Syllabus Strategies to Foster Student Sense of Belonging | Michael V. Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning

Student sense of belonging continues to be an ongoing concern in higher education. Evidence demonstrates that students' sense of belonging in the classroom contributes to increased academic performance and overall well-being. Faculty and instructors can play a critical role in contributing to sense of belonging in the classroom through course materials and pedagogical style.

In this workshop we will discuss intentional approaches to syllabus design. Participants are encouraged to have their existing syllabi available to edit or work on during the session and will be given the opportunity to incorporate suggested strategies throughout the workshop. Excerpts from exemplary syllabi will be shared, and participants will leave with a customized plan for implementing concepts from the workshop into their syllabi. Participants who do not currently have a syllabus to work on are also encouraged to join this session and can benefit from the topics discussed. This workshop was developed by the Drake Institute in collaboration with Counseling and Consultation Service.

After this workshop, participants will be able to:

define how academic belonging fits into a student’s overall sense of belonging
describe intentional design strategies that can utilize the syllabus as a tool to contribute to student sense of belonging
implement syllabus design choices that demonstrate and align with participant’s personalized approach to fostering student sense of belonging
identify ways to demonstrate support for students’ mental health and well-being

Presentation Files

Presentation
There is no recording available for this event.
- This recording is intended for workshop participants to review. Please direct any additional requests for access to the Drake Institute (drakeinstitute@osu.edu)

Citations

Addy, Tracie Marcella, et al. What Inclusive Instructors Do: Principles and Practices for Excellence in College Teaching. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2023.
Cardon, Lauren S., and Anne-Marie Womack. Inclusive College Classrooms: Teaching Methods for Diverse Learners. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2023.
Creating the Foundation for a Warm Classroom Climate: https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/creating-the-foundation-for-a-warm-classroom-climate
Farley-Lucas, B. & Sargent, M.M. (2011). Enhancing out-of-class communication: Student perspectives. To Improve the Academy (30)1, 71-84.
Gao, F., and H. C. Y. Liu. 2021. “Guests in Someone Else’s House? Sense of Belonging among Ethnic Minority Students ina Hong Kong University.” British Educational Research Journal 47 (4): 1004–1020. doi:10.1002/berj.3704.
Giordano, P. J. (2010). Serendipity in teaching and learning: The importance of critical moments. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 21(3), 5-27.
Hogan, Kelly A., and Viji Sathy. Inclusive Teaching: Strategies for Promoting Equity in the College Classroom. West Virginia University Press, 2022.
Oleson, Kathryn C. Promoting Inclusive Classroom Dynamics in Higher Education. Stylus Publishing, LLC, 2021.
O’Shea, S. 2021. ““Kids from Here Don’t Go to Uni”: Considering First in Family Students’ Belonging and Entitlement within the Field of Higher Education in Australia.” European Journal of Education 56 (1): 65–77. doi:10.1111/ejed.12434.
Worsley, J. D., P. Harrison, and R. Corcoran. 2021. “Bridging the Gap: Exploring the Unique Transition from Home, Schoolor College into University.” Frontiers in Public Health 9: 211. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2021.634285.

