Maddie is Online' is aimed for teachers and parents,
who lack accessible resources or time to educate
young children about the challenges and
opportunities of online connectivity. 'Maddie is
Online' is an engaging and fun digital literacy skills
cartoon video resource, supported by state-of-theart
research, workshops and digital lesson plans.
They can be used in different subjects (Personal
and Social Education, English, ICT, Health and
Wellbeing) at school or at home in an accessible
way, empowering young people with skills that help
them deal with challenging phenomena in their
digital lives.
Project Blog: https://maddiesonline.blogspot.com/
Playlists: bit.ly/2LwnE6T
Twitter: @MaddiesOnline
Email: k.martzoukou@rgu.ac.uk
Case study 1 katie jones delivery during lockdown school of creative and cult...Konstantina Martzoukou
This is case study 1 of a new series of teaching and learning we introduced in OneHE online community Mindsets, inspired by the changes caused by the pandemic.
Katie Jones is a Lecturer in Events Management and Marketing within the School of Creative & Cultural Business at Robert Gordon University. Katie teaches modules such as live festival management, corporate & association events management, consumer psychology as well as supervising live client event projects and managing the development of practical industry experience portfolios for the events students. If you would like to share your own case study please get in touch with me k.martzoukou@rgu.ac.uk
Maddie is Online' is aimed for teachers and parents,
who lack accessible resources or time to educate
young children about the challenges and
opportunities of online connectivity. 'Maddie is
Online' is an engaging and fun digital literacy skills
cartoon video resource, supported by state-of-theart
research, workshops and digital lesson plans.
They can be used in different subjects (Personal
and Social Education, English, ICT, Health and
Wellbeing) at school or at home in an accessible
way, empowering young people with skills that help
them deal with challenging phenomena in their
digital lives.
Project Blog: https://maddiesonline.blogspot.com/
Playlists: bit.ly/2LwnE6T
Twitter: @MaddiesOnline
Email: k.martzoukou@rgu.ac.uk
Case study 1 katie jones delivery during lockdown school of creative and cult...Konstantina Martzoukou
This is case study 1 of a new series of teaching and learning we introduced in OneHE online community Mindsets, inspired by the changes caused by the pandemic.
Katie Jones is a Lecturer in Events Management and Marketing within the School of Creative & Cultural Business at Robert Gordon University. Katie teaches modules such as live festival management, corporate & association events management, consumer psychology as well as supervising live client event projects and managing the development of practical industry experience portfolios for the events students. If you would like to share your own case study please get in touch with me k.martzoukou@rgu.ac.uk
Key uses of social media to:
- Build your school's visibility
- Increase student engagement
- Develop your alumni community
- Facilitate teacher collaboration
This presentation is an overview of social media in education -- uses, target audiences, case studies, considerations, and how to get started.
Students as partners co creating innovative scholarship - reflections on achi...Sue Beckingham
This presentation will share the outcomes (what the students gained) and the outputs (co-created resources) of a Students as Partners initiative which began by looking at how social media could be used in learning and teaching within their own course. Initially set up as an extracurricular short term project in 2017, it continued and has evolved over four years.
Adopting the 4M framework reflections on achievements will be considered using the following set of lenses: micro (individual); meso (departmental); macro (institutional); and mega (broader [higher] education community).
Some say that education is one of the last sectors to adopt new technologies. If this is true, could it be because of the time required to overcome a learning curve of its features, time to understand the security and privacy issues involved, time to practice use of the app personally--and finesse its use with students, or time to collaborate in the communities and networks the app makes possible?
Some educators remain skeptical or even resistant to the adoption of social media in education; others are undecided, needing details about the benefits for students or the techniques required in order for the app to be implemented in a learning setting.
Some educators embrace social media in their practice. The moment this deck is published, some of those individuals might say how could the author have missed ______ ? It is true that in a world of apps, we have a tendency to adopt one that has been made understandable to us first, or one that grabbed our attention because it did something that the others would not do, or one that the media said was a rising star.... This deck is subject to these factors. This deck takes a decidedly safe approach with including some of the heavyweights.
