Unit 4: Supporting Sense of Belonging

Goals

Understand the importance of promoting a sense of belonging for students in geosciences. Identify ways in which we can foster a welcoming climate that engenders students' sense of belonging within our departments, courses, and field experiences.

Asynchronous Preparation

Preparation

Watch Webinar on "Sense of Belonging"

READ

• Fox, B.R.S., Din, R.R., Davidson. A.C., Trowler, V., Ayodeji, V., Rockey, F., and Patel-Nair, M., 2024. Towards more fluid inclusion: making geoscience undergraduate degrees a place of belonging for all. Earth Sci. Syst. Soc. 4:10115. doi: 10.3389/esss.2024.10115

ACTION

• We will be discussing how to incorporate best practices to foster a sense of belonging within 3 facets of department life: 1) courses, 2) department events, and 3) field experiences. Use the submission form to tell us your individual preferences for which ones you're most interested in discussing.
• As a team, construct a table outlining current activities in your department within each of these 3 categories (as makes sense for your context).  You can use whatever format makes the most sense for you (word, excel, etc.). Include strategies you already do to foster sense of belonging in those activities. Next, consider strategies or events you hope to add and maybe even consider no-no's (things to watch out for that might be happening).  
• Have one person from your team include a copy of the team's table with their submission.

Other Resources (optional)

• Exploring Successes in Strengthening Enrollment and Managing Administrative Expectations AGU/AGI Heads and Chairs webinar. Although this webinar was given with the goal of helping departments strengthen enrollments, there are many examples of departmental community-building events that you may find useful when thinking about additions to your department activities.
• Foster a Sense of Belonging from SAGE 2YC
• Hansen, M. J., Palakal, M. J., & White, L. J. (2024). The importance of STEM sense of belonging and academic hope in enhancing persistence for low-income, underrepresented STEM students. Journal for STEM Education Research, 7(2), 155-180.
• Du, W., Hernandez, P. R., Adams, A. S., Clinton, S. M., Barnes, R. T., Burt, M., ... & Fischer, E. V. (2023). Promoting sense of belonging and interest in the geosciences among undergraduate women through mentoring. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 31(4), 446-465.
• Burt, M., Barnes, R., Schanz, S., Clinton, S., & Fischer, E. (2023). Mentorship builds inclusivity and belonging in the geosciences. Eos, 104.
• Strayhorn, T. L. (2024). Preliminary Evidence of the Reliability and Validity of a Sense of Belonging in STEM Scale for College Students.  Journal of Science Education and Technology 33, 84–93. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-023-10076-7

Synchronous Meeting

Goals

• Participants will develop and share their tables
• Participants will work together to create a list of best-practices for promoting sense of belonging within each category
• Departmental teams will brainstorm next steps in individual and departmental implementation

Agenda

12:00 PM Welcome & Roadcheck summary

12:05 PM Split into small groups based on one of the 3 categories: Courses, Department Events, Field Experiences

• Each member briefly presents their table for the chosen category
• Guided discussion
  • What are some commonalities of best-practices for these activities?
  • How do the best practices depend on context (mode of activity, level of students, make up of student body)?
  • What are some common pitfalls or no-no's that might creep into these activities?  How can we implement strategies to avoid those?

12:40 PM Large group discussion

• Share best practices and pitfalls from each small group to create a shared document for each category

12:55 PM Announcements; Roadcheck