TLRC Articles

External Resources

Syllabus Excerpts

What the Instructor can Expect from Students

Buckeyemail: If I need to reach you individually, I’ll probably message you through your Buckeyemail account, so you will need to check your email there somewhat regularly. In virtue of being a student at Ohio State, you should have access to both Carmen and Buckeyemail using your name, dot number, and university password. You’ll probably need to check these websites in your other courses as well. If you have not used Buckeyemail before, instructions for setting up your account and setting up your name and dot number can be found here:
https://undergrad.osu.edu/apply/enable-buckeyemail. You can also set up your email to be forwarded to another personal address that you check more often, if you like.
*How to Get in Touch: First of all, please do! Teaching is my favorite part of my job, and my favorite part of teaching is talking to my students. So you should feel free—in fact, encouraged— to email me at any time with questions about assignments or course structure, requests for feedback or help on assignments, or with specific questions about the course content. Just know that if you email me outside of working hours (9 am – 5 pm), you may get a slow response. If you have questions about course content, the best way to review, practice, or receive feedback is usually to ask for an in person appointment over Zoom. I have lots of availability for one-on-one meetings on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays during working hours, but I can also met students in the evenings and over weekends if needed.
Use of Electronic Devices: As I mention above, it will typically be best if you have some electronic device in the classroom for accessing GoogleDocs and course materials, taking notes, and participating in electronic polls. I trust you to use these devices in ways that will keep you and the people around you on track, and to minimize distractions for yourself and others around you. Accessing sites or materials that are not relevant to the course not only impacts your learning, but the learning of others around you, so it can be disrespectful to me or other members of the class. If you need to send a text or make a call during class, you are should always feel welcome to step out for a few minutes to do so.
Zoom sessions: During Zoom sessions between your teammates or an instructor, please use your preferred name/pronouns and a clear photo of your face in your Carmen profile. Have cameras and mics on as often as possible to have the most effective communication. You are always welcome to use the free, Ohio State-themed virtual backgrounds (go.osu.edu/zoom-backgrounds). Remember that Zoom and the Zoom chat are our classroom space where respectful interactions are expected.
Your contributions in this course are important and valued. You bring your unique background, personality, opinions, and knowledge. I encourage you to share with others to the extent you feel comfortable and ask that you listen to your peers, so you not only learn about them, but you also grow as a teacher, and as a human being. You belong here. Your interest in the topic and desire to learn are seen. In this class we will use various methods to learn about college biology teaching. These are both to support you as diverse learners, and to showcase methods you can use in your own courses to support your students. We will discuss topics in pairs, small groups, and as a whole class. You will give presentations on topics of your choosing and methods you align with your own learning outcomes you set. You will reflect each week on our readings in a way that is meaningful to you. I’ve included in our curriculum the voices of diverse writers and researchers.
My Classroom Philosophy:  People matter most. Mental health comes before assignments. (i.e., I will work with you if you communicate any needs.) I personally value diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. ALL students (everyone!) regardless of any differences are welcomed and encouraged to participate. This is our classroom. I want us to learn from and with each other, co-creating knowledge (including learning to navigate A.I.). Remember, this is a two-way street. Mutual respect and accountability rule. Let’s engage, learn, and grow together.
Your completion of the prerequisite coursework is evidence that you all have the capability of succeeding in this course with some guidance through potential bottlenecks and we encourage you to reach out to your peers, TAs, and instructors when you experience these bottlenecks. Successful scientific investigation requires the collaboration of diverse perspectives to overcome these obstacles.
Excused/Unexcused Absences: I will not keep track of or distinguish between excused and unexcused absences, so you never need to inform me of a reason for your absence. For many people, absences are related to physical or mental health conditions and family affairs that you should be able to keep private! That said, if you are absent frequently, you will miss chances to practice and receive feedback, which will likely have a negative impact on your performance and learning. And if frequent absences lead to a low level of participation or preparation for group work, this can also impact your ability to argue for a high grade in the course.
Do I Really Need to Read? I will not spend extensive time in class reviewing the readings, and course activities will usually assume you have done the reading. In order to participate in group work and fully understand class sessions, you do need to do the assigned readings. I have only assigned readings a few weeks to keep the workload manageable, and the dates for these are listed in the schedule below so that you can plan in advance to do them. In a nutshell: You’ll get way more out of class if you read, and there really isn’t that much reading, so just do it.

What Students can Expect from the Instructor

If You Fall Behind, or Feel Overwhelmed: College life can be demanding and stressful. Having been a student myself, I totally understand that! Some of you have additional responsibilities aside from coursework that make scheduling in-person meetings difficult (e.g., part-time or full-time jobs, responsibilities with your families and children, etc.) I worked a variety of jobs while in college myself, and my work hours are split between my research and teaching—so I understand how time consuming these additional responsibilities can be. This all means that if you fall behind, feel confused, or overwhelmed, then you’re not alone, and you shouldn’t feel like I won’t understand!
Grade Appeal: You earn grades, I do not give them. If you are dissatisfied with your grade on any work, you have the opportunity to submit an appeal – see instructions below:
- Write a short statement describing where and why you deserve more points. Simply asking for more points, verbally or in written form, is insufficient. You must justify why your grade does not accurately reflect your work.
- Email me your written statement no later than the ONE week after your work was graded and posted on Carmen (along with the assignment, if applicable).
As humans navigating a complex world, we deserve patience and flexibility while operating under the rules of the university. I will do my best to hear your needs through a mid-semester Small Group Instructional Diagnostic (SGID) and an end of semester Student Assessment of Learning Gains Survey (SALG). I welcome feedback throughout the course, and together as a class we will discuss our expectations of one another including how to share that feedback.
That said, if you ever feel that the course has become challenging in a way that is frustrating and stressful, rather than intellectually stimulating and fruitful, I hope that you will feel comfortable letting me know, so that I can adjust the pace of the course, the amount of guidance and support I give you, and/or my expectations to help you succeed. To facilitate this, I will offer you several opportunities to give me anonymous feedback throughout the semester, but I’ll aim to be flexible in the amount of support and time I give each of you as individuals. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have ideas for how I can better support your individual learning process.
Help: Please do not hesitate to reach out to me and ask for help. I am more than happy to provide as much assistance and accommodation as you need. It is my goal you successfully complete the course and enjoy the learning experience.
We are providing the following list to give you an idea of our intended availability throughout the course. Remember that you can call 614-688-4357(HELP)at any time if you have a technical problem.
- Preferred contact method: If you have a question that is not first resolved by your research team, then please contact either Dr. [REDACTED] or the foundation instructor or your TA through email. We will reply to emails within 24 hours on days when class is in session at the university.
- Class announcements: We will send all important class-wide messages through the Announcements tool in CarmenCanvas. Please check your notification preferences (go.osu.edu/canvas-notifications) to ensure you receive these messages.
- Grading and feedback: We will try to provide feedback and grades within seven days of the lab report or exam due date.
The academic misconduct policy describes an ethical obligation that you have in this course. Our disability policy describes one that I have to you! I am committed to helping all students achieve our learning goals, and making all learning experiences in this course accessible to all students. I recognize that doing this fairly doesn’t mean treating everyone in the same way! I have a chronic pain condition myself that means I sometimes need extensions on my own work. I might even request some flexibility from you over the course of the semester for this reason. In turn, you should feel free to keep me informed about what I can do to help make course materials, activities, and assignments more accessible or useful to you, even if your disability is not (or not yet) registered with Disability Services.
- As I mention in the previous policies, I am usually open to giving extensions on assignments and additional support to students for any reason, regardless of whether they disclose a disability. However, if you do anticipate reasons that you will need regular or specific accommodations (for reasons related to your mental health, chronic, or temporary medical conditions), I encourage you to register with Student Life Disability Services so that you can get appropriate, consistent, and fair accommodations applied to all your classes.
…In this course, we will develop the ethical, philosophical, and communication skills that every engineer needs to make morally defensible decisions with confidence, and if necessary, explain and defend those decisions to others. Making good arguments is hard, and making ethical decisions can be hard too! So, at times, this course will probably challenge you. But the skills we are developing are important and valuable, so I think that the challenge will be worth it. As an instructor, I am committed to providing you with challenges that you are capable of rising to. I’ll never give you a challenge that I don’t think you can meet!
Changes to the Course Schedule: I understand that the course schedule is a resource for planning our schedules in advance, so I will try not to make changes to it. However, if changes to the course schedule would benefit the learning of most students in the course, or if there are changes in the world around us that make sticking to the schedule impossible (like global pandemics or something) it may be necessary to make changes. If changes are needed, I will always give students an opportunity to give feedback or suggestions on proposed changes. And if your personal plans are negatively affected by changes to the schedule, I am open to working with you to extend deadlines or provide extra support.
My late assignment policy is: (1) I always accept late submissions; and (2) I never take off points for late submissions. Of course, you cannot wait with until the last week of the semester to submit all your assignments because by then I do not have time to read and evaluate your work. Also, you can drop two of the homework assignments. I know it is strict, but I have to draw line somewhere.