This short presentation attempts to appeal to all kinds of readers: the skeptical, the undecided, the enthusiast, etc.
A movie trailer. For the cautious and time constrained, a simple image with action verbs that the application makes possible may be the most important feature of this deck. Possibly verbs that Marc Prensky would approve.
For the undecided or for the enthusiast, further notes are provided that explain how the application can be used by teachers and students with some detail.
The author is also a teacher-learner and will expand this deck to include other social media stars as cases can be made for their use in education.
Building Online Learning Communities Using Web 2.0 TechnologiesDr. Mariam Abdelmalak
In this presentation, I describe how I use Web 2.0 technologies to facilitate the development of a community of learners among graduate distant students and how students responded to the use of Web 2.0 tools and to what extent these tools assisted in developing a community of learners. Twitter, Skype, Google Documents, Blog, and Wiki were intentionally used in order to build online learning communities among students. An anonymous survey was used. The students indicated that using Google Documents, Twitter, Wiki, and blog gave them a sense of a learning community while using Skype did not give them a sense of a learning community. Google Documents and Wiki had the most impact on students’ sense of a learning community in the course.
Key uses of social media to:
- Build your school's visibility
- Increase student engagement
- Develop your alumni community
- Facilitate teacher collaboration
This presentation is an overview of social media in education -- uses, target audiences, case studies, considerations, and how to get started.
Students as partners co creating innovative scholarship - reflections on achi...Sue Beckingham
This presentation will share the outcomes (what the students gained) and the outputs (co-created resources) of a Students as Partners initiative which began by looking at how social media could be used in learning and teaching within their own course. Initially set up as an extracurricular short term project in 2017, it continued and has evolved over four years.
Adopting the 4M framework reflections on achievements will be considered using the following set of lenses: micro (individual); meso (departmental); macro (institutional); and mega (broader [higher] education community).
Some say that education is one of the last sectors to adopt new technologies. If this is true, could it be because of the time required to overcome a learning curve of its features, time to understand the security and privacy issues involved, time to practice use of the app personally--and finesse its use with students, or time to collaborate in the communities and networks the app makes possible?
Some educators remain skeptical or even resistant to the adoption of social media in education; others are undecided, needing details about the benefits for students or the techniques required in order for the app to be implemented in a learning setting.
Some educators embrace social media in their practice. The moment this deck is published, some of those individuals might say how could the author have missed ______ ? It is true that in a world of apps, we have a tendency to adopt one that has been made understandable to us first, or one that grabbed our attention because it did something that the others would not do, or one that the media said was a rising star.... This deck is subject to these factors. This deck takes a decidedly safe approach with including some of the heavyweights.
This short presentation attempts to appeal to all kinds of readers: the skeptical, the undecided, the enthusiast, etc.
A movie trailer. For the cautious and time constrained, a simple image with action verbs that the application makes possible may be the most important feature of this deck. Possibly verbs that Marc Prensky would approve.
For the undecided or for the enthusiast, further notes are provided that explain how the application can be used by teachers and students with some detail.
The author is also a teacher-learner and will expand this deck to include other social media stars as cases can be made for their use in education.
Building Online Learning Communities Using Web 2.0 TechnologiesDr. Mariam Abdelmalak
In this presentation, I describe how I use Web 2.0 technologies to facilitate the development of a community of learners among graduate distant students and how students responded to the use of Web 2.0 tools and to what extent these tools assisted in developing a community of learners. Twitter, Skype, Google Documents, Blog, and Wiki were intentionally used in order to build online learning communities among students. An anonymous survey was used. The students indicated that using Google Documents, Twitter, Wiki, and blog gave them a sense of a learning community while using Skype did not give them a sense of a learning community. Google Documents and Wiki had the most impact on students’ sense of a learning community in the course.
