvi Teki, Carnegie Mellon University

• Tutaleni I Asino