What Students can Expect from Each Other

Research requires the collaboration of teammates with diverse perspectives on a problem. Therefore, you will be tasked with providing a peer evaluation of your research teammate’s compliance to the research team agreement for 15 pts at the end of each foundation. Teams that report significant conflicts may be required to meet with a facilitator for resolution.
Let’s maintain a supportive learning community where everyone feels safe and where people can disagree amicably. Remember that sarcasm doesn’t always come across online if you choose to meet your team asynchronously.
Our class-created Community Guidelines:
- Have a platform or space that is open and respectful of diverging opinions.
- Unpack conflicts so that both sides can benefit and understand other perspectives.
- Be open to constructive feedback, we are all here to improve and become a better instructor.
- It is ok to have different teaching styles.
- When you have a diverging opinion, be ready to share it, but also be open to other opinions.
- We should always intend to be a community.
- Don’t be off-task on your laptop/phone. Everything on screen should be class relevant.
- Be respectful of others’ time, for both the beginning and end of the class.
Our policy on diversity describes an ethical obligation we have to each other in this course—and outside of this course as well. Sometimes, in this class, we will disagree with one another. The root of the disagreement may be cultural, or it may be related to other aspects of our personal identities and values, but no matter what the root of the disagreement may be, I hope that our discussions and disagreements can remain respectful and tolerant of these differences. Done well, disagreement can actually be a way to show that you care about one another’s values and beliefs, and that you are open to revising your own!
- When you disagree with other students in the class or with me, I ask that you try to do so in a respectful, understanding, and productive way. When others disagree with you, I ask you to patient, open minded, and willing to listen. Being understanding and tolerant of others is a crucial communication skill that can make you a more persuasive and effective communicator, but it is also a skill that we need to learn and practice. If one of us makes a mistake or causes offense, I hope that we can work together to help educate one another about one another’s identities and values and become more tolerant and respectful people.
- I hold myself to these same standards. If you feel disrespected, uncomfortable, or discouraged from participating in the course for any reason, I encourage you to speak with me, so that we can work towards improving the classroom environment. In addition to these standards, we should hold each other to the standards on diversity set by the university:

Upcoming Events

Date	Event
March 24, 2025	Classroom Environment Strategies to Foster Student Sense of Belonging and Build Achievement
March 25, 2025	Gauging Student Prior Knowledge
March 27, 2025	Presenting and Publishing your Innovations in Teaching
March 31, 2025	Designing and Implementing Rubrics
April 1, 2025	Multiple Choice Questions: Assessment, Analysis and Scholarship
April 1, 2025	Crafting Teaching Statements and Teaching Portfolios
April 17, 2025	Working with Neurodivergent Students
April 30, 2025	From Debate to Dialogue: Conversation strategies to build connection across difference