Impact of Academic and Social Factors on Education Performance of StudentsSubmissionResearchpa
Counseling makes perfect any human being for living life smoothly. According to phycology people required someone near to him/her with whom he/she can share their thoughts, happiness, emotions etc. and this is required in education also, In education we need to give support to our students for knowing their problems and feeling regarding education, life, career, friends, family etc. in this paper researcher tried to find out the importance of the counseling in the mind of students of the effect of the same in students mind because in the recent time importance of the education is more and the use of technology is also more so its big problem for the students for connecting consciously with the learning, and without consciousness people cannot understand many thinks for life long time it’s just for examination. By using the qualitative research study research has tried to find out solution for the same with the sample of 60 students of undergraduate of Parul University. During the research researcher identified major two internal and external factors in which there are six other factors, with the help of the qualitative research technique. by Rahul Chauhan and Bhoomi R. Chauhan 2020. Impact of Academic and Social Factors on Education Performance of Students. International Journal on Integrated Education. 2, 5 (Mar. 2020), 34-43. DOI:https://doi.org/10.31149/ijie.v2i5.140. https://journals.researchparks.org/index.php/IJIE/article/view/140/137 https://journals.researchparks.org/index.php/IJIE/article/view/140
This year the University has been engaged in an HEA Strategic Enhancement Programme (SEP) project on
embedding employability. The programme has allowed the University to focus on a development alongside
about 30 other institutions and this has enabled us to benchmark our thinking. The project team has been made
up of people in the departments of Media Arts & Computing, English, and Maths, colleagues from the Hallam
Union and developers with an expertise in PPDP, lifewide learning and social media for learning from QESS
and ACES.
Our focus has been a critical re-imagining of Personal & Professional Development Planning (PPDP) in the
context of lifewide learning and social media. The SEP project, then, has created some space for us to consider
examples of good practice in the University and across the sector.
Giving Back: Exploring Service-Learning in an Online EnvironmentRochell McWhorter
This is the last author's copy. To read the published copy:
http://www.ncolr.org/issues/jiol/v14/n2/3
Service-Learning (SL) as an instructional method is growing in popularity for giving back to the community while connecting the experience to course content. However, little has been published on using SL for online business students. This study highlights an exploratory mixed-methods, multiple case study of an online business leadership and ethics course utilizing SL as a pedagogical teaching tool with 81 students. Results from the study noted that hours completed exceeded those assigned and students identified outcomes for themselves, their university, and nonprofit organizations where they served. The outcomes of this study mirrored those identified by students in traditional face-to-face courses underscoring the value of SL projects in online courses in higher education.
A ‘Whole-person’ Education: Students Innovating and Reflecting with the Scott...Konstantina Martzoukou
Case Study on the work of the School of Creative and Cultural Business (Robert Gordon University) embedding the Scottish Student Innovative Student Awards Programme (offered by the Scottish Institute of Enterprise) across its different courses.
'Enhancing students' innovation and reflection skills: the SISA programme'Konstantina Martzoukou
Webinar on 'Enhancing students' innovation and reflection skills: the SISA programme' offered by the Robert Gordon University and the Scottish Institute for Enterprise (SIE). Presentation for OneHE Mindsets by Dr Pauline Bremner (Robert Gordon University) and Ann Davidson (Scottish Institute of Enterprise). Date: 1st July 2020
Students Creating and Submitting Digital Presentations Using PanoptoKonstantina Martzoukou
With the current shift experienced in Higher Education towards micro-learning, flipped and blended classrooms, class recordings may involve different types of activities in addition to lecture capture. For example, staff may use recordings for walk-through demonstrations, practical sessions, revision activities, and assessment overviews. In addition, recordings may be used for non-teaching purposes, such as course orientation, guest talks and resources designed to support students’ accessibility, widening participation, inclusivity, belongingness and study flexibility. However, there can also be student-led recorded presentations, which help students to develop a range of professional skills, such as effective presentation, team-work and digital literacy skills. The recording of student presentations may also help to simplify moderation and quality assurance processes.
Syrian New Scots: the Way Forward. A transition from being a refugee to becoming an active part of the community.
