Qualitative Results
The 179 questionnaire responses also included open ended questions that were subject to qualitative content analysis and integrated here. Three focus groups were conducted: two student sessions, each with two female students covering Speech Pathology and Paramedicine, and one academic session with five participants: four full time academics and one casual academic.
Global Theme - Navigating belonging during the COVID-19 crisis: A shared responsibility
We are in this together...making the best of this
The global theme revealed that students and academics were navigating belonging during the COVID-19 crisis, and this journey was a shared responsibility during this time of crisis. Both groups were working together in the online learning environment to achieve positive student engagement that would in turn create a sense of belonging in first-year students. A strong commitment of being “in this together”, working hard to “make the best out of this” was acknowledged.
Students perceived academics had done “a really good job at making sure we belonged … in those first few weeks that we were on campus but even more so probably while we were in Zoom [online learning platform]”. Academics perceived students were actively engaged in making online learning work, and were collegial and collaborative:
I think there was often that sense of, you know, camaraderie within the group of “we’re in this together”, “okay, this has maybe not gone 100% according to plan, let’s make the best out of this”…both ways. So…them sort of supporting…me. But also…they could see that I was obviously doing my best…to try and make things happen as well for…the students.
The shared experiences about navigating belonging during the COVID-19 crisis, have been captured under four organising themes: dimensions of belonging, individual experiences and challenges, reconceptualising teaching and learning, and relationships are central to belonging. Within each organising theme, basic themes were identified that provide depth to the organising theme (Fig. 1).
Organising theme: Dimensions of Belonging
Students and academics identified several dimensions of belonging in relation to first year students’ experiences, as illustrated by two basic themes: what it means to belong, and layers of belonging.
Basic theme: What it means to belong
Academics and students agreed that having a sense of being valued by the University and a desire to have an active connection across all aspects of university life was important for students. One academic commented:
I guess…probably just feeling like you’re a part of something. Maybe a part of something bigger…having commonalities with…other people that you’re studying with...I guess, belonging to…the course…, belonging to university. (staff)
Belonging as a student was gained through a connection with the “vocation” or the course and career, and also with people who will “be there” for them:
At the end of the day, um, for me uni is a vocation, and – and the people who are in the uni is what brings me in there; that they’re the people that, …want me to go to uni…I know I can go there and there will be someone there that I can talk to. (student)
The support of academics was critical to gaining a sense of belonging as one student noted:
I think that was the thing that struck me straight away, was how welcoming and supportive I felt they were. Like, I don’t know what I was expecting uni to be like, but I feel like the tutors really care and just want you to feel really supported. (student)
It was noted by academics and students, that when students feel they belong at university, they are actively engaged in their learning, and this sense of belonging in turn shapes their overall identity. Students can then “actually sort of relax and become themselves” (staff).
Belonging to their cohort, their course, their future profession, and their university was important for students. One academic noted that the “concept of acceptance” is part of the sense of belonging and goes “both ways”:
…acceptance in the sense of that perhaps as an individual, the student feels that they are…valued and acknowledged within the community, whether it be their…professional community, their class community or the university community as a whole. But also, that they also see something within those communities that actually attracts them, or really aligns with their values or their aspirations, so that they have that motivation to want to be part of that group as well. (staff)
Both academics and students agreed that the rapid change to online learning due to COVID-19, meant that developing a sense of belonging was challenged.
Basic theme: Layers of belonging
Layers of belonging can exist for first year students, and it was important that a sense of belonging occurred across the different layers. One academic member summed it up by saying:
...there’s several layers of it...and it sort of radiates outwards, maybe from the immediate core sense of belonging or professional sense of belonging into those wider...university areas and more and more people as well...the immediate peers, but then educators and then, other sort of departments within the university as well. (staff)
Comments about how each layer contributed to belonging were made by academics and students, with the below examples illustrating key points.
Peers
Belonging to peers was described as “having that connection to someone that’s going through exactly the same thing as what you’re going through” (student). Students were concerned that when learning moved online that this sense of belonging would be jeopardised:
...they [academics] stressed that we rely on peers to support each other because we do go through some challenging things...so they were emphasising how important it is that we have each other and have each other’s backs…And they were like…“You’ll get to know everybody”, and then COVID sort of hit, and...I remember just being disappointed. I was like, how am I meant to...meet everyone and create that?” (student)
Academics
Being connected with academics was perceived by students as having a direct impact on learning, with one student commenting: “...when they’re not connecting with the teacher, they’re not connecting with the content, they’re not connecting with the feedback. That’s when you develop this sense of feeling like you just don’t belong” (student).
