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MY CONTEXT

Instructional Design Manager at Cambridge University Press & Assessment
Lead on digital course design for Cambridge Advance Online, connecting global learners with University of Cambridge expertise
Member of the Gender Pay Gap Taskforce and EDIB (Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging) Board
Committed to fostering inclusive, supportive learning environments

“In my role as Instructional Design Manager at Cambridge University Press & Assessment, I lead on the design of digital courses for Cambridge Advance Online. These are premium, short online courses developed in partnership with University of Cambridge academics, aimed at professionals around the world who want to deepen their expertise and connect with peers. The courses cover a wide range of subjects and are delivered through a flexible, interactive online platform, combining academic rigour with practical application.”

�“My involvement with our organisation’s Gender Pay Gap Taskforce and the EDIB Board reflects my commitment to advancing equality, diversity, inclusion, and belonging—not just in policy, but in everyday practice. These roles keep me engaged with the latest thinking and challenges in creating environments where everyone feels valued.”

�“Before moving into instructional design, I spent eight years teaching group exercise classes. This experience taught me first-hand how a welcoming, supportive environment can transform individual wellbeing and foster a strong sense of community. I bring these lessons into my digital course design, ensuring that every learner feels seen and supported.”

�“These experiences—both professional and personal—shape my approach to designing for belonging. I believe that whether in a physical classroom, a gym, or an online course, the principles of inclusion and wellbeing are universal and essential for meaningful learning.”

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AGENDA

Why belonging matters in digital learning

Design principles for belonging

Case study: Cambridge Advance Online

Actioning designing for belonging

Next steps

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WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BELONG?

Definition: Belonging is the feeling that you are represented, included, and accepted in your educational experience, and that your presence and contributions matter to the learning community.
Why it matters: A strong sense of belonging is positively linked to learner engagement, retention, and wellbeing. Conversely, learners who feel excluded or different report lower levels of participation and satisfaction.

“A deep sense of love and belonging is an irreducible need of all people. We are biologically, cognitively, physically, and spiritually wired to love, to be loved, and to belong. When those needs are not met, we don't function as we were meant to.” Brené Brown, research professor at the University of Houston

“Belonging is a foundational human need—and in education, it’s about feeling seen, accepted, and valued as part of the learning community. The definition here is adapted from the Teaching + Learning Lab at MIT’s definition: ‘Academic belonging is the extent to which individuals feel like a valued, accepted, and legitimate member in their academic domain.’ This captures the emotional and social dimensions of learning that are often overlooked in digital spaces.

“Before we dive deeper, I’d like to get a sense from all of you:�Could you please raise your hand if you’ve ever found yourself in a situation—perhaps at work, in education, or even socially—where you felt like you didn’t quite belong?

Thank you for sharing. I ask this because, as we’ll see, the feeling of belonging—or not belonging—is something almost everyone experiences at some point, and it’s central to how we engage and thrive in learning environments.”

I also love this quote from Brené Brown, a research professor known for her work on vulnerability, empathy, and belonging: ‘We are biologically, cognitively, physically, and spiritually wired to love, to be loved, and to belong.’ It reminds us that designing for belonging isn’t just about pedagogy—it’s about meeting a core human need.”

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ADVANTAGES OF EMBEDDING WELLBEING AND BELONGING IN DIGITAL LEARNING

Engagement: Learners who feel connected and supported are more emotionally and cognitively engaged.

Retention: A strong sense of belonging reduces dropout rates and improves course completion.

Repeat learners: Positive learning experiences foster trust and encourage learners to return.

Lifelong learning: Inclusive, wellbeing-focused environments build learner confidence and motivation to continue learning.

“Research consistently shows that when learners feel a sense of belonging and emotional safety, they’re more likely to engage deeply with course content and peers. A 2025 study in the International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education found that psychological ownership and belonging had stronger effects on engagement than even flow states in virtual learning environments.

Retention is another key benefit. A study published in Teaching in Higher Education highlighted that meaningful relational connections in online classrooms—between learners and instructors, peers, and content—significantly reduced attrition and improved achievement.

These positive experiences also lead to repeat learners. When learners feel supported and valued, they’re more likely to return for future courses, recommend them to others, and build long-term relationships with the institution.

Finally, embedding wellbeing and belonging supports lifelong learning. As shown in The Australian Educational Researcher, online learning environments that prioritise clarity, relevance, and emotional engagement help learners develop the motivation and confidence to continue learning beyond a single course.