SCURL Away Day - 5th June 2019 - Strathclyde University
OneHE ‘Mindsets’ – June 2019 – Webinar
Citizens’ approaches to evaluating political ‘facts’ in the fake news era by Rita Marcella and Graeme Baxter
Abstract
Recent years have seen significant public discourse surrounding the concepts of ‘post-truth politics’, ‘fake news’, and ‘alternative facts’ online, with much of it focusing on ‘Brexit’ or Donald Trump’s election campaign and presidency. This webinar will reflect upon recent research into fact response, fact checking, and the journey of the political fact. This research, conducted during the 2017 UK General Election campaign, consisted of two interrelated studies: 1) an online survey of the general public (n = 538); and 2) a series of 23 electronically-assisted interviews with citizens in North-East Scotland. Both studies explored the tactics and heuristics used in evaluating the credibility of ‘facts’ presented online by Scottish political actors.
Presentation at the Digital and Information LIteracy Forum - 17th November 2017, Edinburgh URL:https://scottishlibraries.org/about-us/events/digital-information-literacy-forum-2017/
Presentation at the CILIPS Annual Conference 2017 on the 'Syrian new Scots Information Literacy Way-finding practices' research project: http://www.cilips.org.uk/about/annual-conference-2017/
The Roman Empire A Historical Colossus.pdfkaushalkr1407
The Roman Empire, a vast and enduring power, stands as one of history's most remarkable civilizations, leaving an indelible imprint on the world. It emerged from the Roman Republic, transitioning into an imperial powerhouse under the leadership of Augustus Caesar in 27 BCE. This transformation marked the beginning of an era defined by unprecedented territorial expansion, architectural marvels, and profound cultural influence.
The empire's roots lie in the city of Rome, founded, according to legend, by Romulus in 753 BCE. Over centuries, Rome evolved from a small settlement to a formidable republic, characterized by a complex political system with elected officials and checks on power. However, internal strife, class conflicts, and military ambitions paved the way for the end of the Republic. Julius Caesar’s dictatorship and subsequent assassination in 44 BCE created a power vacuum, leading to a civil war. Octavian, later Augustus, emerged victorious, heralding the Roman Empire’s birth.
Under Augustus, the empire experienced the Pax Romana, a 200-year period of relative peace and stability. Augustus reformed the military, established efficient administrative systems, and initiated grand construction projects. The empire's borders expanded, encompassing territories from Britain to Egypt and from Spain to the Euphrates. Roman legions, renowned for their discipline and engineering prowess, secured and maintained these vast territories, building roads, fortifications, and cities that facilitated control and integration.
The Roman Empire’s society was hierarchical, with a rigid class system. At the top were the patricians, wealthy elites who held significant political power. Below them were the plebeians, free citizens with limited political influence, and the vast numbers of slaves who formed the backbone of the economy. The family unit was central, governed by the paterfamilias, the male head who held absolute authority.
Culturally, the Romans were eclectic, absorbing and adapting elements from the civilizations they encountered, particularly the Greeks. Roman art, literature, and philosophy reflected this synthesis, creating a rich cultural tapestry. Latin, the Roman language, became the lingua franca of the Western world, influencing numerous modern languages.
Roman architecture and engineering achievements were monumental. They perfected the arch, vault, and dome, constructing enduring structures like the Colosseum, Pantheon, and aqueducts. These engineering marvels not only showcased Roman ingenuity but also served practical purposes, from public entertainment to water supply.
Unit 8 - Information and Communication Technology (Paper I).pdfThiyagu K
This slides describes the basic concepts of ICT, basics of Email, Emerging Technology and Digital Initiatives in Education. This presentations aligns with the UGC Paper I syllabus.
A Strategic Approach: GenAI in EducationPeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
The French Revolution, which began in 1789, was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France. It marked the decline of absolute monarchies, the rise of secular and democratic republics, and the eventual rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. This revolutionary period is crucial in understanding the transition from feudalism to modernity in Europe.
For more information, visit-www.vavaclasses.com
2024.06.01 Introducing a competency framework for languag learning materials ...Sandy Millin
http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/iateflwebinar2024
Published classroom materials form the basis of syllabuses, drive teacher professional development, and have a potentially huge influence on learners, teachers and education systems. All teachers also create their own materials, whether a few sentences on a blackboard, a highly-structured fully-realised online course, or anything in between. Despite this, the knowledge and skills needed to create effective language learning materials are rarely part of teacher training, and are mostly learnt by trial and error.