University
Academics were keen for students to have a sense of belonging to the University, with one commenting, “I think that’s important to feel part of the bigger university picture and university experience as well” (staff).
Profession
Belonging in the professional sense was also identified by academics and students in their discussions. Studying a degree with a clear professional identity was perceived as making it easier for first year students to feel they belonged to their profession compared to those undertaking general health science degrees which may have multiple pathways and career options that were not yet obvious to first year students.
One student commented:
...clinical specific students…can identify…who they want to be when they graduate. So that identity, I think, would really make a difference in that sense of belonging, especially with the online [learning]. (student)
One academic actively encouraged first year students to belong to their professional association as a way of fostering belonging in first years:
...one thing that I did for my students, and I think we should do it for all students in following years, is get them to sign up to the professional body of [their] particular profession. (staff)
Organising theme - Individual experiences and challenges
Academics and students reflected upon personal impacts of the COVID 19 pandemic upon their teaching or learning and how they responded as individuals to the ensuing challenges. Two basic themes emerged: Challenges of transition and recognising different learning preferences.
Basic theme - Challenges of transition
For some students, the transition to online learning offered potential benefits of flexibility and reduced travel time. Two of the four students in the focus groups reportedly opted for online learning opportunities available in other units of study prior to the pandemic to efficiently manage their study and external commitments. Nonetheless, the pandemic brought a raft of personal challenges that diminished these expected benefits. Covid-related changes to family employment, reduced access to childcare support and non-optional home schooling presented new concerns:
It was the transition outside as well…worrying about, you know, am I going to have enough money to feed my family?…Am I going to have internet that works to be able to attend my classes?” (student)
Clearly, students missed the opportunity to focus attention on their learning needs when balancing childcare demands and home-schooling during lockdowns:
My headphones are on, mute and I’m screaming, “Get off the internet. Mummy needs the internet.” (student)
Unlike a conventional online course where students choose or plan to be online, the sudden, unexpected, and unplanned move to online study was prefaced by a short period (four weeks) of face-to-face class time. This initial face-to-face time was identified as being key to relationship building:
I met two people doing the same course as me and got their social media info. So, when the transition to online came about, I already had friends I could talk to. That is the only thing that has made me feel I belong. (student)
Academics identified positive experiences and challenges during the transition to online learning. The rapid change presented a problem to be solved and individuals could “embrace it and to work effectively…as a team” (staff). Quickly strategising and responding to the demands of online learning required team knowledge, experience, and support. Hence, enhanced team culture was a further positive outcome for academics, being “present for each other” (staff).
Basic theme: Recognising different learning preferences
Students also identified personal attributes, individual expectations and learning preferences as key factors impacting their ability to maintain focus on academic goals after the rapid change to online learning. Some students reflected that some barriers were not a feature of online learning environments, reporting that competing priorities, including, “Work commitments, limited contact time with staff” (student) as pre-existing challenges to belonging:
My age [mature age student] and the distance that I live from university I believe have a greater impact on my ability to form relationships with other students than the online learning aspect of the courses at the moment. (student)
However, some students directly attributed their limited engagement and reduced motivation to the online learning environment:
Online - No motivation…Not engaging. Even the teachers sound asleep. I could listen to a 10hr lecture and still feel like I’ve learned nothing. (student)
Students suggested that active engagement “comes down to personality” (student). If a student was “not shy” they were comfortable to come forward and participate online. Some students perceived a clear link between personal discipline, engagement, commitment, and achievement:
We’re a different personality and we turn up and we do all the work and stuff, like, we set ourselves up for success. I just really feel for the people that are struggling with that and…don’t have the same kind of discipline. (student)
Further, successful (and ineffective) online group functioning was perceived to reflect the personalities of individual members, with some groups/personalities seen as being able to organise others:
Where some of the groups fell down is where they didn’t have the mature-age student in the mix, or they didn’t have a dominant personality that was able to cohesively organise them. (student)
Students who perceived themselves as active engagers reported being drawn towards other students who demonstrated motivation to interact and learn. Other students perceived that their personalities or learning preferences were misaligned with the expectations of belonging in online learning environments, and as one student commented, chose to opt out of the need to belong:
Developing a sense of belonging in the online environment seemed to require overt participation in online learning activities. This was contrary to my 'keep your head down' approach to learning. For this reason, I personally…did not prioritise acquiring a sense of belonging. (student)
Academics recognised student diversity and reported a need to reflect and re-evaluate expectations of students in online environments. They accepted that some students may be quietly engaging and learning to belong:
…it’s recognising different learning preferences and…some students’ preferences to actually be a little bit quieter and a little bit in the wings…and I’ve heard…that they are highly, highly engaged students. (staff)
Organising theme - Relationships are central to belonging
For both, students and academics, the relationships and connections formed throughout the semester constituted a fundamental aspect of fostering a sense of belonging. Two basic themes were influential in shaping perceptions of how relationships and connections contribute to belonging: collaboration with peers is fundamental, and effective and regular communication with staff is necessary.
