Defining School Belonging: A Cross-Cultural Investigation of Student-Led Conceptualisations
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| Title: | Defining School Belonging: A Cross-Cultural Investigation of Student-Led Conceptualisations |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Kelly-Ann Allen (ORCID |
| Source: | European Journal of Education. 2025 60(4). |
| Availability: | Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 12 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Foreign Countries, Secondary School Students, Student School Relationship, Sense of Belonging, Student Attitudes, Educational Experience, Cross Cultural Studies, School Safety, Personal Autonomy, Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Interpersonal Relationship, Prosocial Behavior |
| Geographic Terms: | India, Iran, Australia, Greece |
| DOI: | 10.1111/ejed.70290 |
| ISSN: | 0141-8211 1465-3435 |
| Abstract: | School belonging is a construct receiving increasing attention in educational spaces, yet its definition remains contested in the school belonging literature. This study addresses a key gap by exploring how adolescent students from different international settings conceptualise school belonging. A sample of 611 secondary school students from four countries (India, Iran, Australia and Greece), with an average age of 15.6 years, participated in the study. A qualitative research design was employed, using thematic analysis to interpret the data. Four central themes captured student conceptualisations of school belonging: a sense of safety, autonomy with guidance, inclusion and diversity and positive relationships. These themes were consistent across the multi-national sample, presenting a student-led, co-designed conceptualisation of school belonging. Responding to the limitations of previous definitions that were largely developed in US-based contexts, this study advances a student-informed understanding of school belonging. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1490354 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | School belonging is a construct receiving increasing attention in educational spaces, yet its definition remains contested in the school belonging literature. This study addresses a key gap by exploring how adolescent students from different international settings conceptualise school belonging. A sample of 611 secondary school students from four countries (India, Iran, Australia and Greece), with an average age of 15.6 years, participated in the study. A qualitative research design was employed, using thematic analysis to interpret the data. Four central themes captured student conceptualisations of school belonging: a sense of safety, autonomy with guidance, inclusion and diversity and positive relationships. These themes were consistent across the multi-national sample, presenting a student-led, co-designed conceptualisation of school belonging. Responding to the limitations of previous definitions that were largely developed in US-based contexts, this study advances a student-informed understanding of school belonging. |
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| ISSN: | 0141-8211 1465-3435 |
| DOI: | 10.1111/ejed.70290 |
