"Fostering Belonging in an Online Community" (Consideration 8.4)

Online learners face unique challenges related to social isolation and limited opportunities to build relationships, yet belonging and community are fundamental needs that shape student motivation and success. In this episode of the UDL Guidelines podcast, we'll show how you can proactively foster belonging in the online classroom. We'll review practical strategies for building social presence in online spaces. And we'll cover how to support students with multiple roles, implement inclusive design practices, and maintain a focus on meaningful connections. Whether you're designing your first online course or looking to strengthen the sense of community in your existing courses, this episode offers actionable approaches for creating a learning space in which all students feel welcome and valued using Universal Design for Learning.

This podcast is brought to you by the Goodwin University Institute for Learning Innovation and the Center for Teaching Excellence, specializing in Universal Design for Learning. Our goal is to transform how you think about teaching and learning. Learn more at goodwin.edu.

UDL Tips

"Sense of Belonging and Online Learning"

Resources

Anthropic. (2025). Claude Opus 4.5 [Large language model]. https://claude.ai/

Åkerfeldt, A., Bergdahl, N., & Hrastinski, S. (2023). Adult learners' perceptions of distance education. Journal of Studies in International Education, 30(1), 248-266.

Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 117(3), 497-529.

CAST. (2024). Foster belonging and community. Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 3.0. https://udlguidelines.cast.org/engagement/effort-persistence/belonging-community/

Dulfer, N., Gowing, A., & Mitchell, J. (2025). Building belonging in online classrooms: relationships at the core. Teaching in Higher Education, 30(4), 1024–1040.

Mitra, S. (2022). Does collaborative learning improve student outcomes for underrepresented students? Evidence from an online bottleneck business course. Journal of Education for Business, 97(3), 161–167.

Price, J., & Fox, A. (2023). Transformative praxis: A critical design framework for belonging and inclusion in technology-rich learning spaces. Journal of Teaching and Learning with Technology, 12, 55-71

Shatila, S. L. (2024). Not alone when I’m feeling stressed: Online adult learner connection and retention. Adult Education Quarterly, 74(1), 43–61.

Credits

Based on UDL Tips by Diana J. LaRocco, EdD
Produced and Hosted by Brian A. Dixon, PhD
Music by Lynne Publishing