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  1. Teaching
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  3. Healthy Universities Initiative
  4. Building relatedness and belonging examples

A. Great Start: Relatedness/Belonging in the First Weeks of Uni

As our Arc colleagues emphasized, the first few weeks (including the week before classes) of a first-year student’s experience of the university curricular environment can make a significant difference to their sense of relatedness and belonging, and thus academic success and wellbeing. Below are some examples of mostly first-year courses (eg see the last strategy mentioned by Ben Kelly), but the emphasis in this section goes beyond first year, because it is important to engage all students early, in any course. See other sections for additional relevant examples.

Building peer and student-instructor relatedness early within Indigenous Studies courses

General and specific strategies. Contact Ben Kelly

Building peer and student-instructor relatedness, and program belonging

Curricular and co-curricular approaches in the first term of university. Contact Professor Adrienne Torda

Building peer relatedness in a first-year course

Contact Dr Sue Morris

Kick-starting a learning community from Week 1

Contact Associate Professor Emma Jane

Creating peer community belongingness prior to assessable team-work

Contact Dr Nirmani Wijenayake Gamachchige

References

  • Felten, P. (2022). Is ‘mattering’ a more helpful way of thinking about student belonging at university? https://twitter.com/pfeltenNC/status/1486444790963134469
  • Lizzio, A. (2017). Student lifecycle and the 5 senses of success. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfqWyDah_ybAP1QaiE-199pykCTdYcwD1
  • Redmond, P., Heffernan, A., Abawi, L., Brown, A., & Henderson, R. (2018). An Online Engagement Framework for Higher Education. Online Learning, 22(1).
  • Reid, A., Rowley, J. & Bennett, D. (2019). From expert student to novice professional: higher education and sense of self in the creative and performing arts. Music Education Research, 21(4), 399-413.
  • Ryan, R. M.,& Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066x.55.1.68.
  • Sheldon, K. M. , & Houser-Marko, L. (2001). Self-concordance, goal attainment, and the pursuit of happiness: Can there be an upward spiral? Journal of Personality & Social Psychology,80, 152-165.

Curricular approaches | Course convenor practical examples | Moodle resources | Whole-of-University approaches | General resources

  • Healthy Universities Initiative
    • Curricular approaches
    • Building relatedness and belonging examples
      • A. Great Start
      • B. Building Relatedness and Belonging
      • C. Assessable Team-work
    • Course convenor practical examples
    • Practical Curricular Examples from Faculties
    • Moodle resources
    • Whole-of-University approaches
    • General resources

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UNSW respectfully acknowledges the Bidjigal, Biripi, Dharug, Gadigal, Gumbaynggirr, Ngunnawal and Wiradjuri peoples, whose unceded lands we are privileged to learn, teach and work on our UNSW campuses. We honour the Elders of these Nations, as well as broader Nations that we walk together with, past and present, and acknowledge their ongoing connection to culture, community and Country.
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Page last updated: Friday 28 October 2022