Creating a Sense of Belonging in your Classroom

Distilling the research literature and translating the scientific approach into language relevant to a college or university teacher, this book introduces seven general principles of how students learn. The authors have drawn on research from a breadth of perspectives (cognitive, developmental, and social psychology; educational research; anthropology; demographics; organizational behavior) to identify a set of key principles underlying learning, from how effective organization enhances retrieval and use of information to what impacts motivation. Integrating theory with real-classroom examples in practice, this book helps faculty to apply cognitive science advances to improve their own teaching.

Co-published in association with NISOD Miriam, a freshman Calculus student at Louisiana State University, made 37.5% on her first exam but 83% and 93% on the next two. Matt, a first year General Chemistry student at the University of Utah, scored 65% and 55% on his first two exams and 95% on his third--These are representative of thousands of students who decisively improved their grades by acting on the advice described in this book. What is preventing your students from performing according to expectations? Saundra McGuire offers a simple but profound answer: If you teach students how to learn and give them simple, straightforward strategies to use, they can significantly increase their learning and performance. For over a decade Saundra McGuire has been acclaimed for her presentations and workshops on metacognition and student learning because the tools and strategies she shares have enabled faculty to facilitate dramatic improvements in student learning and success.

Belonging ¿ with peers, in the classroom, or on campus ¿ is a crucial part of the college experience. It can affect a student¿s degree of academic achievement, or even whether they stay in school. Although much is known about the causes and impact of sense of belonging in students, little is known about how belonging differs based on students¿ social identities, such as race, gender, or sexual orientation, or the conditions they encounter on campus. College Students¿ Sense of Belonging addresses these student sub-populations and campus environments. It offers readers practical guidelines, underpinned by theory and research, for helping students belong and thrive. Sense of belonging can come from peers, teachers or faculty, family members, social and academic groups, and living and learning environments. The book offers: a review and critique of current literature on sense of belonging in light of new and emerging theory a new conceptual model of belonging which helps the reader expand an understanding of sense of belonging new and recent research findings from quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies conducted by the author practical recommendations for improving educational environments, practices, policies, and programs to facilitate students¿ sense of belonging on campus.