Knowledge and skills frameworks, generally called competency frameworks, for ELT teachers, trainers and managers have existed for a few years now. However, until I created one for my MA dissertation, there wasn’t one drawing together what we need to know and do to be able to effectively produce language learning materials.
This webinar will introduce you to my framework, highlighting the key competencies I identified from my research. It will also show how anybody involved in language teaching (any language, not just English!), teacher training, managing schools or developing language learning materials can benefit from using the framework.
Model Attribute Check Company Auto PropertyCeline George
In Odoo, the multi-company feature allows you to manage multiple companies within a single Odoo database instance. Each company can have its own configurations while still sharing common resources such as products, customers, and suppliers.
Read| The latest issue of The Challenger is here! We are thrilled to announce that our school paper has qualified for the NATIONAL SCHOOLS PRESS CONFERENCE (NSPC) 2024. Thank you for your unwavering support and trust. Dive into the stories that made us stand out!
How to Make a Field invisible in Odoo 17Celine George
It is possible to hide or invisible some fields in odoo. Commonly using “invisible” attribute in the field definition to invisible the fields. This slide will show how to make a field invisible in odoo 17.
Synthetic Fiber Construction in lab .pptxPavel ( NSTU)
Synthetic fiber production is a fascinating and complex field that blends chemistry, engineering, and environmental science. By understanding these aspects, students can gain a comprehensive view of synthetic fiber production, its impact on society and the environment, and the potential for future innovations. Synthetic fibers play a crucial role in modern society, impacting various aspects of daily life, industry, and the environment. ynthetic fibers are integral to modern life, offering a range of benefits from cost-effectiveness and versatility to innovative applications and performance characteristics. While they pose environmental challenges, ongoing research and development aim to create more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. Understanding the importance of synthetic fibers helps in appreciating their role in the economy, industry, and daily life, while also emphasizing the need for sustainable practices and innovation.
Welcome to TechSoup New Member Orientation and Q&A (May 2024).pdfTechSoup
In this webinar you will learn how your organization can access TechSoup's wide variety of product discount and donation programs. From hardware to software, we'll give you a tour of the tools available to help your nonprofit with productivity, collaboration, financial management, donor tracking, security, and more.
Palestine last event orientationfvgnh .pptxRaedMohamed3
An EFL lesson about the current events in Palestine. It is intended to be for intermediate students who wish to increase their listening skills through a short lesson in power point.
Biological screening of herbal drugs: Introduction and Need for
Phyto-Pharmacological Screening, New Strategies for evaluating
Natural Products, In vitro evaluation techniques for Antioxidants, Antimicrobial and Anticancer drugs. In vivo evaluation techniques
for Anti-inflammatory, Antiulcer, Anticancer, Wound healing, Antidiabetic, Hepatoprotective, Cardio protective, Diuretics and
Antifertility, Toxicity studies as per OECD guidelines
Digital Tools and AI for Teaching Learning and Research
Student Belongingness
1. A focus on student
belongingness as a multi-
layered concept
Dr Konstantina Martzoukou & Dr Fiona Work
2. Recently, we organised an interactive session for enhancing the practice of our academic
colleagues across the university (an event facilitated by the Department for the Enhancement
of Learning, Teaching and Access at the Robert Gordon University). The topic we selected
was ‘belongingness’ with a focus on its connection to the online distance-learning
environment in a bid to relate pedagogical theory to practice (Cheng, Cheng and Tang 2010).
We started by gaining inspiration from a collaborative project, which has been funded by QAA
Scotland under the current national Enhancement Theme: Evidence for Enhancement,
Improving the Student Experience. The project, a partnership between a number of different
universities (Queen Margaret University, the Open University in Scotland, the University of
Highlands and Islands, and the University of Dundee), aims to develop “a toolkit for tutors to
promote a sense of belonging for online, distance and rural learners at the module and
programme levels” (Gibson, Peacock and McDermott 2018).
The toolkit, when completed, can place emphasis on the practical steps that could be
followed in different stages of the student’s learning experience (e.g. before, at the start,
during and after a module/programme), focusing, among others, on areas such as student
orientation, engagement, collaboration and co-learning activities.
