A synthesis of key concepts and literature

2. Defining ‘sense of belonging’

Understanding what belonging is (or is not), is difficult, which may be due to the unconscious way in which belonging is experienced. From as early as 1962, Maslow noted in his psychological hierarchy that the need to belong was more important that the requirement for knowledge and understanding (Maslow, 1962). According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, belongingness is a more basic need than esteem (feeling accomplished) and self-actualisation (achieving one’s potential).  This implies that all learners, whether face-to-face or online, will want to feel comfortable and safe in their learning environments and respected by both peers and tutors before and as they attend to their studies.

Various definitions of the concept of SoB in an educational context have been published including that of Thomas (2012) who argues that SoB is both psychological and sociological, and involves how the individual is connected to the social (Thomas, 2012). Goodenow (1993) offers a definition which encapsulates the common consensus to be found in the literature in describing a sense of belonging as comprising feelings of: