Evidence-based ways to increase student belonging in the active learning classroom
Sara Brownell
Research for Inclusive STEM Education Center
School of Life Sciences
Arizona State University
Chat blast
Based on your own teaching experiences, think about your favorite way to try to increase student belonging and feelings of inclusion in active learning and type it in the chat
1. Use name tents
Identified �9 reasons why an instructor knowing student names is important
Why instructor knowing a student’s name is important | % student response |
Affects student attitudes about their roles in the course | |
Feels more valued | 31% |
Feels more invested in the course | 19% |
Affects student self-reported behavior | |
More comfortable getting help | 19% |
More comfortable talking to the instructor | 12% |
Performs better in the course | 12% |
Affects how student perceives the course or instructor | |
Perceives that the instructor cares | 27% |
Builds instructor-student relationships | 23% |
Builds classroom community | 14% |
Instructors are more likely to provide students with a letter of recommendation or mentoring | 7% |
Cooper et al., 2017 CBE Life Sciences Education
Students used the name tents to build relationships with each other in the classroom
Calling other students by name
Kelsey:
“Early on I worked with a girl during class and I forgot her name and I would see her name tent. She's probably the closest thing I have to being part of a biology community. And knowing her name is part of building community.”
Other students calling them by name
Erika:
“The person sitting next to me called me by my name. I turned around. It makes me respond better, because they call you by your name instead of like, "Hey." When they call your name- it makes me want to have more communication with them.”
Cooper et al., 2017 CBE Life Sciences Education
2. Use humor
98.8% of students agree that they appreciate when instructors use humor in college science classes
Cooper et al., 2018 PLOS ONE
Identified 9 reasons why students appreciate instructor humor in college science classes
Reason why students appreciate instructor humor | % Student responses |
Humor positively changes the classroom atmosphere | |
Makes class more interesting, fun, or exciting | 49% |
Lightens the mood of class | 22% |
Gives students a break from hard content | 8% |
Humor improves students’ experience during class | |
Engages students during class | 27% |
Enhances student learning | 21% |
Reduces stress-related emotions about class | 9% |
Humor enhances the relationship between students and instructors | |
Makes the instructor more relatable or personable | 13% |
Makes the instructor more approachable | 8% |
Builds student/instructor relationship | 6% |
Cooper et al., 2018 PLOS ONE
How does instructor use of humor affect student attention to course content?
Funny humor
Science instructor use of:
% of students
Cooper et al., 2018, PLOS ONE
Attention to course content
Funny humor
Science instructor use of:
% of students
How do you think unfunny instructor humor affects student attention to course content?
Unfunny humor
Cooper et al., 2018, PLOS ONE
Funny humor
Unfunny humor
Science instructor use of:
% of students
Attention to course content
Cooper et al., 2018, PLOS ONE
Funny humor
Unfunny humor
Science instructor use of:
% of students
Offensive humor
How do you think offensive instructor humor affects student attention to course content?
Attention to course content
Cooper et al., 2018, PLOS ONE
Funny humor
Unfunny humor
Science instructor use of:
% of students
Offensive humor
Attention to course content
Cooper et al., 2018, PLOS ONE
Sense of belonging to the science course
Funny humor
Science instructor use of:
Unfunny humor
% of students
Offensive humor
Cooper et al., 2018 PLOS ONE
3. Try to decrease student feelings of “being stupid”
“In active learning courses, I feel uncomfortable [talking to people], because I don’t know what their perception of me is. I worry ‘Do they like me? Do they think that I’m stupid?”
“That’s what I’m afraid of when getting called on in front of the whole class, getting it completely wrong, or not saying anything. (...) If you don't know, you're that one person who seems stupid. That's what I feel like. Not knowing the answer makes me feel anxious, makes me feel like I’m the outcast, the stupid one”
Fear of negative evaluation
Inhibits students’ ability to think through a science problem
Cooper et al., 2018, International Journal of STEM Education
Inhibits students’ ability articulate their thoughts about science
Fear of negative evaluation: The fear of being negatively evaluated while participating in a social situation (Watson & Friend, 1969; Weeks et al., 2005)
How to decrease student feelings of “being stupid"