Introduction
The opportunity to organise the training session on belongingness helped us to reflect critically upon a number
of issues. At a first glance, belongingness or a sense of belonging may appear to be a straightforward concept.
The need for belongingness is a basic human motivation and all people have a strong need to belong. For
example, Maslow’s (1962) hierarchy of needs places belongingness needs just after basic physiological and
safety needs of people. Once basic needs have been gratified, psychological needs such as belongingness and
love as well as esteem (i.e. prestige and feeling of accomplishment) emerge, the fulfilment of which lead to self-
actualisation, in other words “achieving one’s full potential, including creative activities” (Maslow 1962; 1970).
Drawing from a number of key authors, we understood that belongingness for us creates a feeling of
connectedness, which is expressed as a feeling that one has importance and matters to others (Rosenberg &
Mccullough 1981). Belongingness can be also perceived as the opposite of feeling a sense of alienation,
isolation or marginality.
What is belongingness?
Authors
Dr Konstantina Martzoukou is Teaching Excellence Fellow and Course Leader (MSc information and Library
Studies) at Robert Gordon University. She is also Convener of Information and Computer Science Global
Subject Centre of OneHE.
Dr Fiona Work is Senior Lecturer in eLearning and Innovation and Teaching Excellence Fellow at the school of
Nursing and Midwifery, at Robert Gordon University.
3. However, as part of our training session we were focusing on belongingness not as a general concept but
within the domain of education and particularly within the distance-learning programmes that we design for our
students. Sheffield Hallam University Academic Development team describe belongingness as “the sense that
a student feels that they are part of their course and that their presence and involvement matter” (Sheffield
Hallam University 2019). That concept or premise suggests active involvement and participation as well as the
need to be part of a community of learners who not only value their education as passive learners but they can
be co-creators by means of interacting with other students and learning from each other. Beyond this social
dimension, a sense of belonging, from a student perspective, may also be a “reflection of their satisfaction with
the teaching on their course, the extent to which they identify with their discipline and the belief they have that
they can succeed academically and in life". Belonging, of course, is also affected by students’ “wider
experiences they have while at university” and not only by their academic experiences (Sheffield Hallam
University 2019).
This is an interesting view which directs us towards considering critically both the value and the complexity of
belongingness from a student perspective and not only from a learner perspective. Previous research has
similarly identified the value of belongingness for students’ engagement (Hardy and Bryson 2009), social and
academic integration (Tinto 1993), student retention (Thomas 2012), student success (Strayhorn 2012)
pointing to its significant value for students on different levels. However, it led us to start to question if the
sense of belongingness is the same for all learners? Is it similar during the different stages of the learning
journey? And more fundamentally, who are the key players and strategies that foster it? Looking at the
academic literature, it becomes clear that belongingness is not a new concept nor a single but a
multidimensional entity. In other words, it is fostered not in silo but in relation to institutional (Percy 2002),
course (Kember, Lee and Li 2001), and peer involvement (Thomas 2012), (Strayhorn 2012) (Figure 2).
What is the value of belongingness in education?
Figure 1 What is belongingness? (Maslow 1962; 1970)
4. Therefore, we can distinguish a number of manifestations of belongingness and its value, as presented in the
following layers:
a) The Course / discipline layer
It fosters motivation and helps students to understand how the programme can help them develop key
knowledge and skills in order to achieve future personal and professional goals.
b) The Institutional layer
It promotes and fosters a commonly shared pedagogy and values which shape the students’ approach to
learning and development of skills and knowledge.
c) The Peer layer (student)
It empowers students to learn together and develop into active and life-long learners and, subsequently team
players within the professional sphere and personal lives.
d) The Peer layer (academic)
It ensures a supportive and inclusive education and inspires students with a positive role model (educational
or professional).
