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Online students describe belonging as ongoing work

By Student Voice AI

Updated Oct 27, 2026

Online students described belonging as something they had to maintain as their connections changed. In Higher Education Research & Development, K. Coutts and colleagues examine that process among first-year ICT students at an Australian institution.

What the researchers investigated

The longitudinal grounded theory study interviewed 19 first-year ICT students, eight lead educators and four support educators at an Australian institution. Data collection and analysis ran from April 2023 to April 2024.

Key findings

Connection needed maintenance. Students moved between connection and disconnection, seeking ways to reconnect.

Belonging was not exclusively social. Some preferred academic or professional connections, including working on disciplinary tasks.

Available routes mattered. Students sought workable ways to interact online; educators’ preferences could restrict those options.

The study develops a theory of belonging from one institution. The authors note that volunteers may have offered more positive accounts.

References

[Paper Source]: K. Coutts, J. Mills, E. Lanham and S. McKenzie. "Actively maintaining connections in first-year higher education: the dynamic process of ICT student belonging online"

DOI: 10.1080/07294360.2026.2670668

Published online: 21 May 2026.

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