Given the robust nature of learning sciences research, this website is best viewed on tablets and computers. A small screen experience is coming in the future.
On June 22, 2021, we will launch updated strategies for the Math PK-2 model, as well as additional updates to the Navigator that highlight equity, SEL, and culturally responsive teaching. To learn more, visit our Site Updates (available in the "About" menu at the top of any page).
Hover to see how factors connect to Sense of Belonging. Then click connected factors to explore strategies related to multiple factors.
A Sense of Belonging allows us to feel included, respected, and supported in school. It is heavily tied to our own identities, supports the development of a positive Identity, and is context- and culture-dependent. For adolescents, school can be a supportive and safe environment that fosters positive Identity development and belonging. However, it can also be a source of adversity when trust and belonging are not established--particularly for students from historically and systematically excluded groups. Students who feel a stronger Sense of Belonging in school typically have greater wellbeing, self-efficacy, and academic success.
Belongingness is the extent to which students feel personally valued, included, and supported by others in their learning environment. In U.S. society, white people typically develop an internalized and mostly unconscious sense of racial belonging through exposure and experiences. However, members of historically and systematically excluded groups may feel uncertain about the quality of their social bonds in academic settings. That is, a lack of school belonging may be attributed to inequitable structural and institutional policies that prioritize certain values and norms while devaluing the cultural wealth and funds of knowledge that other students possess. In addition, students with learning disabilities may be at higher risk of feeling isolated, especially if students are taught in separate classrooms, pulled out of the classroom for specialized instruction or services, or excluded from accelerated (AP) classes. And students who have ADHD often have trouble with Self-Regulation that can be interpreted as being “behavior issues,” putting them at risk of being isolated from and judged by their peers. Fostering a Sense of Belonging in students is critical: students who feel a Sense of Belonging are much more likely to feel happy in school and motivated to engage in class, and therefore are more likely to excel academically.
Many factors can affect a student's Sense of Belonging including: availability of positive representation or role models, an environment free from discrimination and stereotyping, teaching practices that create an inclusive class environment and curriculum, a feeling of Safety at school, support for students with disabilities, and a student's own geographic stability.
One potential barrier to fostering belongingness is the fact that expectations and implicit biases can affect educators' perceptions of students' behaviors, ultimately leading to differential expectations and differential treatment, including increased suspension rates (see also Stereotype Threat). Students with ADHD and learning disabilities also often face the additional barrier of struggling to understand what's known as the “hidden curriculum,” or the unspoken expectations of behavior, social norms, and expected shared understanding of how classrooms work, which, in high school, can vary amongst teachers and may need to be explicitly taught. As students' Social Awareness continues to develop into high school, students may become more aware of, and subject to, negative behaviors from teachers and other students which signal that they do not belong in these settings (signal influences). Research suggests that teachers have a unique opportunity to promote belongingness, because teacher support is one of the strongest predictors of learners' Sense of Belonging. Specifically, when students feel respected, valued, and treated fairly by their teachers, they report a higher Sense of Belonging. Culturally-responsive teaching practices can help all students feel respected and valued in the classroom, including validating students' varied Background Knowledge and lived experiences, Identities, and ways of knowing.
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This is our homepage. You can access many of the features of the Navigator here, and learn more about how learner variability intersects with topics in education and learning. To start, select a content area – we call them Learner Models – to visit a factor map.
Factor maps show research-based concepts, "factors," that likely impact learning. They are organized into four categories: Learner Background, Social and Emotional Learning, Cognition, and Content Area. The map is interactive. Move your cursor over a factor to see connected factors. Select any factor to visit its summary page. We'll look at factor summary pages next.
This is a factor summary page. It provides a brief definition and review of the factor, a factor connections diagram, additional resources, and strategies that support this factor. On the strategy card, the multi-colored boxes show all the factors that it supports. Select a strategy to visit its summary page.
Strategy summary pages have an overview, information about using the strategy in different learning environments, resources of interest, the factors this strategy supports, and related strategies you can explore. To view all the strategies in a content area, use the strategies tab at the top of the page. We'll look at all the Strategies for this learner model next.
The strategy page shows ALL of the strategies for that learner model. You can select factors of interest for you or your learners, and it will narrow the strategies to only those that match all of the factors selected. This makes it easy to find key strategies to better design for learner variability. Again, select the strategy name to visit its summary page.
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Learner variability is the recognition that each learner is a unique constellation of strengths and challenges that are interconnected across the whole child. Understanding these connections and how they vary according to context is essential for meeting the needs of each learner.
It disrupts the notion of a one-size-fits all education. Understanding learner variability helps educators embrace both students’ struggles and strengths as we connect practice to uplifting the whole learner.
Throughout the site, we talk about "factors" and "strategies." Factors are concepts research suggests have an impact on how people learn. Strategies are the approaches to teaching and learning that can be used to support people in how they learn best.
Use the Learner Centered Design Tool to build a workspace. Go to Learner Centered Design Tool.
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On this page, using your heatmap, you will be asked to select factors to further explore, and then select new strategies you might incorporate into upcoming instruction. Once done, click “Show Summary" to view your Design Summary Report.
On this page, using your heatmap, you will be asked to select factors to further explore, and then select new strategies you might incorporate into upcoming instruction. Once done, click “Show Report” to view your Design Summary Report.
By selecting "Show Report" you will be taken to the Assessment Summary Page. Once created, you will not be able to edit your report. If you select cancel below, you can continue to edit your factor and strategy selections.
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Learner variability is the recognition that each learner is a unique constellation of strengths and challenges that are interconnected across the whole child. Understanding these connections and how they vary according to context is essential for meeting the needs of each learner. It embraces both students’ struggles and strengths. It considers the whole child.
Throughout the site, we talk about "factors" and "strategies." Factors are concepts research suggests have an impact on how people learn. Strategies are the approaches to teaching and learning that can be used to support people in how they learn best.
The Learner Variability Navigator is a free, online tool that translates the science of learner variability into factor maps and strategies that highlight connections across the whole learner. This puts the science of learning at teachers' fingertips, empowering them to understand their own practice and support each learner.
