I love this. Such a simple practice, but it tells students: your culture, history, and experiences have a place in this classroom. It also creates opportunities for curiosity and connection across differences- belonging through learning about one another. #LTHEchat

A6 #LTHEChat

Orientation should start with connection, allow people to find friends based on interests and not just being on the same course.

A6 #LTHEChat

Build in time during the week to allow students freedom to choose what to do for an hour or two before returning to class. It might be study, it might be coffee, it might be clubs and societies

I love this! Sometimes belonging grows outside the formal classroom, through shared experiences, conversations and simply having time to know one another as people. Imagine the community students could bring back into the classroom after those 48 hours! #LTHEchat

A6 - a session in the coffee shop/walking/getting to know to build the connections at the start.

Ideally timetabled (otherwise I worry learners would not attend), but mindful of those who might find this challenging - so having an alternative for them to connect with me/others #lthechat

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A6 #LTHEchat I would hire a lot more staff to make time and space for us to a) develop our teaching and assessment b) develop ourselves c) find resource and space to work with students to cultivate belonging. Time is everything's enemy this year.

Yes, last week at my institution's L&T Conference @it-se.bsky.social quoted Dr Emily McIntosh (both fellow PFHEA and NTF) 'Not everything that counts can be counted and not everything that IS counted does count' #LTHEChat

A5 - Can the kindness of challenge be something that is made explicit to students, the way the value of the challenge of learning is explained to them in this AI phase? #LTHEchat

I think there’s something in that, but I’d see belonging as relational rather than solely the student’s responsibility. Institutions create the conditions for belonging, while students interpret and respond to those conditions. #LTHEchat

A6 - last year I used an intercultural prompt as a warm up at the start of class and that worked really well. For example, what’s a tradition from your home, family or culture that marks this time of year. The German start of school custom is very cute (see Einschulung). #LTHEchat

A6 I'd take my first year students on my course away for a 48 hours in the Peak District, we'd engage in fun team building activities, go out walking, eat together, and provide a safe space to get to know each other. #LTHEchat

Such an important question. For me, genuine belonging begins when you no longer feel you must continually prove your right to be in the room. Achievement may open the door, but belonging is knowing your presence has value beyond having to constantly justify it. #LTHEchat

A2 #LTHEChat Is inclusion something where the institution is doing all of the work while belonging is coming from the student's active response to the environment? @ifawolowo.bsky.social

Always, much more than compulsory performative belonging activity (no offence intended to anyone putting genuine effort into welcoming/welcoming back their students) #LTHEChat

That tension really matters. When rankings, metrics and income dominate, we risk losing sight of the human purpose of education. Care and compassion should not sit in opposition to academic rigour; they can be part of what makes rigorous education meaningful. #LTHEchat

A5 As a teacher I certainly do. Is the distinction between 'higher education' or those removed from students and therefore don't know them, that they become focussed on rules and processes. They don't intend not to care. #LTHEchat

Q6 - If you could change one thing tomorrow in your teaching, course or institution to help more students move from simply being present to genuinely belonging, what would it be?

Reply with A6 #LTHEChat and your response @ifawolowo.bsky.social

Absolutely. I see extraordinary care and compassion from colleagues every day, often under immense pressure. Perhaps we also need to recognise care as a professional capability in itself, something our students should experience, learn and carry with them into their future workplaces. #LTHEchat

I love this distinction. Compassion is not about lowering expectations. We can challenge students, maintain academic rigour and still lead with humanity. Sometimes care is precisely about believing someone can achieve more and supporting them to get there. #LTHEchat

“Care doesn’t have a KPI” is powerful. Perhaps the problem is that we measure what is easy to count rather than what truly matters. Care, kindness and compassion may be harder to quantify, but their impact can be seen in whether people thrive, stay and belong. #LTHEchat