In this article:
- A study from the University of Victoria sheds light on why students with a higher sense of belonging are more likely to graduate from schools and move onto higher degrees
- Researchers differentiated between two types of help-seeking: adaptive help-seeking and expedient help-seeking.
- In adaptive help seeking, students facilitate their own learning process through asking for hints or explanations. In expedient help-seeking, students look for ways to minimize their work by asking for solutions or for someone else to also do part of the work for them.
- Students who reported a higher sense of belonging were more likely to exhibit adaptive help-seeking, but were not more likely to exhibit expedient help seeking
- Adapted help-seeking also correlated positively with a student’s confidence in implementing various self-regulated learning skills (self-efficacy for self-regulated learning) and motivation to learn.
It’s no secret that students with a higher sense of belonging are more likely to graduate from their program and move onto higher degrees. A study from the University of Victoria can shed a little bit of light onto why: students with a higher sense of belonging are more likely to seek out help when they need it, utilizing more of the student services that administrators put so much effort into developing.
A sense of belonging & asking for help
In this study, researchers recruited 307 students to take part in a learning strategies course with an aim to help them develop a deeper understanding of factors that influence well-being and academic performance. Students had an average age of 20.5 years, with 40.1% self-identifying as female and 59.9% as male.
Participants were asked to complete two surveys regarding their likelihood to seek help, their confidence in implementing various self-regulated learning skills, their sense of belonging and their belief that the topics covered in this course would be useful. The first survey was administered after the first few weeks of the start of classes, while the second survey was administered towards the end of the semester. Of the original 307 participants, 88.3% (271 students) responded to the second survey.
A higher sense of belonging led to more effective help seeking
The researchers looked at two types of help-seeking: adaptive help-seeking and expedient help-seeking. In adaptive help seeking, students facilitate their own learning process through asking for hints or explanations. In expedient help-seeking, students look for ways to minimize their work by asking for solutions or for someone else to also do part of the work for them.
Across the board, students who reported a higher sense of belonging were more likely to also exhibit adaptive help-seeking, but were not more likely to exhibit expedient help seeking. Adapted help-seeking also correlated positively with a student’s confidence in implementing various self-regulated learning skills (self-efficacy for self-regulated learning) and motivation to learn.
Students who feel like they belong are more likely to adapt to the challenges in front of them by seeking out help from their peers and teachers. This is why a sense of belonging is so important in a post-secondary setting — so students understand help is available to them and fell comfortable putting themselves in the vulnerable position of admitting they are confused by a topic.
Make it easy for students to connect to the community
In our previous blog, we took a look at how Iowa State University is working to improve the sense of belonging in their students through three key areas: Interpersonal relationships, Discipline Identity, and Developing a growth mindset. Through these relationships, students understand where they fit into the wider school community and also how their studies will improve both their lives and the lives of the people around them.
Peer-to-peer tutoring and mentorship programs can also help students form valuable, lifelong connections to their community — the trick is to make them easily accessible. Nimbus’s platform easily integrates into your institution’s learning management system and can connect students with the support they need in a few easy clicks. With Nimbus’ help, 60% of our partners have been able to expand their current student success programs or add new services that meet students where they are. Our dedicated team can help inform you (and your student interns) on where to focus your marketing efforts and can even provide custom materials and strategies to ensure your program’s success.
Get in touch with us to learn more about how we can help!
Paper cited
Sungjun Won, Lauren C. Hensley & Christopher A. Wolters (2021) Brief Research Report: Sense of Belonging and Academic Help-Seeking as Self-Regulated Learning, The Journal of Experimental Education, 89:1, 112-124, DOI: 10.1080/00220973.2019.1703095
