Social Media Encourages Sense of Belonging among Off-Campus University Students

Case Description

Going to university is an important part of the transition to adulthood for an increasing number of young people, and for most, it is both an exciting and daunting experience. Students face many new challenges such as meeting new people, making friends, living away from home, and taking on new or greater academic responsibilities. According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, the number of students accepted on to courses at British universities passed 500.000 in 2009. During this transition stage, the degree to which students feel they belong to the institution at which they are enrolled can have a significant impact on their overall experience of university life, satisfaction, and academic attainment. Many educational researchers are in agreement that the sense of belonging, or the cohesion a student has with a particular institution, is one of the most important requirements to ensure individuals’ proper functioning within a learning environment (Deci & Ryan, 1985; Connell & Wellborn, 1991; Goodenow, 1993; Finn, 1989; Osterman, 2000). Social integration is consistently found to impact student persistence, and developing valued relationships is an important part of that integration (Astin, 1984; Tinto, 1998). Studies show that attrition often occurs among first year students who have not been integrated into the campus community (Christie & Dinham, 1991).