Relationships
Create class guidelines clarifying how students will be working with and interacting with each other during the course, including in-class activities, working in pairs, giving feedback, group projects, notes-sharing, discussion forums, online polls, etc. (Weimer, 2013).
Impact: Facilitates an environment that encourages learning with others and seeing the benefit of engaging with one’s peers. When students get to know each other, they become more aware of each other’s strengths, weaknesses, and unique perspectives. This awareness can promote a sense of belonging and ensures that students with diverse backgrounds and abilities are valued and included in the learning process.
Use icebreakers and introductory activities, including sharing interests related to the course and learning backgrounds, that facilitate students learning more about their peers.
Impact: Allows students to connect with one another, fostering a sense of belonging and individuality early in the course. By sharing more about themselves, students can find common ground and build relationships based on shared experiences. This helps frame the classroom as a space for expressing unique ideas, experiences, and interests.
Use strategies to reduce anonymity, including asking students to state their name when they speak during class and creating name tags (Ambrose et al., 2010).
Impact: Promotes a sense of belonging and community within the classroom, making it easier for students to engage in discussions and feel comfortable participating. Emphasizing the learning of names, in particular, helps create a more personalized and inclusive learning environment and underscores the reality that students speak and build knowledge from their own standpoint.
References
Ambrose, S. A., Bridges, M. W., DiPietro, M., Lovett, M. C., & Norman, M. K. (2010). How learning works: Seven research-based principles for smart teaching. John Wiley & Sons.
Weimer, M. (2013). Learner-Centered Teaching: Five Key Changes to Practice (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.