Basic theme - Collaboration with peers is fundamental
Students in our sample expressed that their degree of social interaction with peers and opportunities to create friendships contributed to feelings of belonging.
I had a really great first semester…I was in one particular tutorial where I had really like-minded people. (student)
The people that I go to uni with…definitely helped me with the sense of belonging. (student)
Students also discussed the problem when other students neglected to turn cameras on during classes, making interaction very difficult even in smaller activities. The visualisation of peers and use of cameras in online classes should have contributed to students getting to ‘know’ each other. However, this was found to often not be the case:
Majority of people don't even have their cameras on in online classes so even the people you do connect with you won't recognise in person lol. Hence it is hard to connect therefore feel a sense of belonging. (student)
The challenges posed by online learning were further highlighted in the student survey through the focus on non-academic aspects of university and campus life. Campus life, it was suggested, may lead to additional learning and personal development. Absence of this type of interaction was linked to difficulties in developing friendships and consequently a lesser sense of belonging as reflected in students’ comments about challenges of this time:
Not making any friends. Not being able to see faces of the other students during class time. Not having any social time to interact. (student)
Lack of friendships have made it difficult, as we no longer have anyone to talk to about assessments/exams to see if we are on the right track. (student)
Basic theme - Communication with academics is necessary
With less peer support, there was a stronger reliance on the academic-student connection to build a sense of belonging among students. Students employed both positive and negative phrasing to illustrate their communication with academics.
Positive interactions and individualised communication with academics enhanced student sense of satisfaction and belonging. Furthermore, a feeling of trust and a bond created by a shared experience fostered a sense of belonging.
…our tutors did a really good job at making sure like we belonged, um, like, in those first few weeks that we were on campus but even more so, probably, while we were in Zoom…I thought we’d go into class and you’d not really feel like you have a relationship with the tutor, but they’re just so caring and lovely, and you feel – well, I feel like I can definitely go to them for anything if I had an issue…and they would help. (student)
Survey responses echoed this sentiment, noting that academics were “non-judgmental and supportive” and that academics created a sense of camaraderie, building a “we are in it together” attitude (students and staff). However, when students perceived impersonal communication with academics, they expressed feeling less connected, or that teaching was a “transaction”. The level of enthusiasm and engagement from academics influenced the feeling of connection and belonging.
Students identified that the online environment was a barrier to communication:
There have been a few personal obstacles to study that I would have liked to discuss with the teachers but am not comfortable formalising into an email or discussing in an online class. (student)
Systematic and university level communication had little importance in comparison to individualised communication:
…getting emails from [the University] saying, like, ‘We hope you’re all okay.’ Like, that is nice, but it’s more about people and having support from people or relationships with people. Yeah. (student)
Academics felt effective communication was also challenged in the online environment, missing the “non-verbals” and “responsivity” of the classroom environment. Although the online learning environment provides an opportunity for academics to connect professionally with students, there are students who leave their cameras off, with one academic noting they “didn’t push it” as there are “lots of different reasons” students may choose this option.
Organising theme: Reconceptualising teaching and learning
Academics and students encountered a rapid change to online learning that saw them reconceptualising what it meant to be teaching or learning. It was not easy – for academics or students, and many strategies were employed to make it work, with two basic themes emerging: challenges to online teaching and learning, and strategies to engage and connect
Basic theme: Challenges of online teaching and learning: “How do I make this work?”
With the rapid change to online learning, academics asked themselves, “How do I make this work?”