So, designing for belonging isn’t just about making learners feel good—it’s a strategic approach that improves outcomes across the board.”

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AGENDA

Why belonging matters in digital learning

Design principles for belonging

Case study: Cambridge Advance Online

Actioning designing for belonging

Next steps

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PRINCIPLES OF BELONGING

Inclusion and representation

Fostering community and connection

Emotional intelligence and safety

Meaningful support and visibility

Relevance and personal meaning

“In preparing this session, I reviewed a wide range of research and practical frameworks on belonging, and identified five key principles that we can consider when designing for wellbeing and belonging in our context. I feel this also connects to Deci and Ryan’s Self-Determination theory, where we are seeking to provide learner autonomy, competence and relatedness. I’m going to talk you through these principles and how we can apply them to digital spaces:

Inclusion and Representation – Ensuring all learners feel seen and respected, with content and activities that reflect diverse backgrounds and experiences. It’s about designing content and interactions that are accessible and affirm identity and relevance. You can use multiple learning formats to provide choice and support learners with different needs.

Fostering Community and Connection – Creating opportunities for learners to interact, collaborate, and build relationships, both with each other and with tutors. This might be through discussion forums, group work, peer review, or live sessions that build trust and shared purpose. It is important to celebrate learner contributions and achievements, and also to build rapport early on through icebreakers and introductions.

Emotional Intelligence and Safety – Designing with empathy, using supportive language, and establishing clear expectations so learners feel safe to participate and express themselves. This includes tone, clarity, and responsiveness in communication, as well as recognising when learners might need support.

Meaningful Support and Visibility – Providing clear guidance, timely feedback, and maintaining a consistent tutor presence so learners know they’re supported throughout their journey. Learners need to feel acknowledged. Whether it’s a personalised message, timely feedback, regular check-ins, or a shout-out in a forum, these moments matter.

Relevance and Personal Meaning – When learners can connect course content to their own lives and goals, it deepens engagement. Offering choice, using real-world examples, and inviting reflection can all help here.

By grouping the principles in this way, it’s easier to see how they work together to create a holistic sense of belonging in digital learning environments. Each principle is important on its own, but it’s their combination that really makes a difference and helps us design learning experiences that are not just effective, but human-centred and emotionally intelligent.”.”

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AGENDA

Why belonging matters in digital learning

Design principles for belonging

Case study: Cambridge Advance Online

Actioning designing for belonging

Next steps

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CASE STUDY: CAMBRIDGE ADVANCE ONLINE

Short synchronous courses for professionals

Created in partnership with University of Cambridge academics

Supported by dedicated course tutors

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KEY FACTS

96% of learners rate courses as good or excellent, we have had almost 4000 learners to date
87% course completion rate
92% rated academic and tutor support as good or excellent
90% rated group size as good or excellent
84% rated live sessions as good or excellent
79% rated social learning elements as good or excellent

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INCLUSION & REPRESENTATION

‘I like the diversity of learning techniques - reading, videos, model activities like the 'drop and drags' etc, labelling, 'build a brain', lectures and tests.’ Learner, Functional Neuroanatomy

Diverse examples and formats: varied content types and audience-relevant examples

Accessible design: ensuring accessible and inclusive design

Inviting learner voice: interactive, reflective, and context-aware learning

Over the next five slides I’m going to talk you through how we bring each of the five belonging principles to life in our Cambridge Advance Online Courses, I’m going to share examples and learner feedback, so you can see what’s working for us, and consider what you might like to emulate in your context:

“We use a wide range of examples and formats, drawn from our academic’s knowledge of the industry and through market research, so learners see content that’s inclusive and relevant to them. A learner from our Functional Neuroanatomy course shared how useful they found this, and I thought you might like to see the build a brain activity they are referring to, essentially learners are encouraged to create a model brain using modelling clay that they then label, not only adding learning variety but supporting retention of this key concept”
“Accessibility is a priority: we have an accessibility taskforce that keeps us up to date with legislation and best practice, and we make design choices to support accessibility like adding headings for screen readers and meaningful alt text and long descriptions.”
“We actively invite learner voice through assignments, discussion forums and reflective prompts so everyone can participate and see themselves in the course.”

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FOSTERING COMMUNITY & CONNECTION

‘I really enjoyed looking at my colleagues’ final projects, discussions and comments. It was interesting to see how everyone from different backgrounds approach problems and come up with such variety of ideas.’ Learner, Creativity, Problem-Solving and Design-Thinking

Encourage peer interaction: community-building through group work and peer review

Use icebreakers and introductions: personal sharing to foster connection

Celebrate contributions: tutors highlight learner progress with constructive feedback

“We build community through group work, peer review, and discussion forums, so learners connect and learn from each other. You can see one of our learners here has shared how useful they found it reviewing their peers’ contributions and the value of diversity of thought.”

“Tutors use icebreakers and introductions to help learners share their experiences and build rapport early in the course. The image you can see here is of our introductory discussion forum, which we use in all course orientation modules to break the ice and facilitate students getting to know one another. At the end of the course learners are also added to a LinkedIn alumni community, to support keeping in touch”

“We celebrate learner contributions with constructive feedback, highlighting progress and encouraging participation.”

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EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE & SAFETY

‘I really appreciate the encouragement and positive attitudes of the tutors :)’ Learner, Compelling Communication Skills

Supportive tone: tutors use encouraging language in announcements and feedback

Empathetic language: content and feedback aim to make learners feel understood

Clear community guidelines: policies and tutor moderation foster respectful interaction

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MEANINGFUL SUPPORT & VISIBILITY

‘The tutors were knowledgeable, approachable, and responsive to questions, which made the learning environment supportive and inclusive’ Learner, ESG Risk Management

Clear guidance and expectations: orientation and deadlines clearly communicated

Timely, personalised feedback: prompt marking with inclusive rubrics

Consistent tutor presence: dedicated tutor active across all course touchpoints

“We provide clear guidance and expectations, so learners know what’s required and when, you can see a screen grab here of part of the course assessment page of our course orientation module, which clearly sets out work required and deadlines.”

“Tutors offer timely, personalised feedback using inclusive rubrics, which we have created in partnership with assessment experts to make them helpful for tutors while supporting diversity in learner interpretation and submission.”

“Consistent tutor presence—learners have a dedicated tutor active in forums, live sessions, and private messages, and you can see feedback from one of our learners here on how supported this made them feel. We manage course cohort size carefully to ensure tutors are able to give each learner the support and time they need.”

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RELEVANCE & PERSONAL MEANING

‘Learning from learners' experiences and backgrounds’ Course tutor

Connect content to real-world contexts: relatable examples and varied case studies

Allow learner choice: flexible assignments tailored to learner’s industry

Use reflective prompts: embedded throughout to support personal insight

“We connect course content to real-world contexts, using relatable examples and varied case studies. For example, last year we created a course on sustainability for an audience based in Africa, so we were careful to ensure the content and examples we used were relevant to our learners’ context”

“Where possible, we give learners choice in assignments, tailoring tasks to their industry and interests, for example creating an environment, social, governance strategic plan for their work area or industry. Since our learners are largely mid-career professionals, this is an easy way to support them to find relevance and personal meaning in the learning, and you can see feedback from one of our tutors here noting how beneficial they find it having learners from diverse backgrounds and experiences”

“Reflective prompts are embedded throughout to encourage personal insight and deeper engagement, as when a learner considers how the theoretical concepts link to their circumstances they are not only likely to feel increased belonging, but also feel more engaged with learning that concept. You can see here a reflective prompt from one of our courses that asks learners to consider idea generation concepts in relation to their personal creativity”

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CHALLENGES AND LESSONS LEARNED

You can foster belonging, but you can’t force it
Balancing structure with flexibility
Ensuring genuine inclusion and representation
Sustaining tutor presence and support
Iterative improvement

This slide summarises some of the challenges and lessons we have learned with Cambridge Advance Online:

While you can make many efforts to foster belonging, and support learner wellbeing, you can’t force it and sometimes factors outside of your control can undercut your efforts. Not every learner will feel they belong even in the most supportive of environments, but by embedding some of these principles and being open to learner feedback, you can create an environment that invites belonging
It can be challenging to balance the flexibility you want to provide to support learners with the structure they need to complete the course and earn their certification. A particular challenge can be offering content and assignment choice which also ensures all learning outcomes are met
It is vital to ensure inclusion and representation is genuine, so that diversity and accessibility are meaningful and relevant rather than superficial gestures, so we have learned the value of market research for identifying what our learners need, and embedding accessibility across all teams in the course creation process.
Another challenge can be sustaining tutor presence and support, since tutors themselves may be time-poor and it can be difficult to ensure a consistent approach across all tutors on our courses. What has helped is maintaining regular communication lines with tutors and encouraging feedback, and also conducting quality assurance on tutors to ensure they are meeting our standards.
Finally, iterative improvement would be my biggest lesson learned, that there will be challenges and feedback at every stage of creating an environment that supports belonging, but that if you have a willingness to learn and improve, and make time to do so, then over time you will be able to create an environment that facilitates your learners’ growth and success, which is ultimately what we’re trying to do.

