This article first appeared in The Best of the 2022 Teaching Professor Online Conference (Magna Publications, 2023).
Belonging describes the human emotional need to experience acceptance from a group. As a psychosocial concept, belonging or feeling “part of” allows individuals to develop self-concept or self-identity (Turner & Oakes, 1986). For undergraduates, experiencing a sense of belonging, feeling accepted, and building relationships are crucial factors that encourage engagement, commitment to higher learning, and graduation (Strayhorn, 2018).