To these layers we may also add that students have diverse social identities, circumstances and experiences,
which may result to different perceptions of belongingness. Not all students experience belonging in the same
way while learning within the same context. Students are different on the basis of their own personal qualities
and learning styles, their previous educational experiences and background which create different levels of
academic self-efficacy. They also have diverse age demographics and everyday life commitments - to name
just a few – which play a role in how they engage with their education and interact with others. These create
unique learning identities, which may, for example, value or not value belongingness or may consider the
value of belongingness differently within the different stages of their unique and individual learning journey.
Figure 2. The value and different layers of student belongingness
5. Considering belongingness from these lenses, we may be able to devise different strategies for fostering
belongingness. For example, at the course/discipline level, a focus on belongingness means that we can
identify early students who struggle and intervene to ensure that communication and access to support is
available. In addition, we need to cater for the different stages/motivations of students. Consider, for example a
first year undergraduate student who is transitioning into higher education from school and needs to develop
into an effective learner next to a final semester master’s student, who aims to develop professional skills and
knowledge, which are closely associated with their personal career objectives. For the new student improving
course/peer integration may be key in order to create a sense of belonging that will help them achieve higher
educational goals. For a continuing student, the peer layer of belongingness may be key to helping them
develop interpersonal and team working skills, which are linked to their future employment.
Ragusa and Crampton (2015) list a number of steps for developing students’ sense of belonging. For new
students improving social integration can be enabled by means of making them feel known and accepted,
creating a welcoming and familiar environment and enabling mechanisms to ask for help. For ongoing students
belongingness can be enabled via encouraging active engagement with the programme (as opposed to
passive) and having an environment which fosters sharing one’s own passion for the discipline, focusing on
personal objectives and career aspirations. Interestingly, the researchers found that belongingness for distance-
learners had a “utilitarian role”:
“Distance students cared less about the sophistication or
aesthetics of learning resources provided and cared more
about resources’ practical application and relevance. Thus,
prioritising relevant and focused learning interactions are
likely to be well-received and may foster a sense of identity
and connection.”
Ragusa and
Crampton
2015
6. With all of the above ideas in mind, we set out to design a practical session with the following
objectives:
Therefore, we first asked our participants the following question:
To explore the meaning of belongingness in the online environment for students (we used a
mentimeter.com exercise for this)
To appraise various approaches to foster belongingness in the online environment for students
at different stages of their learning journey (group work)
To critique the QAA Belongingness Toolbox in relation to the stages of belongingness and in
relation to areas of own practice (group work).
Exploring ideas on belongingness for distance-learners
Figure 3. Participants’ answers to the question: ‘What does belongingness online mean to you?’
‘What does belongingness online mean to you?’
The answers presented below demonstrate the multifaceted social, affective, collaborative and
aspects of belongingness. They also reveal that a sense of belonging means active engagement
and the development of skills; staff felt that when they belonged they were not just passive
recipients of information and support but “part of a bigger whole”, where “feeling involved”,
“sharing ideas” and “working together” in “connection” became important pieces of the
belongingness puzzle (Figure 3).
7. The initial brainstorming exercise was followed by a practical team exercise, which asked
participants from different schools to engage in discussion and exchange up to three innovative
ideas around setting a belongingness plan. As the QAA belongingness toolkit is still under
development, we devised our own schematic template, mirroring the QAA project directions
with coloured blocks, which represent belongingness activities during the different stages of a
programme/course/module (Figure 4).
Figure 4. Belongingness diagram
There were a number of innovative ideas shared from creating a virtual coffee shop for the
students, to considering issues surrounding communication and netiquette, to building activities
around emotional intelligence and digital literacy and to getting students completing a course or
module to reflect upon their learning, before sharing insights and advice with the next student
cohort. Based on our discussions, it was also made clear that fostering belongingness is a
synergistic endeavour; belongingness cannot operate in silo. It requires effective partnership of
key stakeholders: academic and support departments (e.g. teaching and learning support,
student support services, the library, admissions) as well as a leadership and strategic vision
which embraces the centrality and diversity of students’ belongingness during the different
stages of their educational journey.
What is your own view of students’ belongingness and how can we
create distance-learning environments that can foster it?
8. CHENG,M.H., CHENG, A.Y.N and TANG, S.Y.F., 2010. Closing the gap between the theory and practice of teaching:
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