A Sense of Belonging in Online Post-Traditional Students: What Matters?

Online education has grown and continues to expand, driven by innovative information and communication technologies that facilitate effective interactions both within and outside the online classroom. Post-traditional students with diverse and complex identities face unique challenges in establishing connections within online learning environments despite advancements in communication technology. However, further research on this demographic is needed to understand their sense of belonging and the factors influencing it. This research focuses on the sense of belonging of online post-traditional students as a critical factor for promoting and consolidating online learning experiences and as a factor associated with measures of student success. In this pilot study, we surveyed a sample of online learners using a mixed-methods approach to examine whether students feel accepted and valued and whether identities such as academic discipline, gender, and ethnicity are influential. Our findings indicate that post-traditional learners report moderate levels of belonging, with university support, acceptance, and meaningful relationships with faculty and staff being pivotal factors. Significant differences among students in different academic programs or gender groups did not emerge. However, Hispanic students reported a higher sense of belonging, perhaps facilitated by the university’s designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). This study provides actionable strategies to cultivate a more engaging and supportive online learning environment by pinpointing the critical and negligible factors affecting a sense of belonging.