Managing workload
Academics found that their workload increased significantly, and they “found it a juggling act” (staff) to meet their teaching requirements and the increased ‘admin’ that went along with not having any face-to-face contact with students due to the increase in emails. There was also a lot to learn about teaching online in a short time frame and it felt all encompassing:
So really, I felt that teaching has been 24/7 this whole year and that has been quite exhausting…Learning has been hard too. I’ve had to learn Zoom. I’ve had to learn all different ways of…filming myself, filming classes, putting up…transcription, all of that kind of things. (staff)
The rapid switch to online learning meant academics had a significant workload implementing and adapting content to see how material “might play out in a Zoom environment”, where “everything takes longer”.
Some students found the temptation to disengage from learning was there, which meant that balancing their workload and study demands became a challenge as they also faced significant workload and stresses in their personal lives due to COVID-19.
Class dynamics
Academics and students spoke about the change to the dynamic in the classroom. The online environment was noted as being one in which it was difficult to ‘read the room’ to see how students were progressing with their work.
Trying to get some form of feedback, did you understand my instruction? Do you need some help? Blank faces or black squares made it very hard for me to judge what I needed to change in a particular class to adapt to the students in that room at that time. (staff)
Others tried to use humour to enliven a class, only to have the Zoom frame freeze, killing the mood they were trying to create. Teaching online was less “conversational”, less “flexible” and less “responsive”. Missing the “hands on” practical elements in a classroom also meant a big shift for some programs.
Technological challenges
Academics learnt new skills fast, but often these skills would be challenged when things went wrong with technology. Some felt a “sense of vulnerability” about their “complete ineptitude” but were happy to make mistakes in front of students to humanise the experience of teaching and learning online.
The spontaneity of the white board in a classroom was easier than using a mouse to draw on the Zoom whiteboard. One academic participant commented that:
…it just didn’t have the same effect and so, having to just rely on words and text and slides, I felt like there was a big section of my teaching missing. (staff)
There was acknowledgement by academics that some students did not have adequate technological resources to meet the change in their learning requirements when classes were placed online:
Tutorial interaction is quite low as not all students have access to laptops with mics and cameras and I feel this has impacted [on learning]. (staff)
Basic theme: Strategies to engage and connect
The academics worked hard to enhance online learning and hopefully connect with students and engage them in their learning. Students too were active and appreciated academics' efforts to facilitate engagement and connection.
Underlying many of the strategies adopted by academics was a deep concern for student welfare during this time. One academic participant noted the following concern:
…a student…said to me, “Thank you for all your work this semester…I love the classes, but as soon as I leave the Zoom room, my world goes black”. And that was really, really sad. (staff)
Therefore, many of the strategies employed by academics aimed to ensure students were engaged and connected with each other and with the academic team. Academics built in small group opportunities during online teaching as these were times when students could connect via zoom, and as one student commented, “to socialise and possibly have a positive impact”. Academics saw that small groups promoted more interaction and so built these opportunities into teaching. One academic participant spoke about their 1-2-4 approach to teaching planning:
So across the tutorial, they get some opportunity to work individually on a task, some opportunity to work in pairs..., some opportunity to work in a little group of four…And I think, eventually students got used to that formula a little bit…I think that gives some familiarity and comfort and predictability as well. (staff)
Staff also spoke about letting students know that they could reach out to staff. One staff member called this “crossing the divide”, which aimed to break down the sense of “them and us” between students and staff.
A variety of teaching tools were identified by staff to build connection and promote engagement such as interactive quizzes, ice breakers activities, integrating reflective practices into activities and ‘drop in’ sessions. Staff also encouraged students to establish social media groups or other group experiences outside the classroom. Some staff members even came early to zoom classes and left late to allow students to interact with them:
So you’re there and if somebody comes early, they might want to have a chat…like, reciprocating what you would do…on campus, where you’re there beforehand. If you’re not going to have to rush off to another lecture, you’re kind of there outside the door as well…when you’re leaving…so being available on that platform, just seeing if anyone’s got any questions at the end. (staff)
Students appreciated staff attempts such as “getting to know everyone activities”. Students commented that these initiatives were helpful, recognising that staff put a lot of effort into knowing “students personally” and enabling student “wellbeing and best achievement”. Students cited examples such as being provided with extra resources, being given “mini-lectures”, extra question and answer sessions, and fast response times to student queries.
Students also initiated their own strategies, including using group and personal messaging over platforms such as Facebook messenger. Some noted that being online was positive in the sense that they were “able to interact with everyone in the class” whereas in ordinary classes they would “tend to stick in groups”.