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AGENDA

Why belonging matters in digital learning

Design principles for belonging

Case study: Cambridge Advance Online

Actioning designing for belonging

Next steps

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EMBEDDING BELONGING PRINCIPLES THROUGH YOUR COURSE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

Analyse

Design

Develop

Implement

Evaluate

To bring us out of the Cambridge Advance Online context and towards thinking about how you will embed this in your course design practice, let’s go through some touchpoints where you can embed belonging as you’re creating your course. I have aligned these to the ADDIE model of course development, which you may be familiar with, but essentially it splits the process into five stages:

First the analysis stage, where you identify what the course needs to deliver. To support belonging here, spend time investigating who your learners are, and their backgrounds, needs, and barriers to belonging (e.g., prior experiences of exclusion, accessibility requirements). This will set you up well to understand what you need to do to create the environment they need in the following stages.
Next up is design, where you’re going to design your learning experience. Here you can use the data you gathered in analyse to intentionally design for inclusion: use diverse examples, accessible formats, and invite learner voice in activities through reflective prompts. You can also plan for community building by embedding peer interaction and establishing clear guidelines and policies for respectful and supportive engagement. It helps to regularly return to the analysis data so you can check you’re still delivering what is needed. If you have the resources, you can also gain feedback on early designs from prospective learners in this stage.
Next is develop, where you’re going to develop the course content, seeking to reflect diverse perspectives and real-world contexts, develop support materials like orientation modules and tutor resources that clarify expectations and promote emotional safety, and this is also a big stage for accessibility and where you can ensure you have your transcripts and captions, screen reader compatibility and accessible alternatives. If you have access to a tool like Blackboard Ally that checks content for accessibility this can be a big help in this stage, otherwise you can have an accessibility audit built in to ensure content is checked and changed if needed.
Next we implement your course, where it is important to focus on community building and support, ensure you launch with clear messaging and visible tutor presence, facilitate learner icebreakers, and collect data on engagement to indicate whether learners’ belonging needs are being met. If you are able to gather data and respond to it live, such as noting a learner has been inactive and a tutor reaches out to check-in with them, that can be key to embedding belonging through course implementation
Finally, it is really important to evaluate your course after it is complete, or at regular intervals, gathering feedback on learners’ sense of belonging, inclusion, and wellbeing (e.g., surveys, reflection prompts), and also from your tutors to see what they have observed about the learner experience. You can audit your course for belonging, with a checklist that I will give you at the end of this session, encourage everyone involved in the course creation to reflect on challenges and lessons learned, and finally use the data you gather to iterate and improve future course designs, focusing on what worked for engagement, retention, and wellbeing.

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AGENDA

Why belonging matters in digital learning

Design principles for belonging

Case study: Cambridge Advance Online

Actioning designing for belonging

Next steps

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FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS

ROLE OF AI

LEGISLATION AND GOVERNMENT

‘COST’ OF BELONGING

AI and Belonging

AI offers huge opportunities for personalisation—adapting content, creating multiple formats, personalising learning pathways, and even providing student support agents.

However, there’s a risk: if we rely too much on AI, we may reduce meaningful learner-to-tutor and peer-to-peer interaction, which are crucial for belonging and wellbeing.

Government and Legislation

Governments can play a major role in shaping how institutions embed EDIB (Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging).

For example, in the US, government policy has influenced institutional practices.

The European Accessibility Act, which came into force this year, is a positive step—enforcing accessibility principles for all organisations operating in Europe and driving improvements for all learners.

The Cost of Belonging

With increasing financial pressures, there’s a risk that belonging and wellbeing are seen as “nice to have” or only benefiting a minority.

It’s more important than ever to highlight the broad benefits for all learners—improved engagement, retention, and lifelong learning.

We should also look for streamlined, sustainable ways to embed EDIB in learning design, so it’s seen as integral, not optional.

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