Research has shown that a sense of belonging is predictive of college student success; however, few studies have examined the factors influencing students' sense of belonging in a remote learning setting. This qualitative study sought to examine what influenced students' sense of belonging throughout the period of remote learning during the…

The paper, through the lens of positioning and agency theories, examines the experiences of being stranded in the home country due to the restricted mobility caused by the COVID-19 pandemic of 10 international doctoral students of different nationalities (Chinese, Vietnamese, Malaysian, and Indian), majoring in different disciplines (Education,…

When designing learning scenarios for first-semester university students, instructional developers should not only impart knowledge and skills but also support transition to university, for example by providing opportunities to build a sense of belonging. In our case study, we illustrate how we addressed these goals by creating a motivating…

Foundational to this evaluation study, the participating institution aspired to improve its retention rate. Students' perceived sense of belonging has been identified as an important variable related to student retention and persistence (Bean & Eaton, 2000; Strayhorn 2012; Strayhorn 2019; Tinto, 2017). For students to succeed beyond their…

Theoretically framed by AsianCrit, the current study used a longitudinal qualitative study to explore how larger socio-historical contexts such as the pandemic shape Asian American and migrant elementary teachers' daily lives and teaching practices. The study's findings demonstrate that, following the COVID-19 pandemic and an upsurge in anti-Asian…

This dissertation investigates the experiences and outcomes of students who participated in remote summer bridge programs during the COVID-19 pandemic which was the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 academic years. The study aims to evaluate the impact of these programs on overall student persistence. Student persistence is the participants' attributions,…

Those who care about US public schools face urgent challenges while schools remain significant sites of racial inequity (Crenshaw, 2022; Darling-Hammond, 1998). School leaders play a crucial role in shaping educational in/equity for students (DeMatthews et al., 2020; Grissom et al., 2021; Khalifa, et al., 2016). Meanwhile, the increasing demands…

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted students' educational experiences, raising concerns about their social and emotional development. This longitudinal quantitative study analyzed changes in student perceptions of social and emotional well-being using Panorama Education SEL survey data from Cohort 2023 12th graders at an urban intensive high school…

This mixed-methods study examined the factors contributing to international student sense of belonging on three U.S. campuses, particularly upon their arrival to their campus and during a global pandemic. This three-article dissertation discusses the major findings that were identified in the data. Article 1 highlights the recurring theme of…

Research has long demonstrated that students thrive best in an online learning community when some basic tenants are followed. These tenants include establishing a peer community, module supports, studying while balancing life commitments, confidence, and the approach to learning (Farrell & Brunton, 2020; Kahn, Egbue, Palkie, & Madden,…

Cultivating a sense of belonging can be challenging in online contexts as well as for underrepresented students in engineering education. This study used a mixed methods sequential explanatory design to understand underrepresented students' experiences in a Canadian first-year course. Taking place during remote delivery due to COVID-19, we…

Students, particularly those at academic risk, often experience feelings of alienation and lack a sense of belonging. This can make them reluctant to seek help. A sense of belonging and the willingness to seek help are therefore closely linked. Persistent socioeconomic disparities, inherited from apartheid, make this especially challenging for…

This narrative ethnographic research study focused on the personal and schooling stories and counter-stories of three Latina teachers living and teaching in the Deep South. Using three contemporary young adult literature texts written by Latina authors, this three-month short term narrative ethnographic study sought to explore the lived…

This study explores how minoritized undergraduate students described their sense of belonging during COVID-19 at Rural Valley University (RVU), a large research one, historically and predominately White institution (PWI) located in the rural town in the eastern region of the United States. A sense of belonging is not guaranteed for minoritized…

Student affairs professionals provide vital services to college students while also facing various challenges that impact their ability to thrive at work. This study examined overall thriving, its constructs and a set of predictors that impact thriving in student affairs professionals. Seligman's (PERMA) theory of thriving provided the conceptual…