ABSTRACT
Colleges and universities in the United States were originally designed to serve wealthy, White, able-bodied, Protestant, cis men. As higher education accepts a more diverse pool of applicants, institutions will need to adapt to support students from all backgrounds and critically examine the climate and pedagogical practices that reinforce these harmful hegemonic norms. To ensure that all students are supported in their learning experience, educators need clear examples and strategies that they can immediately implement in the classroom. This chapter explores the intersection between pedagogical choices and students’ experiences with belonging. Drawing from the authors’ experiences as education researchers and faculty developers, they weave together reflection questions and evidence-based strategies instructors can employ to be intentionally inclusive in their teaching practice, classroom climate, course content, and assessment with vignettes from interviews with undergraduate students regarding experiences with belonging and isolation on campus. Contributions are relevant to educators and faculty developers who are passionate about reimagining higher education classrooms to be supportive of all students.
